The Culture of Hunting in Canada

The Culture of Hunting in Canada is about a pivotal but little studied aspect of Canadian history, culture, and society. It covers elements of the history of hunting from the pre-colonial period until the present in all parts of Canada, featuring essays by practitioners and scholars of hunting and by pro- and anti-hunting lobbyists. The result crosses the boundaries between scholarship and personal reflection, and between academia and advocacy. The essays collected here address important historical and contemporary issues regarding the culture and practice of hunting. Topics include hunting identities; conservation and its relationship to hunting; tensions between hunters and non-hunters and between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal hunting groups; hunting ethics; debates over hunting practices and regulations; animal rights; and gun control. The discussion involves consideration of the social, political, and economic context as well as class and racial tensions between sport hunters and subsistence hunters. The Culture of Hunting in Canada makes an unprecedented contribution to the study of hunting in Canada and its role in our culture. It will appeal to sociologists, anthropologists, and historians of hunting culture; wildlife biologists, natural resource managers, and environmentalists; and, not least, hunters and anyone interested in the culture of hunting.