Evolution of hunting laws and wildlife conservation/management

Upon what concepts are hunting policies and laws based? Wildlife management and hunting policies have evolved over time, based largely on the “public trust doctrine,” which regards wildlife as held in the public trust and managed by scientifically based regulations. During the last century, sportsmen-conservationists demanded that their government put in place agencies, institutions, laws and regulations to conserve wildlife on behalf of the citizens. As part of that demand, sportsmen/conservationists advocated ethics and self policing by any and all who partake of America’s wild bounty. The laws, rules and regulations governing hunting form a framework for a system that is designed to provide surpluses of certain species of wildlife for hunting and fishing, revenue from which funds the conservation of all wildlife, including species that aren’t hunted. This system provides the agility for wildlife managers to respond to changes in the environment, demands of the public, fluctuating wildlife population levels, the effects of natural events (such as fire, flood, disease and drought), and other factors.