There are a certain portion of Americans who like to hunt wild animals. These animals can be hogs (large sisters of pigs), fallow deer, wild boar, and much more. Americans like to hunt these animals with firearms, including large rifles. This is a “sport” for Americans handed down from generation to generation, with father hunting with son and so forth.
The perceived enjoyment of American hunting comes from the feeling of superiority when a person tracks and hunts an animal. American hunters like to say that this feeling is part of the “circle of life” and that they are just enjoying their time in the woods, sitting ready in a shack or even hunting in a large group, when in fact they are killing for pleasure.
There are companies who offer this type of service. They offer hunting in guise of company trips. The companies of these hunts offer the opportunity to kill for pleasure while bonding with their work mates. They offer the opportunity to “build camaraderie” and to foster a togetherness sense while attacking wild animals.
The companies are composed of people who like hunting. They like hunting because it is an opportunity for them to enjoy the great outdoors, while enjoying the pastime that has been shared to them with their fathers. They can, then, in turn, share that pastime with a group of hunters who are looking for a field trip.
The companies that offer this service offer it proudly and with a sense of enthusiasm. The offer wild boar hog hunting, exotic hunting trips, buffalo hunting, axis deer hunting, semi-guided hunting expeditions, meat storage, a hunting lodge, hog hunting with dogs, hog hunting ranches, those for the seasoned hunter, those for the novice hunter, and more.
According to statistics:
- Approximately 15.5 million people in the United States go hunting
- 12.75% of Americans regularly hunt or fish
There are many justifications for hunting with guns to kill animals for sport. There are some statistics surrounding pigs that may be interest to those who are looking to hunt but are a little squeamish about things like animal life. For instance:
- Pigs were first introduced to North America by Spanish explorers 500 years ago
- According to estimates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, there are more than six million feral pigs in the nation today, scattered across 39 states.
- The USDA estimates that feral hogs cause $1.5 billion in damages nationwide due to depleting crops, infecting water with diseases, and eroding the land around water sources.
- Feral swine populations have been seen in all 77 counties in Oklahoma at one time or another. They can be found in locations throughout the majority of the state.
It is difficult to ascertain the motivations for hunters when hunting animals with rifles while in camouflage against animals that have a much lower general IQ and little to defend themselves with. But in hunting circles, hunting is generally looked at as a service, because certain animals are over-running the natural ecosystem and must be dealt with.
In these cases a county or a municipality will allow an area to be open to hunters, with the specific idea that they will kill a specific kind of animal, as in the case of the wild hogs in Oklahoma. Hunters then would be doing a service to the community and the general ecosystem by getting or eliminating the excess population.
While feral pigs are the most hunted animal in many areas, the fallow deer also has a popularity for being hunted. The fallow deer, similar to the axis deer, has two large antlers that can reach 30 inches in length. They are often hunted in Texas in the form of hunting lodges, where people set up to hunt the deer.
Originally introduced in America in the 19th century to many parts of the United States, including Georgia, Texas, Pennsylvania and others. Some exist as feral populations while others are domesticated. While in one case at least fallow deer are restricted from being hunted, locations in Texas and possibly others allow the hunting of fallow deer.
Hunting is a very popular activity for those in certain areas of the country, specifically states below the Mason-Dixon line. Hunting has been with these families for generations and it is an enjoyable activity for certain people of a certain age.
