The Cost of Trophy Hunting

 From survival to sport: killing for fun

By The Charger Account Editorial Board Dec. 11, 2024

Though mankind has been hunting since the dawn of time, the practice has endured far past its original purpose. What started as a key aspect of survival has evolved as an unprecedented means of killing for the thrill of it, wasting animals’ lives and inflicting unnecessary suffering. 

For our ancestors, animal products were their main sources of food, clothes and weapons: necessities now fulfilled by corporations and regulated industries. Yet hunting remains commonplace, raising questions of why the brutal activity prevails.

A study conducted by WBI Studies Repository reported that, when questioned why they kill, hunters claimed the practice either evoked a sense of achievement or came from a place of appreciation for the animals. Whether intentional or not, hunters leave animals severely injured to suffer a prolonged death more often than a swift painless one, as per wildlife charity In Defense of Animals. Many hunters also boast their self-proclaimed glory by posting pictures smiling over lifeless, wounded animal bodies on social media. Thus, their claims of appreciation are ironic, considering that the acts of bloodshed show no honor; they only perpetuate fear, suffering and pain for the animals, which are then mocked in pictures. 

Additionally, hunting safety course guide Hunter-ed correlates the sensation from hunting to that of swimming and riding bikes—both enjoyed in good fun, even if unnecessary to survival. However, this comparison proves ignorant, failing to acknowledge that biking and swimming are not enjoyed at the expense of another’s life. At its core, the appeal of killing the vulnerable, less intelligent and innocent to uplift oneself is detrimental to modern society—while such actions began from desperation and survival, they are now deeply rooted in malicious intent, hindering our empathy.

Overhunting also disrupts biodiversity by disrupting the food chain and creating an imbalance in the ecosystem, as per Green Journal, a British publication. Additionally, Peta claims that hunting resulted in the extinction of the Tasmanian Tiger, along with several other species. 

Aside from normalizing sadistic activity, the pleasure that comes from killing is not worth the withstanding impacts—a brief gunshot only lasts mere seconds, but a life cannot ever be restored, and the impacts on ecosystems are nearly irreversible. 

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About the Contributor

Harry Kang

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Harry Kang is a senior at Leland High School who serves as the Creative Director of the Charger Account. Going into his third year in journalism since 10th grade, Harry loves to lead the visual and page producing process. In his free time, he loves to take naps while listening to Frank Ocean.

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