Here's a question, a serious one, that I must first add a disclaimer.
I am an avid game bird and pig hunter. I am not an anti-hunter.
Now my question:
Does anyone know what effect (if any) trophy hunting has on a herds overall genetic long term health. When we trophy hunt, we tend to go for the biggest, strongest, healthiest looking buck. Natural selection tends to eliminate the sickest and weakest.
Does, therefore, trophy hunting adversely affect overall deer population?
This is a genuine question. I konw, for instance, that the best elephant trophies are usually the very old males, who no longer mate, and are therefore out of the genetic loop.
But I don't know about other species.
Thanks,
Bowser.
I am an avid game bird and pig hunter. I am not an anti-hunter.
Now my question:
Does anyone know what effect (if any) trophy hunting has on a herds overall genetic long term health. When we trophy hunt, we tend to go for the biggest, strongest, healthiest looking buck. Natural selection tends to eliminate the sickest and weakest.
Does, therefore, trophy hunting adversely affect overall deer population?
This is a genuine question. I konw, for instance, that the best elephant trophies are usually the very old males, who no longer mate, and are therefore out of the genetic loop.
But I don't know about other species.
Thanks,
Bowser.