Ethical Hunting Awards That Ignore the Actual Victims

by Stephanie Ernst · 2009-11-06 07:56:00 UTC
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This one is just begging for commentary: For the 13th year, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is accepting nominations for its annual "ethical hunting award." What, I first wondered when I saw the headline, does that even mean? When I read about last year's winner in a brief AP piece published in the Chicago Tribune, I learned that at least last year, the "ethics" that won someone the award had absolutely nothing to do with how or why or whether the person killed an animal, but rather was about how he treated a fellow human while hunting: "An 18-year-old Rhinelander hunter won last year. He helped a sobbing young female hunter alone in the woods trail, field dress and retrieve a 17-point buck she shot but couldn't find."

I almost don't know what to say. The great almost-tragedy in this scenario was that someone wasn't going to get her trophy antlers, bragging rights, and meat if she didn't find the animal she'd shot. The animal who had been shot, who had fled in fear and pain to die a slow death, was incidental in the story. The celebrated ethical behavior had nothing to do with the ethics of hunting.

But apparently, helping fellow hunters -- not doing anything ethical in relation to the animals they're stalking and killing -- is indeed the point of this award. Wisconsin Ag Connection explains, "The award signifies the qualities of hunters helping others rather than pursuing personal gain and hunters engaged in behavior that positively reflects on the tradition of hunting."

Absent referent, anyone?

Someone has to be a hunter to win this award. The killing of animals is part of the package; it is the point of the whole practice. Yet this award for "ethical hunting" ignores that most obvious and significant ethical issue as if it weren't even there. I expected to read that this award had something to do with killing animals "humanely" or "nobly," and I would have had plenty to say on that topic too, but that the killing of the animals doesn't even play into the "ethical hunting" award is even more bizarre.

When a hunter is honored for helping an animal "rather than pursuing personal gain" by killing him or her, then Wisconsin will have an award I understand.

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Photo by Flickr user Scott Ableman

Stephanie Ernst wrote the original Animal Rights blog at Change.org until December 2009. She can now be found at Animal Rights & AntiOppression.
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