Benefits of Hunting Seasons
How do Hunting seasons help conserve animal populations?
What is a 'Hunting Season'
Hunting seasons limit the time during the year that hunters are allowed to hunt certain animalss. Some seasons can be only a couple of weeks long, while others are last for months, depending how scarce the animal is.
How Hunting Seasons Help Control Animal Populations
Until the early 1900s, there were no hunting seasons, so people could hunt whatever animal they wanted whenever they wanted. The animal population suffered as a result. Most animal populations became endangered, so hunting regulations came into play. The idea of a hunting season limits the amount of time during the year it is legal to kill certain animals. This gives animals time in the off season to reproduce with no threat of being hunted, keeping the population stable. Shorter hunting seasons allow for less animals to be hunted
Some of the Most Prominately Hunted Animals in Texas
Whitetail Deer
Before hunting seasons were introduced the deer population dipped to 650,000. Today it is over 7 million
Turkey
Turkey population was down to 500,000 befure hunting seasons were introduced, now there is over 36 Million
Duck
The wood duck was almost extinct in the early 1900s, until they limited the hunting season for them and now the population has recovered.
Summary
Hunting seasons, along with bag limits allow for the conservation of wild animal populations by limiting the number of each animal people can hunt, and when they can do it. Before hunting seasons were established, many animal species became endangered but are now plentiful, thanks in part to hunting seasons.
Work Cited
http://www.hunter-ed.com/washington/studyGuide/Legal-Hunting/20105001_700046817http://www.ducks.org/conservation/waterfowl-biology/status-of-the-wood-duckhttp://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/Hunt_Trap/deer/deer_management/deerhuntastool.asp