Research Paper Topic: Hunting Animals

For this research paper, the topic is hunting animals has been chosen. Humans have been hunting animals for thousands of years. The animals most often hunted include bears, deer, boars, moose, and turkeys. Hunters kill their prey by using a variety of methods. These methods include using bow and arrows, crossbows, and guns. Further, people participate in the hunting of animals for several reasons. These reasons include hunting for food and hunting for recreational purposes.

After researching the topic, hunting animals, a narrowed focus has been selected. The narrowed focus for this research paper will be the pros of hunting deer. Deer hunting is very popular throughout the world, as many men and women apply for licenses each year to be eligible to hunt deer. Further, deer hunting has many positive aspects to it. First, hunting deer can provide food for hundreds of people that cannot afford to buy meat. Next, hunting deer helps to control the excessive deer population throughout the country. For example, our country is overpopulated with bucks and does, and these animals cause thousands of accidents and deaths each year since they are always running across busy roads. Finally, hunting deer is a great recreational sport, as it provides fresh air and exercise to those who participate in the activity.

On the other hand, there are those who are against the hunting of deer. These people feel that deer should not be killed for their meat since it is cruel to slaughter an innocent animal. Next, although the deer population is high in our country, hunting and killing deer does not help to control the deer population. Finally, many people against deer hunting do not feel that hunting deer is a sport since hunters bait, trap, and plot to kill deer. The idea of hunting for meaning is also dismissed because familial traditions of hunting animals does not negate the fact that a life is being taken.

After narrowing the focus for this research paper, a thesis statement has been created. The thesis statement for this paper is “Deer hunting should be encouraged since hunting provides food, it helps to control the excessive deer population, and it is a great outdoor sport.” This thesis statement will be defended throughout the paper.

Works Cited

Alsheimer, Charles. Strategies for Whitetails. Lola: Krause Publications, 2006. Print.

Barney, Alicia. “Good Will Hunting?” Newsweek 3 July 2006: 19. Web.

Bestel, Scott, and Dave Hurteau. The Total Deer Hunting Manual. San Francisco: Welden Owen, 2013. Print.

Boulanger, Jason, Gary Goff, and Paul Curtis. “Use of “Earn-a-Buck” Hunting to Manage Local Deer Overabundance” Northeastern Naturalist 19.6 (2012): 159-172. Web.

Grovenberg, Troy, and Christopher Swanson. “Female White-tailed Deer Survival Across Ecoregions in Minnesota and South Dakota.” American Midland Naturalist 165 (2011): 426-435. Web.

Landers, Jackson. The Beginner’s Guide to Hunting Deer for Food. North Adams: Storey Publishing, 2011. Print.

Mysterud, Atle. “Selective Harvesting of Large Mammals: How Often Does it Result in Directional Selection.” Journal of Applied Ecology 48 (2011): 827-834. Web.

Saari, Andrew. How to Hunt Deer: Whitetail Tactics. Seattle: Independent Publishing, 2012. Print.

Texas Parks & Wildlife. “Hunting and Fishing Regulations.” 2013. Web. 27 Oct. 2013.

Williams, Scott, Anthony DeNicola, and Isaac Ortega. “Behavioral Responses of White-Tailed Deer Subjected to Lethal Management.” Canadian Journal of Zoology 86 (2008): 1358-1366. Web.