Why Not Shoot Canned Animals?

Is there anything more wretched than a canned hunt? Real hunters denounce the practice, also called “captive hunts” or “shooting ranches,” which are private trophy hunting facilities that charge pathetic Elmer Fudds for the joy of killing exotic and native animals trapped within enclosures.

The Humane Society of the US estimates there are more than 1000 of these vile facilities in 28 states, with about 500 of them in Texas alone. It’s a lucrative industry that is expanding.

The animal victims come from private breeders, circuses, even zoos. Often they are hand-raised so they do not fear people, just in case being trapped inside an enclosure isn’t enough of an advantage for Fudd. Critically endangered species such as the Dama gazelle and the addax are sometimes victimized, as are the merely “endangered” Arabian oryx and markhor, along with many other “threatened” animals.
Safari Club International claims it banned its captive hunts in 2018, but the HSUS revealed that the group still auctioned off canned lion hunts at its annual convention at least twice since. (Although not a participant in captive hunts – as far as we know – Donald Trump Jr. was a featured speaker at the SCI-con in 2020. The group also auctioned off a “dream hunt” with Junior aboard a luxury yacht in Alaska, and two winners ponied up $340,000 to kill black-tailed deer and sea ducks with the president’s spawn.)
No federal law bans captive hunts. Provisions of the Animal Welfare Act do not apply to game preserves or captive hunts. Even the Endangered Species Act is toothless here because, per the HSUS, “the Fish and Wildlife Service does not prohibit private ownership of these animals and even allows captive hunting of endangered species.”
In conclusion, the answer is no. There is nothing worse than a canned hunt.

Some (unpleasant) footage here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSHEeM4icLc&t=2s.

Photo credit: The HSUS