Is hunting animals against the law?

Answer 1

It is illegal to hunt some animals in some countries, especially when they are endangered species, but there is also legalized hunting of some animals in some countries too. So there is no single answer to that question.

Specific to the USA, the answer is: it depends. Generally, whether a hunting is legal or not depends on several factors:

1. Which animals are being hunted?
2. What time of year is it?
3. How many animals of that type have been taken so far that year?
4. What type of weapon is being used to hunt the animal?
5. Which state are the hunters in?
6. Are the hunters on public or private land?
7. Does the hunter need to obtain a license to hunt that animal?

Each state has different answers to each of those questions. Certain animals are protected by Federal (or State) law, and may NEVER be hunted. Other animals are considered pests, and can be hunted year round, with no bag limit and very little restriction. However, most animals are restricted in the how/when/where etc.

For example, Pennsylvania has the following restrictions when hunting whitetailed deer:

1. Buck (male) and Doe (female) deer are treated as separate animals.
2. Different counties in the state allow hunting for deer at different times, generally for one or two weeks sometime from September to January. Buck and Doe seasons may overlap and/or be completely separate.
3. Each hunter may take only one buck and one doe per year
4. Different types of weapons, from Bows, Crossbows, Blackpowder weapons, to normal firearms each are assigned different time periods to hunt in.
5. Pennsylvania has very different seasons for each animal
6. Hunters are free to hunt on all public lands, but must obtain permission in advance to hunt on private property.
7. Pennsylvania issues a hunting license for each combination of type of animal and type of weapon. A hunter must obtain a separate license for each combination. The number of licenses issued each year is set by the Game Commission, the statewide agency responsible for managing the wildlife population. ONLY those with a valid license of the particular combination are allowed to hunt, and ONLY at the specified times.