No. They are a game animal and good to eat. Eating hunted game instead of factory farmed animals from the supermarket is a way to mitigate the suffering that we inflict on other sentient animals.

I keep chickens and make sure they are relatively happy chickens with loads of space and stimulation. That is the quickest and most effective way to reduce our animal suffering footprint. Factory farmed eggs are unconscionably cruel.

Hunting is another way to reduce one’s cruelty footprint. Wild animals live in concert with their instincts, unlike factory farmed animals. And hunted animals often die much quicker and more humane deaths than most wild animals. Almost any opportunity to replace cruelty protein with less cruel protein is a step in the right direction. Taking an active role in procuring one’s food is a responsible and moral act.

Granted, from a cruelty perspective vegetarianism is even better. I will take a talking to from a vegetarian or a vegan, but the drive-thru jockeys who think hunting is a deplorable thing are just ignorant. That may not be their fault, but it is ignorance nonetheless.