| Hunting is the practice of pursuing | | | | Hunting is still vital in marginal |
| animals to capture or kill them for | | | | climates, especially those unsuited for |
| food, recreation, or trade in their | | | | pastoral uses or agriculture. Inuit |
| products. In modern use, the term refers | | | | peoples in the Arctic trap and hunt |
| to regulated and legal hunting, as | | | | animals for clothing, and produce |
| distinguished from poaching, which is | | | | complicated parkas consisting of up to |
| the killing, trapping or capture of | | | | 60 stitched pieces capable of |
| animals contrary to law. Hunted animals | | | | with-standing sub-zero temperatures. |
| are referred to as game animals, and are | | | | From the skins of sea mammals they may |
| usually large mammals or migratory | | | | make water-proof kayaks, clothing, |
| birds. The killing of other humans is | | | | gloves and footwear. |
| most often called execution (judicial), | | | | With domestication of the dog, birds of |
| homicide (illegal), genocide (an entire | | | | prey and the ferret, various forms of |
| people or culture) or war (legalized, | | | | animal-aided hunting developed including |
| between political entities). | | | | venery (scent hound hunting, such as fox |
| By definition, hunting strictly speaking | | | | hunting), coursing (sight hound |
| excludes the killing -though the same | | | | hunting), falconry and ferreting. These |
| techniques may be used- of individual | | | | are all associated with medieval |
| animals that have become dangerous to | | | | hunting; in time various dog breeds were |
| humans and the killing of non-game | | | | selected for very precise tasks during |
| animals, domestic animals, or vermin (or | | | | the hunt, reflected in such names as |
| "varmints") as a means of pest control. | | | | pointer and setter. |
| Hunting may be a component of modern | | | | Hunting in pastoral and agricultural |
| wildlife management, sometimes used to | | | | societies |
| help maintain a population of healthy | | | | Even as agriculture and animal husbandry |
| animals within an environment's | | | | become more prevalent, hunting often |
| ecological carrying capacity. Wildlife | | | | remains a part of human cultures where |
| managers are frequently part of hunting | | | | the environment and social conditions |
| regulatory and licensing bodies, where | | | | allow. Hunting may be used to kill |
| they help to set rules on the number, | | | | animals who prey upon domestic animals |
| manner and conditions in which game may | | | | or to extirpate native animals seen as |
| be hunted or "harvested." | | | | competition for resources such as water |
| The pursuit, capture and release, or | | | | or forage. |
| capture to eat of fish is called | | | | As hunting moved from a subsistence |
| fishing, which is not commonly | | | | activity to a social one, two trends |
| categorized as a kind of hunting, | | | | emerged. One was that of the specialist |
| although many hunters may also fish. | | | | hunter: rather than a general masculine |
| Trapping is also usually considered a | | | | task, hunting became one of many trades |
| separate activity. Neither is it | | | | pursued by those with special training |
| considered hunting to pursue animals | | | | and equipment. The other was the |
| without intent to possibly kill, as in | | | | emergence of hunting as a sport for |
| wildlife photography or birdwatching, or | | | | those of a higher social class. Here in |
| to "hunt" for plants or mushrooms. | | | | middle English the word "game" finds its |
| Ancient roots | | | | meaning extended from a sport to an |
| Before the widespread domestication of | | | | animal which is hunted. |
| animals, hunting was a crucial component | | | | As game became more of a luxury than a |
| of hunter-gatherer societies, and is a | | | | necessity, the stylized pursuit of it |
| theme of many stories and myths, as well | | | | also became a luxury. Dangerous hunting, |
| as many proverbs, aphorisms, adages and | | | | as for lions or wild boars, usually on |
| metaphors even today. | | | | horseback (or from a chariot, as in |
| Persistence hunting may well have been | | | | Pharaonic Egypt and Mesopotamia) also |
| the first form of hunting practised by | | | | had function similar to tournaments and |
| paleolithic humans. It is likely that | | | | manly sports: an honourable, somewhat |
| this method of hunting evolved before | | | | competitive pastime to help the |
| humans invented missile weapons, such as | | | | aristocracy practice skills of war in |
| the spear thrower or the bow-and-arrow. | | | | times of peace. |
| Since they could not kill their prey | | | | Nobleman in Hunting Costume, preceded by |
| from a distance and were not fast enough | | | | his Servant, trying to find the Scent of |
| to catch the animal, the only reliable | | | | a Stag. From a Miniature in the Book of |
| way to kill it would have been to run it | | | | Gaston In most parts of medieval Europe, |
| down over a long distance. | | | | the upper-class (aristocracy and higher |
| In this regard one has to bear in mind | | | | clergy) obtained as proud privilege the |
| that as hominids adapted to bipedalism | | | | sole rights to hunt (and sometimes fish) |
| they would have lost some speed, | | | | in certain areas of a feudal territory. |
| becoming less able to catch prey with | | | | Game in these areas was certainly used |
| short, fast charges, but gaining | | | | as a source of food and furs, often |
| endurance and become better adapted to | | | | provided via professional huntsmen; but |
| persistence hunting. The evolution of | | | | it was also expected to provide a form |
| the distinctively human sweating | | | | of recreation for the aristocracy. The |
| apparatus and relative hairlessness | | | | importance of this proprietary view of |
| would have given hunters an additional | | | | game can be seen in the Robin Hood |
| advantage by keeping their bodies cool | | | | legends, in which one of the primary |
| in the midday heat. | | | | charges against the outlaws is that they |
| During the persistence hunt an antelope, | | | | "hunt the King's deer". |
| such as a kudu, is not shot or speared | | | | Hunting with dogs |
| from a distance, but simply run down in | | | | Although various animals have been used |
| the midday heat. Depending on the | | | | to aid the hunter, none has been as |
| specific conditions, hunters of the | | | | important as the dog. The domestication |
| central Kalahari will chase a kudu for | | | | of the dog has led to a symbiotic |
| about two to five hours over 25 to 35 km | | | | relationship in which the dog has lost |
| in temperatures of about 40 to 42 | | | | its evolutionary independence and |
| °C. The hunter chases the kudu, | | | | provided aid in hunting to man in |
| which then runs away out of sight. By | | | | exchange for support. The modern hunting |
| tracking it down at a fast running pace | | | | dog represents the combined efforts of |
| the hunter catches up with it before it | | | | generations of mankind in a way that is |
| has had enough time to rest in the | | | | virtually unparalleled, except perhaps |
| shade. The animal is repeatedly chased | | | | in the cultivation of grapes and |
| and tracked down until it is too | | | | production of wine. |
| exhausted to continue running. The | | | | Their evolution through selective |
| hunter then kills it at close range with | | | | breeding from wolves which hunted for |
| a spear. | | | | themselves to the pointer and other |
| The persistence hunt is still practised | | | | hunting dogs which find, identify and |
| by hunter-gatherers in the central | | | | retrieve prey entirely in service to man |
| Kalahari Desert in Southern Africa. | | | | is extraordinary. |
| Even as animal domestication became | | | | Although it is largely forgotten by the |
| relatively widespread, hunting was | | | | modern world, the use of dogs in hunting |
| usually a significant contributor to the | | | | represents a collaboration of persons |
| human food supply, even after the | | | | over time which reaches back to the dawn |
| development of agriculture. The | | | | of our species. |
| supplementary meat and materials from | | | | The very word for hunting in Ancient |
| hunting included protein (literally "the | | | | Greek, kynegia, is derived from kynos |
| most important") food, bone for | | | | 'dog'. In the Ottoman empire some 33-34 |
| implements, sinew for cordage, fur and | | | | of the 196 orta (companies, none under a |
| feathers for ornament, with rawhide and | | | | hundred men) of the elite force of |
| leather also used in clothing and | | | | Janissaries were Sekban, i.e. dog |
| shelter. The earliest hunting weapons | | | | guards, destined in peace time for the |
| would have included rocks, spears, the | | | | ruler's beloved (dog) hunting past time. |
| atlatl, bow and arrows. | | | | Dogs today are employed to primarily to |
| On Ancient reliefs, especially from | | | | find and retrieve game. Hunting dogs |
| Mesopotamia, kings ar often depicted as | | | | allow man, with his decreased senses of |
| hunters on big game such as lions, | | | | smell and hearing, to pursue and kill |
| specially from a war chariot, another | | | | prey that would otherwise be very |
| virile status symbol; perhaps the | | | | difficult or dangerous to hunt. |
| archetype is the legendary biblical | | | | Modern sport hunting |
| Nimrod (king). The cultural and | | | | In time, this aristocratic type of |
| psychological importance of hunting in | | | | hunting lost its roots as a source of |
| ancient societies is represented by | | | | food and supplies and was seen as a |
| deities such as the horned god | | | | sporting activity. Ultimately, the |
| Cernunnos, or lunar goddesses of | | | | rising middle class or bourgeoisie |
| classical antiquity, Greek Artemis or | | | | adopted the practice and retained its |
| Roman Diana. Taboos are often related to | | | | image. |
| hunting, and mythological association of | | | | Generally hunters also took two separate |
| prey species with a divinity could be | | | | paths, recreational and trophy hunting. |
| reflected in hunting restrictions such | | | | Although skilled recreational hunters |
| as a 'reserve' surrounding a temple. | | | | may choose to become more selective |
| Euripides' tale of Artemis and Acteon, | | | | hunters in attempts at taking a good |
| for example, may be seen as a caution | | | | animal, many people hunt not only to |
| against disrespect of prey or impudent | | | | kill but to enjoy the outdoors in a way |
| boasting. | | | | few ever experience. |