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Hunting

Hunting is the human practice of attempting to kill wild animals, typically with projectiles. Although hunting provides only a fraction of the U.S. food supply, millions of Americans hunt each year, bringing home hundreds of millions of pounds of meat. Following a historical introduction, this entry discusses who hunts, why they hunt, related regulations and perspectives, wildlife management, and the recent resurgence of interest.

Origins of Hunting

Archaeological evidence from Kenya indicates that early humans (Oldowan hominin) hunted antelope 2 million years ago. Researchers believe that hunting, alongside scavenging of animals killed by other predators, was a key behavioral adaptation in human evolution, providing hominins with the nutritional energy required for increased brain and body size, territorial expansion and migration, and other substantial changes. Wild foods—gathered, hunted, ...

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