I don't think the necessity ever ended, there are many parts of the US where hunting is still a way of life for survival.
Tell me if this is accurate and if there should be any content added or taken out.
Hunting has always been a part of the lifestyle of humans. As other methods to obtained food were developed, the importance and necessity of hunting declined in most cultures. With the growing methods of horticulture, agriculture and pastoralists as well as advances in technology, the hunter-gatherer way of life has declined.
In ancient times, hunting and gathering were the source for acquiring food. The foraging way of life included a basic social community of approximately 25-50 people called a band, with all people in the group being related by kinship or marriage. People often shift band membership since they are able to join any of the ones in which they have kinship, marital links, or fictive kinship. A person acquires the rights to use a band’s territory by being born in the band or by joining it through a tie of kinship, marriage or fictive kinship. A typical characteristic of hunters involved mobility. Thus, ownership of land was not a priority because the highest concern was with what was being hunted and gathered on the land. In addition, foragers lived in an egalitarian society, in which contrasts in prestige or wealth are minor; rather, social distinctions were determined by age. Also, men primarily were hunters while women gathered. Through the use of language and culture, hunting became a theme of myths, legends, stories and traditions. Older members of bands usually had the responsibility of passing on the myths, legends, stories and traditions.
Since sharing is common among foragers, generalized reciprocity has been the method of exchanges. In fact, they consider it to be unethical not to share their food supply. They expect each other to share with other members of their band members. They gather as much as they need because they are unable to store a surplus of food. In cultures that mainly hunt and gather, children, teenagers and those over 60 are dependant on others. Despite working a low number of hours and having a high percentage of dependants, foraging cultures are usually able to obtain enough food to share with their band. In addition, hunter-gatherers are efficient since they carefully contemplate the animals they will hunt and the food they gather, to maximize the calories and nutrients from the supply.
The food collecting way of life consisting of hunting and gathering, survived in environments where food production was difficult. These including some islands, forests, deserts and very cold areas, where food production was impracticable with simple technology. Also, in some areas where food production was introduced—such as indigenous hunters and gatherers in California, Oregon and Washington-- it was maintained because it provided an adequate and nutritious diet, with less work. For instance, of those who hunt as their main source of food, they continue work an average of 12-19 hours per week. In those environments where hunting gathering is especially productive, such as that of the Pacific Northwest coast of North America, hunter-gatherers are able to settle permanently.
Modern foragers have some dependence on food production or on food producers. Also, regional forces such as trade and war, national and international policies and political and economic events have influenced them in the world system. For example, the Eskimos of Alaska and Canada use modern-technology, including rifles and snowmobiles, in their subsistence activities. However, this could create an inequality, as some may be better than others at using a snowmobile. Similarly to hunters-gatherers, horticulturists are dependant a little upon other methods for obtaining food; they depend on hunting or fishing for part of their food supply. For instance, Samoans supplement their diet by fishing. The latter is a common source of food obtained by hunting. In most cultures, hunters-gatherers live in nation-states, depend to an extent on government assistance, and have contact with outsiders such as food-producing neighbors as well as missionaries. As the modern world system spreads, the number of foragers continues to decline.
Modern hunters could be restricted through the rule of law. For example, cultures may have laws that restrict what may be hunted, where it could occur and the quantity of game that may be hunted. In the United States, hunters of protected species require the use of a hunting license in all states. People who hunt recreationally participate in lobbying the federal and state levels of government. These types of hunters tend to do so to enjoy the outdoors. In addition, it provides an alternative to meat purchased from stores.
In conclusion, the role of hunting has transformed throughout history. Once humans gained the ability to domesticate animals and plants, the need for hunting diminished; this resulted in people producing food through horticulturists, agriculturists and pastoralists. The role of food hunting gathering reflects the different natures among cultures and how people adapt to their specific physical environments.
Topic: Hunters and gatherers (Read 4195 times)