People or groups who oppose hunting often support laws that stop hunting and may break laws in peaceful ways, like stopping hunts. Anti-hunting laws, such as the English Hunting Act 2004, are usually different from conservation laws, like the American Marine Mammal Protection Act, because they aim to stop hunting due to concerns about animal cruelty, while conservation laws focus on protecting wildlife. However, some laws may overlap, such as when hunting endangered animals.

Animal rights activists believe that hunting for sport is cruel, unnecessary, and wrong. The term "anti-hunting" describes people who oppose hunting. While this term is not meant to be negative, some people who support hunting use it in a negative way.

Geographic differences

It is hard to compare how strong anti-hunting feelings are in different countries because the word "hunting" can mean different things in the UK and the United States. However, it is easier to compare the strength of the anti-hunting movement in different countries. Some countries, like the UK, have strong groups working against hunting, while others, like New Zealand, have very few or no such groups. Opinions about hunting can differ a lot in surveys from the same country. Like all market research, surveys must consider recent news events and the exact wording of questions, as both can affect the results.

Roots of the movement

The Burns Inquiry examined why some people in the UK oppose hunting. It found that social class, which is sometimes seen as a key difference between hunting in the UK and the United States, is one of many reasons people in the UK are against hunting. The inquiry also noted that opposition to hunting in the UK is part of a larger movement led by everyday people. The Burns Inquiry reported:

Opposition to hunting has existed for a long time. A Victorian-era playwright named W. S. Gilbert once said, "Deer-stalking would be a very fine sport if only the deer had guns."

The UK government has historically supported farmers when asked to ban certain types of hunting, such as rabbit and hare coursing, according to a political historian named Michael Tichelar. In 2005, an organization against hare coursing described supporters of coursing as being made up of "10% Nobs and 90% Yobs."

In the United States, class differences are not as obvious in hunting habits. Instead, differences in opinions about hunting are often linked to urban areas growing larger and more crowded. Because the United States has a lot of public land—up to 75% in some states—people do not need to be wealthy to hunt in less crowded areas.

The idea that hunting should be a right for all people in the United States began as a reaction to old English laws that limited hunting to the royal family. This idea became part of American culture because many early settlers in the US were people who fled from land enclosures in the UK and Ireland. Another difference between the UK and the US is that hunting in the US is usually managed by government agencies, which collect fees from hunters. In contrast, hunting in the UK typically only requires permission from the landowner or someone who has the right to use the land for hunting.

Measures to protect animals

Some groups support protecting animals by placing deer repellent or hair collected from barber shops in areas where hunting happens.

Anti-hunting organizations

There are many groups that work to stop hunting and protect animals. These groups include PETA, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), the Center for Biological Diversity, and Defenders of Wildlife. Although these groups share similar goals, they use different methods to achieve them. For example, PETA is a well-known organization that believes humans should not hunt, use, or harm animals for food, clothing, or entertainment. PETA also believes humans are not better than animals and do not own them. The group uses different ways to share its message, such as talking to lawmakers or businesses that use animals in their work.

The HSUS helps protect endangered animals worldwide. One example is the Black Beauty Ranch, which was created in 1979 by the HSUS. This place is a safe home for animals that were rescued from dangerous situations, such as being used in experiments or being kept in harmful conditions. The HSUS also works with the U.S. government to stop harmful activities like trophy hunting and testing products on animals. Other groups, like the Center for Biological Diversity, take legal action to stop hunting practices that harm endangered species.

Opinion polls

In the years 2004 and 2014, voters in Maine, US, voted against a suggested rule that would have banned the use of dogs, bait, and traps during black bear hunting. Polls before the 2014 vote showed that the proposal was likely to be rejected.