Research-Learning Project Proposal

The proposal is a very important first step in forming the scope and
purpose of the project. You should make every effort to follow your
proposal for the duration of the project. Commonly, more fundamental
questions need to be answered before tackling the main question of
the proposal. You should have some flexibility throughout the term to
refine the proposal. If and when you feel that this applies, talk to your
instructor, ahead of time, about the challenges you are having with
your project. Your proposal should address the following questions:
1. State the problem, the need, and the significance of the
investigation:
a. What question do you want to explore the answer to or what
problem/issue needs to be addressed by the community or society
at large?
I want to explore the topic of Hunting and the controversy that it
cause in the hunting community and the animals rights
community. The hunting community is very big here in Utah and
also a lot of animal rights activists that want to get rid of hunting
when hunting is believed to be a good way of wildlife
management. I want to look into and see if we as a community
can make changes to help our wildlife by either keeping hunting
or getting rid of it.
b. Why is the research worth investigating? Why is the answer
important? Why is addressing this problem/issue important? How
can your research add to the body of existing knowledge.
It is worth investigating because I am a hunter myself and it is
more then a hobby to me it is a way of life for me. I want to see
what I can do to help the Hunting community but at the same
time make sure we are helping the animals and all of the
wildlife. It is important we address this because we need to
make sure we can control herds of animals so none go extinct,
but at the same help them thrive in the wild. The research I do
will give me more extensive knowledge of what hunting really
can bring to helping, but at the same time the problems with it.
2. About the policy issue:
a. What is the context of the issue? Please provide a brief description.
I believe the policy is the second amendment because that is gun
rights amendment. This topic has been up for debate for many
decades, but it can have the biggest impact on hunting because

guns do the majority of hunting, being rifles and muzzleloaders, and

small percentage using Archery to hunt.
3. Data collection:
a. How will you conduct our research? Example: What databases are
pertinent?
I will being doing my research through Slccs databases mostly
on EBSCO and I will also being using some news articles I have
heard in the past year that pertain to hunting and wildlife
management.
4. Analysis:
a. What concepts/topics from the course are related to the
question/problem?
I think one of the topics from class that relates to what we have
talked about is the second amendment and our environment and
the effects we as humans have on our environment.
b. How will you use the concepts/topics of the course (and similar
courses) to answer your research question/issue?
I have learned many things in this class as well as other classes
that have mostly taught me to look at the bigger picture and other
peoples opinions on the matters. I will do a lot of digging into
animal rights and people against hunting because I am pro hunting
so I want to see what arguments the opposing side has and take
that into consideration to form my own opinion
c. Are these other research topics that you may need to read/lean
about to supplement your understanding, methodology and/or
answer the research question.
I think I may have to read a little bit on the other topics to make
sure all of my information is correct and inform myself on other
problems that we face that can have a major impact on hunting,
like the gun rights debate, and things we are doing to improve our
environment.
RESEARCH LOG
DATE

04/29

CITE SOURCE

ANNODATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

REFLECTION

Bestul, Scott. The Dirty Politics Of

Deer. (Cover Story). Field & Stream
118.6 (2013): 67-96. Academic Search
Premier. Web 29. April. 2015.

This article focuses on politics of hunting that

most people dont really realize that happens.
The author stated that he always blamed
hunters, or the states DNR for the low deer
populations, but it is mainly the states

This I found very interesting

Because it showed the politic
Behind hunting and the effec
Of what politics could have

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04/28

Government fault because of officials

appointed by the governor. Most times the
officials dont have any wildlife back ground
and may even be against hunting all together.
The author also notice where he was from in
Iowa that the hunters and DNR officials
wanted to lower the doe deer tags because the
population is getting really low but the
government officials want pass it so that they
can issue more tags and receive more money.

Our wildlife.

Crofts, Natalie. Trophy Elk, Cow

Moose Poached In 4 Separate Cases.
Ksl.com. (2014). Web. 23 April. 2015.

In this article it talks about how there was two

trophy bull elk poached and two cow moose
that were poached and left to waste. All four of
the animals where poached in Utah the elk in
the are called the Book Cliffs, one of the cows
was killed in the Red Cloud Loop area which is
just north of Vernal, Utah, and the last cow was
killed in Wasatch County. The animals where
all poached outside of there designated hunting
and killed with a gun.

In this KSL article it talked

About what animals where
Poached all in one month
An it really made me irritate
Because this was happening
Here in Utah and one place
Where I have hunted my wh
life

Kwall, Jason. Is (Merely) Stalking

Sentient Animals Morally Wrong?.
Journal Of Applied Philosophy 17.2
(2000): 195.Academic Search Premier.
Web 28 April. 2014.

In this academic journal it talks about

how Hunting and other practices like
photography affect animals in almost every
way with the exception that hunting ends in
killing and photography ends in taking a
picture. The author is against hunting and talks
about how he thinks it is morally wrong unless
the situation calls for it. For example if
someone is in dire need of food then he should
kill an animal for food, or if animal population
grows out of control then allow hunting to thin
the heard other then those reason he doesnt
support hunting. The main focus of the journal
is on the subject that photographers who take
pictures of the wild are just as at fault as
hunters when it comes to messing with the
natural habitats of the animals. Both hunters
and photographers have to track and stalk
animals in order to achieve their goals. The
only difference is the final out come of it either
being a picture or killing an animal.

This article was very interest

To me because it focused on
More then just the hunter
But also people who stalk fo
Pictures which is what I do
When it is not hunting seaso
And I felt like some of his
Reasoning was very valid
But in the end I didnt entire
Agree with the Author.

Pollan, Michael. An Animals Place.

New York Magazine 152.52298
(2002): 58. Academic Search Premier.

In this book the author talks about how the

laws for animals and about animal cruelty are
changing and America is slowly following

This focuses more on how

America is starting to Chang

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Web. 28 April. 2015

from behind. It talks about how companies are

starting to change how animals are slaughtered
and how the majority of the states are starting
to have animal cruelty laws put into place. He
talks about we will either all have to become
vegans or to defend the meat eating lifestyle.

Its meat eating habits and in

The end this can effect hunti
Because it can become the o
Or one of few ways to ethica
Get meat if they get rid of
Slaughter houses.

Mclntyre, Thomas. The Plague Of

True Sportsmen. Field & Stream
107.10 (2003): 87. Academic Search
Premier. Web 24 April. 2015.

In this article the author talks about trophy

hunting is unethical. Talks about how
ridiculous he thinks hunting has become and
believes most Americans dont care about it.
He also claims that every trophy hunter is a
very wealthy man that has nothing better to do
then spend his money on farm-raised trophies,
or for exotic African animals.

I really liked what the author

because I feel like he talked
About what most people thin
Hunting is and that is trophy
Hunting and in the end I agre
With him

Oren, Dorell. American hunter is a

vanishing breed. Usa today n.d;
Academic Search Premier. Web. 29
April. 2015.

This article talks about how the amount off

hunters in the United States is declining and it
is starting to worry the states government.
They are starting to worry because hunters are
the main contributors to the conservation of
wildlife. In the year 2006 over 900 million
dollars was put towards wildlife conservation
and all of it came from hunters. It came from
buying their licenses, tags, guns, ammunition,
and donations. He talks about if the American
hunter goes extinct the majority of the wildlife
budget would go with it.

I found this interesting becau

I had no idea hunters where
Such big contributors to wild
Conservation I thought it wa
Maybe 100 million dollars a
Year with some volunteer ho
But it really showed me wha
We as hunters do to help
Our wildlife

Peterson, M. Nils. An Approach For

Demonstrating The Social Legitimacy
Of Hunting. Wildlife Society Bulletin
32.2 (2004): 310-321. Academic
Search Premier. Web. 30 April. 2015

In this article the author talks about the good

things that come from hunting and what people
argue about to keep hunting, and he also gives
the reason against hunting and what
advancements have been made that can extinct
hunting all together. At the same time he does
say that we need hunters and that both hunters,
non-hunters, and animals rights activists need
to find common ground. Because he states that
hunters are huge contributors to wildlife
conservation due to the multi billion dollar
sport has been the most active in preserving
wildlife and also all the money from tags and
fees to hunt goes to the wildlife.

I really loved this article

Because the other doesnt sid
One way or the other. It was
Most informative because he
Gave valid points on both sid
Of the debate.

Western, Samuel. Fair Game. E: The

Environmental Magazine 10.4 (1999):

In this article it focuses on what truly is ethical

hunting or is there even such a thing. The

This author I liked because h

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16. Academic Search Premier. Web. 22

April. 2015.

author talks about how they have tried to make

it illegal to bait bears, and have pigeon shoots.
They also talk about how they need to get rid
of the farm hunting. Which is where the
animals are raised to be trophies and hunted
when they are big enough to be consider to be
trophies. The author believes that is unethical
and should be band as well as not hunting with
the more advanced technologies like off road
vehicles like ATV (all terrain vehicles), taking
away fancy gadgets you can use on high
powered rifles.

Attacked the issue on more

Then just ethics of hunting
But also the technology we
Use these days and I found i
Interesting because I havent
Heard anyone argue for hunt
To be less technological whe
It comes to harvesting anima

Unknown. 2014 Utah Big Game

Application Guidebook. Utah
Division of Wildlife Resources. Book.
April 28. 2015

The book talks about the hunting rules Utah

has for big game hunting for the year of 2014.
It talks about the dates each season for certain
animals and wepaons when they open and
when they close. It also talks about current
changes that are taking place that year that will
effect hunting and future rules and laws that
will change or be added

The guide book changes from

Year to year talking about ne
Rules they are implementing
In this years hunt. I used last
Years book because this year
Of 2015 will not be printed
Until later this June or July.