Killing animals for recreation? A quantitative study of hunters’ motives and their perceived moral relevance

TY - JOUR

T1 - Killing animals for recreation?

T2 - A quantitative study of hunters’ motives and their perceived moral relevance

AU - Gamborg, Christian

AU - Jensen, Frank Søndergaard

AU - Sandøe, Peter

PY - 2018/4/3

Y1 - 2018/4/3

N2 - Hunters in the Western world today do not need to hunt to obtain food and other animal products. So why do they hunt? This paper examines the motives of hunters, the motives ascribed to hunters by members of the general public, and the role motives play for the moral acceptability of hunting among members of the general public. It draws on a nationally representative survey of the general public (n = 1,001) and hunters (n = 1,130) in Denmark. People with a negative attitude to hunting are more likely to take motives into account when they consider the acceptability of hunting. Three clusters of motives defining distinctive hunting motivational orientations were identified: action/harvest, management/care, and natural and social encounters. The general public ascribed action/harvest motives to hunters more than hunters did. In a policy perspective, if hunters’ motives are misperceived, improved dialog may be needed to protect the legitimacy of recreational hunting.

AB - Hunters in the Western world today do not need to hunt to obtain food and other animal products. So why do they hunt? This paper examines the motives of hunters, the motives ascribed to hunters by members of the general public, and the role motives play for the moral acceptability of hunting among members of the general public. It draws on a nationally representative survey of the general public (n = 1,001) and hunters (n = 1,130) in Denmark. People with a negative attitude to hunting are more likely to take motives into account when they consider the acceptability of hunting. Three clusters of motives defining distinctive hunting motivational orientations were identified: action/harvest, management/care, and natural and social encounters. The general public ascribed action/harvest motives to hunters more than hunters did. In a policy perspective, if hunters’ motives are misperceived, improved dialog may be needed to protect the legitimacy of recreational hunting.

U2 - 10.1080/08941920.2017.1377332

DO - 10.1080/08941920.2017.1377332

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0894-1920

VL - 31

SP - 489

EP - 502

JO - Society and Natural Resources

JF - Society and Natural Resources

IS - 4

ER -