Hunting is the human practice of pursuing wildlife for nourishment, recreation or trade. In its present-day usage, the term hunting refers to the lawful practice, which is differentiated from poaching, the killing of species against the law. The general term for the species hunted is game.

Hunting is also used to eradicate vermin or pests and to control overpopulation. It can be an essential constituent of modern-day wildlife management, as stated by its advocates, by helping maintain a population of healthy animals where predators are no longer present.

The history of hunting is as long and may very well pre-date that of our own species, with evidence found that supports Homo sapiens usage of larger animals for food, as well as one of the multiple components in the extinction of diverse species prevalent before widespread human occupation. While it is undoubted that early humans were hunters, the production of stone-made tools as well as the control of fire are emphasized in the hypothesis of hunting and de-emphasized within scenarios like social interaction, being nonetheless absolutely crucial in the formation of human behavior.

Hunting also plays a part in national customs in countries such as New Zealand, India, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as Russia. Usually, imperial hunts were arranged, for either local royalty or stationed troops which were part of colonies, with hunting considered a sport. Game was represented by deer, pigs, goats, rabbits, foxes, various vermin as well as more exotic game, such as Bengal tigers, in India. The most well-known hunting tradition is the safari, meaning a long journey. It consisted of camping in the jungle or in the bushes, while pursuing big game, on a journey that would take days or even weeks. In the present, it’s used as a way to describe tours through African national parks.

While a number of animals have been used as aid in the process of hunting, none have been as important as the dog, first domesticated 15,000 years ago. Today, dogs are used to chase, find and retrieve game, and sometimes even kill it. Hunting dogs allow us to kill game that would otherwise prove to be either difficult or dangerous.

Hunting techniques can differ quite radically, based on regulations set by the government, personal ethics, local customs, the equipment used or the animal being hunted. Often, the techniques are used in combination. Such methods include baiting, decoys, lures or scent, calling, attracting or driving the animals, camouflage, dogs, herding, binoculars to more easily locate the animals and even internet hunting, where guns are set to be remotely controlled and the hunting grounds observed through webcams.

The economics of hunting present themselves as a benefit to a variety of industries, with hunters spending fifty to one-hundred times more than the average tourist. In the United Kingdom, the game hunting of birds is worth around £700 million. The United States also benefit from significant revenue coming from hunting equipment companies, specialty tourism and hunting licenses.