What are some factors that should be taken into consideration when discussing the ethics of hound hunting?
Background:
Hound hunting occurs when hunters kill using dogs rather than firearms. Since the time that dogs were domesticated over 20,000 years ago, this technique has been utilized to the hunter's benefit. This advantage, however, has created many threats to the diversity of wildlife and the safety of humans. Currently, hunters track their hounds' locations using GPS, but they are oblivious to what their dogs are doing or what they come across as they run through the woods. For instance, a pack of hunting dogs attacked a couple and their puppy in 2019 for more than 30 minutes before the hounds' owner realized what was happening. Thinking they found a bear the hunter ran over to where his dogs were located and instead saw a woman screaming. She was later hospitalized with more than 20 puncture wounds.
As hunters let their dogs run free, the canines will chase prey for hours or even days. This causes them to run into roads which is very dangerous. Hounds physically stress out wildlife, particularly their usual prey like bears, wolves, coyotes, and raccoons. Bears are most affected by this, causing them to lose too much weight before hibernating, lose their embryos, and are being forced to change their feeding and sleeping schedules as a result of the extended periods of getting chased.
When hunters train their dogs to hunt they typically use live coyotes, as this is legal in the state of Wisconsin, and if they don't perform up to their owner's expectations they are usually left in shelters or the woods. When dogs come in contact with wolves they can transfer infectious diseases such as parvo, distemper, or mange because hounds are not required to be vaccinated under Wisconsin state law. Even though wolves are currently endangered and protected, hounds may still catch their scent and chase them. This depletes the already declining population of wolves thanks to hunters in 2021 who killed 218, or roughly 20% of the state's wolf population, in less than three days. There is no way to prevent dogs from going after certain prey, the only way to stop this problem is to remove dogs from hunting entirely.
Current:
Wisconsin's state government had wolves listed as a protected endangered species up until recent years. In 2021, wolves were taken off of this list due to their higher population numbers. In the past, Wisconsin's wolf population hit rock bottom; they were even considered extinct in the southern region of the state. Wolf populations started a regulated growth in Wisconsin in the mid-1990s and were on a promising trajectory until they were taken off the endangered species list.
In 2021, wolves were put on the official hunting lists for Wisconsin hunters. The same year brought a massive decrease in the wolf population. In February 2021, it was estimated that about 1,200 Wisconsin hunters used dogs to hunt wolves. During just the first 3 days of open season, about 200 wolves were killed, breaking numerous records placed in previous years before the massive population decrease. "The last winter wolf hunt in Wisconsin attracted national outrage because of the high numbers of wolves killed in such a short time and the fact that hounds were used and the wolf kill quotas were exceeded," said Collete Adkins, carnivore conservation director at the Center for Biological Diversity.
The petition to Restrict Hounding in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest’s goal is to prevent the massive decrease in wildlife populations due to the unfair advantage hunting with the use of hounds gives Wisconsin hunters. Gives the hunter an advantage over the wildlife. An unfair advantage, in my opinion, that violates the ethics of "fair chase," stated Collete Adkins. This not only applies to this specific national forest, but to all Wisconsin regions that are known for abusing the power hound hunting brings. We asked Ms. Adkins if she believed there was any way to make hunting with the use of hounds fair, and this was her response: "It depends on how hound hunting is defined. Using dogs as retrievers does not seem objectionable, but causing violent encounters between dogs and wild canines is dangerous and cruel."
Solution:
“Lots of states have banned hound hunting altogether. But Wisconsin is an outlier even among states that allow it” - Collete Adkins. Petitions have been placed to ban the sport which would be the best solution to solve this issue. Canines used to hunt are detrimental to the environment and put conservation efforts down the drain as well as pose a threat to surrounding people. Past attempts to keep hounding and make it safer haven’t worked. Furthermore, to prohibit hound hunting would be the best solution for everyone involved.
Sources:
Coronado, Rod. “Wisconsin’s War on Wildlife 017 & 018: Non-Resident Hounding
Abuses.” Wolf Patrol, 24 Mar. 2018, https://wolfpatrol.org/2018/03/24/wisconsins-war-on-wildlife-017-018-non-resident-hounding-abuses/.
“Facts on Bear Hounding.” The Humane Society of the United States,
https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/facts-about-bear-hounding.
“Groups Petition U.S. Forest Service To Ban Hound Hunting In Chequamegon-Nicolet
National Forest.” Across Wisconsin, WI Patch, 23 Jan. 2023, https://patch.com/wisconsin/across-wi/groups-petition-u-s-forest-service-ban-hound-hunting-chequamegon-nicolet.
Guidance for Hunters and Pet Owners | Reducing Conflict between Wolves and Dogs |
Wisconsin DNR. https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/WildlifeHabitat/wolf/guidance.html.
Kaeding, Danielle. “Groups Seek to Bar the Use of Hounds While Hunting in the
Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.” Wisconsin Public Radio, 23 Jan. 2023, https://www.wpr.org/groups-seek-bar-use-hounds-while-hunting-chequamegon-nicolet-national-forest.
Lueders, Bill. “State Pays Scofflaws over Hound Deaths.” Wisconsin Watch, 5 Jan.
2014, https://wisconsinwatch.org/2014/01/state-pays-scofflaws-over-hound-deaths/.
“Petition Seeks Hounding Ban in Wisconsin’s Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.”
Center for Biological Diversity, https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/petition-seeks-hounding-ban-in-wisconsins-chequamegon-nicolet-national-forest-2023-01-19/.
“Radical Anti-Hunters File Petition to Ban Dog Hunting on National Forest.” Sportsmen’s
Alliance, 23 Jan. 2023, https://sportsmensalliance.org/news/anti-hunters-file-petition-to-ban-dog-hunting-on-national-forest/.
Redman, Henry, et al. “Groups Petition U.S. Forest Service to Ban Hound Hunting in
Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.” Wisconsin Examiner, 23 Jan. 2023, https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2023/01/23/groups-petition-u-s-forest-service-to-ban-hound-hunting-in-chequamegon-nicolet-national-forest/.
Smith, Paul A. “DNR Board Approves Bear Plan, Prohibits Hound Hunting in Central
Zone.” Journal Sentinel, https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/outdoors/2019/06/01/wisconsin-dnr-board-approves-bear-plan-prohibits-some-hound-hunting/1278783001/.
Hound hunting occurs when hunters kill using dogs rather than firearms. Since the time that dogs were domesticated over 20,000 years ago, this technique has been utilized to the hunter's benefit. This advantage, however, has created many threats to the diversity of wildlife and the safety of humans. Currently, hunters track their hounds' locations using GPS, but they are oblivious to what their dogs are doing or what they come across as they run through the woods. For instance, a pack of hunting dogs attacked a couple and their puppy in 2019 for more than 30 minutes before the hounds' owner realized what was happening. Thinking they found a bear the hunter ran over to where his dogs were located and instead saw a woman screaming. She was later hospitalized with more than 20 puncture wounds.
As hunters let their dogs run free, the canines will chase prey for hours or even days. This causes them to run into roads which is very dangerous. Hounds physically stress out wildlife, particularly their usual prey like bears, wolves, coyotes, and raccoons. Bears are most affected by this, causing them to lose too much weight before hibernating, lose their embryos, and are being forced to change their feeding and sleeping schedules as a result of the extended periods of getting chased.
When hunters train their dogs to hunt they typically use live coyotes, as this is legal in the state of Wisconsin, and if they don't perform up to their owner's expectations they are usually left in shelters or the woods. When dogs come in contact with wolves they can transfer infectious diseases such as parvo, distemper, or mange because hounds are not required to be vaccinated under Wisconsin state law. Even though wolves are currently endangered and protected, hounds may still catch their scent and chase them. This depletes the already declining population of wolves thanks to hunters in 2021 who killed 218, or roughly 20% of the state's wolf population, in less than three days. There is no way to prevent dogs from going after certain prey, the only way to stop this problem is to remove dogs from hunting entirely.
Current:
Wisconsin's state government had wolves listed as a protected endangered species up until recent years. In 2021, wolves were taken off of this list due to their higher population numbers. In the past, Wisconsin's wolf population hit rock bottom; they were even considered extinct in the southern region of the state. Wolf populations started a regulated growth in Wisconsin in the mid-1990s and were on a promising trajectory until they were taken off the endangered species list.
In 2021, wolves were put on the official hunting lists for Wisconsin hunters. The same year brought a massive decrease in the wolf population. In February 2021, it was estimated that about 1,200 Wisconsin hunters used dogs to hunt wolves. During just the first 3 days of open season, about 200 wolves were killed, breaking numerous records placed in previous years before the massive population decrease. "The last winter wolf hunt in Wisconsin attracted national outrage because of the high numbers of wolves killed in such a short time and the fact that hounds were used and the wolf kill quotas were exceeded," said Collete Adkins, carnivore conservation director at the Center for Biological Diversity.
The petition to Restrict Hounding in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest’s goal is to prevent the massive decrease in wildlife populations due to the unfair advantage hunting with the use of hounds gives Wisconsin hunters. Gives the hunter an advantage over the wildlife. An unfair advantage, in my opinion, that violates the ethics of "fair chase," stated Collete Adkins. This not only applies to this specific national forest, but to all Wisconsin regions that are known for abusing the power hound hunting brings. We asked Ms. Adkins if she believed there was any way to make hunting with the use of hounds fair, and this was her response: "It depends on how hound hunting is defined. Using dogs as retrievers does not seem objectionable, but causing violent encounters between dogs and wild canines is dangerous and cruel."
Solution:
“Lots of states have banned hound hunting altogether. But Wisconsin is an outlier even among states that allow it” - Collete Adkins. Petitions have been placed to ban the sport which would be the best solution to solve this issue. Canines used to hunt are detrimental to the environment and put conservation efforts down the drain as well as pose a threat to surrounding people. Past attempts to keep hounding and make it safer haven’t worked. Furthermore, to prohibit hound hunting would be the best solution for everyone involved.
Sources:
Coronado, Rod. “Wisconsin’s War on Wildlife 017 & 018: Non-Resident Hounding
Abuses.” Wolf Patrol, 24 Mar. 2018, https://wolfpatrol.org/2018/03/24/wisconsins-war-on-wildlife-017-018-non-resident-hounding-abuses/.
“Facts on Bear Hounding.” The Humane Society of the United States,
https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/facts-about-bear-hounding.
“Groups Petition U.S. Forest Service To Ban Hound Hunting In Chequamegon-Nicolet
National Forest.” Across Wisconsin, WI Patch, 23 Jan. 2023, https://patch.com/wisconsin/across-wi/groups-petition-u-s-forest-service-ban-hound-hunting-chequamegon-nicolet.
Guidance for Hunters and Pet Owners | Reducing Conflict between Wolves and Dogs |
Wisconsin DNR. https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/WildlifeHabitat/wolf/guidance.html.
Kaeding, Danielle. “Groups Seek to Bar the Use of Hounds While Hunting in the
Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.” Wisconsin Public Radio, 23 Jan. 2023, https://www.wpr.org/groups-seek-bar-use-hounds-while-hunting-chequamegon-nicolet-national-forest.
Lueders, Bill. “State Pays Scofflaws over Hound Deaths.” Wisconsin Watch, 5 Jan.
2014, https://wisconsinwatch.org/2014/01/state-pays-scofflaws-over-hound-deaths/.
“Petition Seeks Hounding Ban in Wisconsin’s Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.”
Center for Biological Diversity, https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/petition-seeks-hounding-ban-in-wisconsins-chequamegon-nicolet-national-forest-2023-01-19/.
“Radical Anti-Hunters File Petition to Ban Dog Hunting on National Forest.” Sportsmen’s
Alliance, 23 Jan. 2023, https://sportsmensalliance.org/news/anti-hunters-file-petition-to-ban-dog-hunting-on-national-forest/.
Redman, Henry, et al. “Groups Petition U.S. Forest Service to Ban Hound Hunting in
Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.” Wisconsin Examiner, 23 Jan. 2023, https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2023/01/23/groups-petition-u-s-forest-service-to-ban-hound-hunting-in-chequamegon-nicolet-national-forest/.
Smith, Paul A. “DNR Board Approves Bear Plan, Prohibits Hound Hunting in Central
Zone.” Journal Sentinel, https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/outdoors/2019/06/01/wisconsin-dnr-board-approves-bear-plan-prohibits-some-hound-hunting/1278783001/.