For those people who believe deer hunting is wrong, maybe it's time for a reality check. Consider the difference between a hunter taking a deer and a rancher selling his beef cattle. Some might view this comparison as oversimplified, but the differences are less than we often envision, given our contemporary societal attitudes. But there are also a few glaring differences which many don't, or choose not to, consider.

When we view the two species, both can be and are a source of meat for our consumption. However, deer are a pure natural strain that live in the "wilds." Beef cattle are the result of specialized breeding that has resulted in a once-wild animal that also lived in the "wilds" but has been domesticated and genetically altered for a specific purpose: food. The population of whitetails in the nation today is estimated to be nearly 40 million, and there are an estimated 100 million beef cattle.