‘Surprising’ support for hunting in YouGov poll

Recent polls by YouGov have discovered that attitudes towards fieldsports are not always clear-cut, with many supporting hunting under the right circumstances. 

The survey showed that seven in 10 Brits (71%) believe it is acceptable to hunt for food, compared with one in five (21%) opposed to the practice. More than half (53%) supported allowing farmers to control animals deemed as agricultural pests. Most of the public agreed that gamekeepers should be allowed to control pigeons (58%) and rabbits (55%), with around half (48%) finding it acceptable to shoot pheasants. 

Less popular, however, was badger culling, which only three in 10 respondents (31%) found permissible. Other pest species, such as rooks (26%) and mink (25%), received more public support, with only a quarter of the poll’s respondents agreeing that culling either species should be allowed in any circumstances. 

The data regarding mink was surprising, considering 55% of those surveyed agreed that it is acceptable to hunt invasive species. A further 53% thought it was also acceptable to manage overpopulated species, and 44% of people believed that deerstalking should be allowed in some circumstances. However, 48% said it should never be allowed. Grouse shooting also divided opinion, with 42% agreeing and 41% disagreeing with the sport. 

Perhaps most surprisingly, however, was the lack of an urban-rural divide in opinions on hunting. However, there were a few cases, such as 40% of those who live in rural areas believing it is acceptable to hunt with guns, compared with 29% in urban areas.