Hunting is a major controversy as it is part of gun control arguments that inevitably make for strong conservation policy arguments on both sides. It's a topic that all depends on who you ask. Opinions differ as regional changes and lifestyles influence them. For some, hunting is more than just a sport; it's a lifestyle. The potential to make big bucks or just the pride of stocking your freezer to save a few bucks at the store, but that's not all hunters gather for. Hunting is an age-old tradition, which has taught many how to behave and respect nature and the wildlife that surrounds it. Having been around for millions of years, it has become an inseparable part of life around the world. Even today there are people who rely on hunting as their main source of food. It is a natural way of obtaining food because wild animals generally live on a natural diet. Whitetail and mule deer may be one of Alberta's most sought after animals. With the regulations in place, it is ensured that the species is not overhunted. But having too many deer can also cause serious problems. An increase in deer numbers could lead to starvation as habitat carrying capacities reach their maximum. When animals starve, they are more prone to diseases such as Lyme disease and tapeworms. Hunting helps farmers with their crops. Farmers usually appreciated hunters as deer tend to feed on their crops resulting in loss of food and income for them. If we stopped hunting, habitats and crops would be damaged, deer could become a threat to humans, and disease would become rampant. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Hunting is a vital tool when it comes to managing the deer population. Without wildlife management, species will become overpopulated and exceed their carrying capacity. When there is a surplus that exceeds carrying capacity, resources to feed these animals are limited. Taking a shot from a hunter is a much more humane way for a deer to die. Starvation can be a very slow and painful death. So by reducing the number of deer, you create more food resources. Not only can humans have a large impact on a habitat or territory, but other animals can do so too. Without this reduction, more farmers' crops will be ruined. Deer can be a farmer's worst nightmare. Farmers rely on these crops as a source of food and income. So it can be very frustrating when deer come and harm them. Not only do they feed on crops, but they dramatically change the composition and structure of forests. This has led to recruitment failure of many tree species and lower forest productivity. This can cause serious and lasting effects. There are many other animals such as birds and smaller animals that rely on these plants as a food source. Deer can create lasting damage to many plants by reducing food sources for other species. Hunting allows us to do our best to ensure that the deer population, as well as other species and animals, have sufficient resources to survive. Deer moving into residential areas can be dangerous. Hunting keeps deer populations from reaching levels that become a problem within thecities and urban residential areas. Deer are known to be aggressive animals when encountering humans and pets. Take for example the incident that happened some time ago on Vancouver Island. Several incidents of hind aggression towards dogs and their owners have been reported. We must do our best to keep them out of the cities so that no further accidents occur. But suburban living has pushed animals out of their homes, and the undeveloped areas where they live are becoming increasingly scarce. We have intruded on their habitat, but this is the reality of human population growth. There have to be compromises. One of these tradeoffs when it comes to wildlife is making reasonable accommodations for hunters. We need to use them as a management tool to keep the deer population under control. If people didn't hunt, there would be a drastic spike in numbers resulting in dangerous situations. Deer overpopulation in suburban areas can become a particularly dangerous situation when it comes to traffic accidents. Your chances of hitting a deer will increase dramatically. The unfortunate event of hitting a deer often causes economic and physical damage to the operators and a messy death to the animal; not a good memory for both parties. So keeping numbers intact is an important factor in human-deer encounters. Many believe in Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection, but there are many others who proved him wrong. Survival of the fittest can only go so far. Hunting is a way to monitor and maintain the deer population to avoid plagues of diseases such as chronic wasting disease. A pandemic like this can spread like wildfire and cause deer populations to dramatically drop to dangerous levels. Chronic waste disease is a progressive disease that attacks the nervous system. It is most commonly found in the cervid population which includes: white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk and reindeer. Hunters are one of the best tools used in managing wildlife diseases as they are the reason these cases are usually detected. The money obtained from taxes and licenses can be used to find cures for that disease. Samples collected from culled deer can be used for research and control of the spread of diseases. Specifically in Alberta, it is mandatory in the southern and eastern parts of the province that submitted deer heads be tested for chronic litter disease. Animals affected by CWD will generally be euthanized as there is currently no cure for the disease. An example came to mind a few days ago while I was hunting with a friend. He shot a whitetail doe and we soon realized the deer's butt was open. It looked quite infected and was leaking pus. While it may have simply been another animal that got it, there is a possibility that it is chronic waste disease. If this deer tests positive for CWD, we will have helped prevent the spread of the disease. Please note: this is just a sample. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Hunting is a great way to prevent habitats and crops from being damaged, deer from being a problem for humans, and the spread of disease. Many times farmers rely on hunters to ensure deer population management. A damaged crop means a large loss of income. As humans expand their habitats, deer are forced into cities where they can/