I grew up in southern Louisiana, exposed to generations-long traditions of trapping, shrimping, hunting, and fishing. These traditions are deeply linked to the cultural and economic identities of the region. As a child, I thought about the ethics and necessity of hunting, but not in these terms: Was it really fair to the animals? Didn't they have the right to live, just like people? I have named house spiders and objected to killing them; I pampered my dog ​​Elvira; and I have named squirrels, snakes, birds and even wasps. I believed, and still believe, that animals are living, sentient creatures who deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. I am also a hunter. Although it is undoubtedly a "blood sport", hunting is ethical and necessary, even in modern times, because it ensures proper management and conservation of wildlife, is more humane than industrial agriculture and harms fewer animals than a widely adopted vegan diet. the idea that hunting is not fair to animals, that they have the right not to suffer human intervention. However, hunters lead conservation efforts in the United States. They do more than any other group to help preserve wildlife habitats, which is essential to wildlife well-being. Indeed, habitat destruction today poses a greater risk to wildlife than hunting and conservation help promote animal welfare. At first glance, these statements may seem counterintuitive. In the United States, however, hunters fund wildlife conservation more than any other source combined. According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, “Hunters contribute more than $1.6 billion to conservation each year. Hunters are second to none when it comes to funding the perpetuation and conservation of natural wildlife habitats” (“Hunting” 6). Without these... middle of paper ... The principle of least harm might require humans to consume a diet containing large herbivores, not a vegan diet. Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics 16 (2003): 387-394. Internet. November 1, 2013. “Deer vs. Durango. » snopes.com Web. November 5, 2013. Photography. “Hunting in America: An Economic Force for Conservation.” » Research from the National Shooting Sports Foundation. NSSF, January 2013. Web. September 27, 2013. .Regan, Tom. “The Case for Animal Rights.” In defense of animals. Ed. Pierre Singer. New York: Basil, 1985. 13-26. The Animal Rights Library. Internet. September 28. 2013. .