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Should Hunting Be Allowed In America's National Parks?
Should hunting be allowed inside America's national parks? That's the question that the U.S. Senate will soon be dealing with as they debate the merits of HR 4089, better known as the Sportsman's Heritage Act. The controversial bill was passed by the House of Representatives in April and could be coming to the floor of the Senate as well. If it does manage to become a law, HR 4089 would open most of the National Park System to hunting, trapping and recreational shooting.Since their inception, the national parks have been designed to protect America's heritage and natural landscapes, and those protections have always extended to the wildlife that roamed those regions as well. In the past it has taken – quite literally – an act of Congress to allow hunting within a park's boundaries, but with this new bill hunting, trapping and sport shooting could become commonplace.
In addition to the traditional national parks that we all know and love, such as Yellowstone and Yosemite, the park system is made up of a number of other entities as well. These include national monuments, memorials, military and historic parks and more. All of them could potentially fall under the jurisdiction of this new law, allowing hunting in such places as Gettysburg or Valley Forge for example.
The Sportsman's Heritage Act does have specific language written into it that provides for exemptions to the law in parks and monuments specifically. But those exemptions need to be decided on an individual basis, which can be a time consuming and costly affair. Furthermore, the wording of the bill fails to mention the other park units such as memorials, historic parks and the other places mentioned above. In other words, it would encompass each of those places unless they are specifically singled out for exemption.
The National Parks Conservation Association has worked in conjunction with the law firm of Arnold & Porter, LLP to examine the legal ramifications of the bill, and they've found that it could be quite costly as well. HR 4089's approach to opening the park system up for hunting, trapping and sport shooting means that each of the units will have to do their own individual study to determine if they should allow those activities or not. Considering there are 397 units within the system, that could mean a lot of money spent on conducting that research.
The NPCA is also quick to point out that the bill would allow for the use of off-road vehicles wherever they are needed by hunters and trappers to engage in those activities. Most of the parks don't currently allow the use of 4x4's off of pavement, but this would open it up for their use in many other places. Considering the damage that they can do to the environment, their use seems to run counter to the idea of actually protecting these wild spaces.
As a traveler, i personally enjoy exploring the national parks because they are beautiful, serene environments. I can't imagine visiting Rocky Mountain National Park for example, spending hours scrambling to the top of the famous Longs Peak, only to be greeted by gunshots from elk hunters. Or as a parent, can you imagine having to explain to a young park visitor why the vehicle sitting next to yours has a deer strapped across its hood? The parks are places of refuge and in my opinion they should stay that way. There are plenty of other places in the U.S. to hunt and trap, but we should keep those activities out of the parks themselves. If you agree, click here to express your concerns to your local congressman.
The National Parks Conservation Association has worked in conjunction with the law firm of Arnold & Porter, LLP to examine the legal ramifications of the bill, and they've found that it could be quite costly as well. HR 4089's approach to opening the park system up for hunting, trapping and sport shooting means that each of the units will have to do their own individual study to determine if they should allow those activities or not. Considering there are 397 units within the system, that could mean a lot of money spent on conducting that research.
The NPCA is also quick to point out that the bill would allow for the use of off-road vehicles wherever they are needed by hunters and trappers to engage in those activities. Most of the parks don't currently allow the use of 4x4's off of pavement, but this would open it up for their use in many other places. Considering the damage that they can do to the environment, their use seems to run counter to the idea of actually protecting these wild spaces.
As a traveler, i personally enjoy exploring the national parks because they are beautiful, serene environments. I can't imagine visiting Rocky Mountain National Park for example, spending hours scrambling to the top of the famous Longs Peak, only to be greeted by gunshots from elk hunters. Or as a parent, can you imagine having to explain to a young park visitor why the vehicle sitting next to yours has a deer strapped across its hood? The parks are places of refuge and in my opinion they should stay that way. There are plenty of other places in the U.S. to hunt and trap, but we should keep those activities out of the parks themselves. If you agree, click here to express your concerns to your local congressman.
Filed under: North America, United States, News
Reader Comments (Page 4 of 4)
Mark Jun 1st 2012 12:07AM
Hell No! Hunting should not be allowed in Parks. There is already enough illegal poachers killing off anything that moves. WoW what a sport, pussies with high powered guns stalking and killing defenseless animals for, fun?
Now tracking an animal and killing it with your bare hands for food would be acceptable. But then, pussies comes to mind again.
James Jun 1st 2012 12:22AM
In a limited capacity yes. This should apply to all species of big game, including wolves, bears, and other predators. That said, by limited capacity I refer to a limited quota system, meaning that park biologists and wardens, the people that know the animals best take into account the population of the animals, factors effecting that population and then release a number of licenses specifically meant to maintain and control the population. These licenses are awarded by lottery, and are non-transferable. On top of that, special regulations limiting what animals can be taken, require a guide and what sort of weaponry can be used, could also be applied to keep the hunt itself safe and promote healthy herds. This method is used in Europe to protect the small herds of game animals, as well as people in the heavily populated countries. In my humble opinion, this would be the best way to conserve the animals for posterity.
Steve Jun 1st 2012 1:55PM
Any attempt at rational debate about hunting (anywhere, not just parks) with antihunters is futile. Of course legally licensed, scientifically regulated, appropriate to the venue hunting should and must be allowed on public lands. Controlled hunting benefits wildlife and generates revenue to maintain the public parks.
Walt Jun 1st 2012 10:46PM
Hunting should be allowed in National Parks, I believe that some years ago hunting was stopped in some parks and the animals destroyed the grasses and trees and just about everything they could eat, the park took decades to recover from the devastion caused by the over abundance from to many animals, remember they eat until they are full and they do not know how to control themselves. Another factor of the overbrowsing of the animals was a great amount of soil erosion that took place. the animals must be harvested for their own well being.
LY Jun 1st 2012 12:41AM
Absolutely NO Hunting IN Nationals PARKS. This is not the purpose for which they were intended. Hunters have enough opportunity to hunt and kill for sport. Is nothing sacred?
jason Jun 1st 2012 12:54AM
People who are yelling no need to have an open mind about this. Go look at videos of deer and elk dieing of chronic wasting desease, look at videos of the destruction in the south from feral hogs, videos of bears in swimming pools and attacking people and busting into homes, Elk attacking cars in rocky mtn national park, or TB running wild in bison in yellowstone. These animals are obviously out growing the national parks and mother nature is no longer keeping population and disease in check. But I guess some would rather have children mauled by predators before the animal is put down or them suffer a horrable death by a disease that would spread a lot less and not be so devistatation to the wildlife herds if there were fewer numbers coming in contact with each other. On top of that the number one reason in my mind would be to help eliminate feral hogs since they are not a native species. Unless they can be hunted everywere they will continue to spread and carry rabbies and a few other nasty disease with them were ever they go.
Patricia Jun 1st 2012 1:25AM
What idiot thought this up? National Parks are for people to enjoy Nature, not shoot it to bits!! I can see the headlines now-Hunter Mistakes Child for (insert any animal some gun-happy slob would shoot at)...The idea is ludicrous! Nobody in my state better vote for this, or I'm voting them OUT!
chris Jun 1st 2012 3:18PM
Its dopey people like you who no nothing about hunting that should be removed from the earth.
sunny Jun 1st 2012 4:17AM
Under NO circumstances should there EVER be any hunting in the national parks. They were established for the wild life too. If it weren't for this land that was set aside most of the wild animals would be dead from over hunting.
I am sick to my stomach at the thought of this even being considered.
Sparky Jun 1st 2012 9:19AM
I would be interested to know how many auto related deaths in the parks matches up tp nationwide hunting deaths.How many deaths related to drinking in the parks compared to nationwide hunting deaths.How many climbing deaths in the parks compared to nationwide hunting deaths.You see where I am going with this.There are also things in life I don't like,but I know because I don't like it does not mean in general population it is wrong.
chris Jun 1st 2012 3:17PM
I see alot of intelligent people and alot of dumb ones writing. the dumb know nothing about hunting or how it is conducted or regulated, but yet have so much to say. Learn about what you disagree with before you say anything.
Patricia Jun 1st 2012 3:31PM
Oh, so I'm dopey? Don't worry, Pal-I'm on my way out, then you can kill as much as you want-what'll be left anyway. If you hunt for "sport", then a national park is NOT for you! You gotta hunt to eat? That's different, but the park is STILL NOT a place to hunt! We REALLY don't need to kill every blessed thing on this planet! You want to kill something? How about the crazies over in the Middle East?
John Aug 10th 2012 2:28AM
Anyone know what happened to the elk population at Yellowstone? Before the reintroduction of the grey wolf, the elk population became out of hand as did the grizzly bear. The bears had no competition and the elk were not being killed enough. The national park service went into the park and shot hundreds upon hundreds of elk to get their numbers into an area that was sustainable. The wolves are back now, so there may never be a need for such an action again. So ask yourself this, how many other parks in the United States are going to place wolves in the ecosystems? In the heavily populated portions of the country like the southeast for instance, would that be better? For those who say hunting is murder and barbaric, inhumane, or a thousand other irrational statements, I have but one more question. Is a white tailed deer suffering more when shot with a gun or arrow and passing away in minutes or immediately, or when hunted by wolves or coyotes and disemboweled while still alive? I would pick being shot, but I guess that is just me. I have seen videos of coyotes eating the hind quarters off of a deer, and running it down over a pretty long distance. Granted this is nature at its most gruesome, and I completely respect that. However, could we as a country ever let common sense prevail on anything? We fight as a people over everything. Everyone has a better mousetrap now days. I am sick of all the bickering. It is tearing the country apart, but with the blind animosity witnessed in some of these post, it is no wonder we are in the shape we are as a country. I miss the America that used to be. If they allowed hunting in the parks and had small limited quota hunts that took place during one week of the year, then I doubt it would really be a big impact on the wildlife or the other humans wanting to patronize the area. I could give a bunch of evidence and paint a good argument, but I think that some people commenting on here need to do some research for themselves. Having an open mind will give you an open, happy life. Just remember the media lies about hunters for the most part. We contribute more money, and we do more for the environment than any or probably all anti hunting groups combined. We have and always will be the original stewards of the land. Fighting to protect her from the bottomless pit of greed that mankind is consumed.