animals in sports

What are the three major categories of animal-related sports?

Competitive partner sports, quarry hunting/fishing, and animal fighting

When did hunting originate?

Before hunter-gatherers (scavenging era)

How did domestication change views on wildlife?

Pastoralists saw wild animals as threats; agriculture reduced hunting reliance

How did hunting transform over time?

From survival → economy → elite sport

Who could hunt in Medieval/Renaissance England?

Aristocrats only

Why were wild animals associated with wealth?

They lived on private estates of the rich

Name two famous female hunters

Maria (Netherlands governess) and Queen Elizabeth I

How did Indigenous people view hunting?

Essential for survival

What made early U.S. hunting “democratic”?

Most land was considered public

What major economic force shaped wildlife use?

Fur trade

What animals were heavily trapped?

Beaver, fox, mink, others

What were the main impacts of the fur trade?

Overhunting, commodification, ecosystem disruption, social changes

How many bison existed pre-1800s?

Tens of millions

How many remained by early 1900s?

About 300–350

Name cultures deeply connected to bison

-Blackfoot (Iinniiwa)

-Lakota (Tatanka)

-Navajo (Ivanbito)

-Paiute (Kuts)

Who contributed to bison decline?

Indigenous hunters (after horses), European trappers, U.S. Army, Buffalo Bill, livestock disease

Ecological effects of bison loss?

Reduced megafauna → lower plant biodiversity

How did bison loss affect Indigenous people?

Decreased height, increased mortality, income loss

When did market hunting end?

Late 19th century

Who founded the Boone & Crockett Club?

Theodore Roosevelt (1887)

What is the cost of a Duck Stamp?

$29

How much of Duck Stamps fund conservation?

$0.98 of every $1

What is the purpose of fair chase hunting?

Ethical restraint, insight, sustainability

Why do conservationists dislike calling hunting a “sport”?

Implies entertainment, not conservation

Which systems regulate hunting?

Licensing, bag limits, seasons, species categories

Maryland crab season dates?

April1-Dec 15

Examples of illegal actions in Maryland Crab Regulations?

-selling crabs

-keeping egg-bearing females

-using others’ gear

-SCUBA harvesting

Major horse sports?

-Thoroughbred racing

-Standardbred racing

-relay

-showjumping

-dressage

-cross-country

-polo

-foxhunting

Major dog sports?

-agility

-greyhound racing

-field trials

-rally

-herding

Total U.S. horse industry economic value (2023)?

$177 billion

Number of U.S. horses?

6.5 million

Why was the 1970s popular for racing?

Famous horses (Secretariat, Seattle Slew, Affirmed)

How long was the Triple Crown drought?

37 years (ended by American Pharoah in 2015; Justify in 2018)

Common racing concerns?

Whip use, wastage, young-age racing, medication, management issues

Why do some cultures still practice animal fighting?

Tradition, entertainment

What is bloodless bullfighting?

No physical harm to the bull

When did dogfighting become popular in England?

After baiting was banned in 1835

When was dogfighting largely banned in the U.S.?

1860s

What is the legal status today?

Felony to fight dogs, own fighting dogs, or be a spectator