Hunting is actually really important, in terms of wildlife management and species population health.
1) Hunters pay fees and taxes that go directly toward funding management of natural resources. This includes habitat improvement, special projects such as reintroduction/restocking of species, maintenance of state and federal parks/forests, etc. If you’ve walked or birdwatched in a state or federal park/reserve/forest, you can thank the hunters for helping maintain it.
2) Humans have extirpated the carnivores that would ordinarily keep the deer (and other species) populations in check.
3) Hunting is a prime wildlife management tool. In the East, deer populations have exploded, resulting in growing numbers of auto accidents (in PA, deer are the #1 cause of car accidents). Many of the species hunted in this country are overly abundant, due to human activities. In PA and WV, you’re looking at 80 deer per square mile, which is insane! This overpopulation causes increased stress and disease, leading to unhealthy populations.
4) In addition, human encroachment creates more “edge” habitat, which is the type preferred by species like deer, turkey, grouse, and raccoons. Because edge habitat is so close to human settlements, these species propagate, compete for environmental resources, and become nuisances once they infiltrate people’s gardens, fields, orchards, and garbage cans.