Deer hunting artifacts, traced back 30,000 years ago, indicate the practice of hunting has been around long before the rise of modern civilization. Even schools in Pennsylvania schedule the Monday after Thanksgiving off for the start deer hunting season. I’d like to argue if hunting should even be deemed as something of worthiness at all. 

Humans and animals have been living on the same planet since the dawn of time. Humans rely on animals to gain their necessities in order to survive, just as animals rely on humans to maintain healthy environments for them to live in. Humans; however, can’t seem to understand their part in its full capacity. 

Besides the obvious, and most concerning, conversation about the human race slowly destroying the overall Earth, small and preventable actions are slipping through the cracks as acceptable.

Our ancestors thrived off of the idea of hunting because, then, it was all they had. Early humans had to make do with the supplies they had, for farming had not yet been invented. Although, the idea of hunting has become distorted with time and age. As hunting is a male dominated activity, a rise of toxic masculinity can grow from the idea of needing to be “powerful” and wanting the title of an “alpha.”

While hunting benefits a variety of people in ways of food and clothing, how is it truly beneficial to the overall picture? Does hunting fresh, owned deer meat change the fact that grocery stores sell ten other types of meat from other slaughtered animals? Does hanging a deer head above the fireplace bring newfound joy?

Besides the six million whitetail deer killed every season, social media becomes a dangerous place where hunters voluntarily post pictures with dead, bloody deer. Whether it has been held up by its mutilated neck or stripped and hung from a garage ceiling, hunted deer never fail to make their way onto someone’s  Instagram feed almost daily. It doesn’t matter if it represents the twisted idea of a man’s prolonged fight to provide for their families, it’s simply unnecessary for bloody, murdered animals to be on any social media feed at all.

Picture the idea of a dog: a Yorkshire Terrier was just shot and eaten for the enjoyment of another. Afterwards, a picture of the dead dog was posted with a careless caption. Sounds different, right?

The desire to kill an animal as innocent and delicate as a deer, is a poor reflection of the character of a person who owns dogs or cats. It becomes hypocritical. The idea of repeatedly killing an animal during the season it’s legal just to post, flaunt and eat it, while owning domestic animals is a sick idea on its own. 

The argument on why hunting should be encouraged always consists of one or two phrases: “It helps one feel intimate and at peace with nature,” or “It provides a type of meat that is fresher and isn’t available in grocery stores.” Being intimate with nature can be practiced in tons of different ways. Reading books in the grass, skipping stones on a pond, taking walks on trials, are just a few I can name. 

Of course deer meat isn’t an everyday treat, but how drastically different does it taste? Deer meat has the exact same composition as beef, besides the fact that it is slightly less fat. 

The idea isn’t to transition to veganism or to use only eco-friendly materials. It’s to take a step back and realize all the nature that has been sacrificed.  Humans need animals, and they need us too. The pointless killing, and even over-killing, of wildlife destroys the perception on society and moving forward. 

This hunting season, ask the question: Is there even rightfully a desire to kill an animal at all?