Olivia Nalos Opre: Why we hunt, even lions

Hunting is one of America's favorite pastimes, offering camaraderie, a sense of self accomplishment and ultimately the purest meat source one can put on a family table. More important, hunters play a big role in preserving and protecting our world's great wildlife. That's why it is sad to see front pages taken over by the actions of an unscrupulous professional hunter and a dentist with a record of flouting the rules that ensure hunting and conservation go hand in hand.

In other words, there's a greater picture here than one law-breaking hunt. Through the sales of hunting licenses, equipment and tags, sportsmen in the U.S. contribute $2.9 billion every year for conservation. As a result, many of the most popular wildlife species in America have rebounded from near-extinction levels.

Hunters are happy to pay to improve habitat, protect our streams, rivers and lakes and ensure our wildlands remain healthy. We know that in order for future generations to enjoy our hunting heritage, we need to be responsible stewards of wildlife. Charged with the protection and management of wildlife, state fish and game agencies receive approximately 75% of funding from hunter/angler/shooter dollars paid in license, tag and permit fees, and through the federal aid in the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act.

Hunters generate millions of dollars and provide thousands of volunteer man hours to non-profits such as Ducks Unlimited and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. More than 10 million acres of wetlands have been restored by Ducks Unlimited alone. And organizations like the Sportsmen's Alliance and the Safari Club International lobbying for the regulation of ethical hunting and the North American wildlife conservation model around the world.

Show me a species that has gone extinct from modern, regulated sport hunting. I bet you can't. Other countries such as Zimbabwe are adopting the North American wildlife conservation model to help save the world's great wildlife in the same way it helped American wildlife flourish.

Responsible outfitters do much to protect wildlife globally. In order for an outfitter to continue operating, there needs to be wildlife. Funds from foreign hunters provide an economic stimulus for local residents to protect and manage wildlife. Those dollars fund habitat protection and enhancement and anti-poaching teams that protect wildlife often targeted by suppliers of the black market. When there's an intrinsic value placed on wildlife, residents have a vested interest it.

Consider Kenya, which shut down hunting in 1977. Since then, poaching has decimated wildlife outside Kenya's famous national parks since the ban was imposed. With the absence of outfitters operating in the country and no intrinsic value given to wildlife by residents, Kenya's rhino and elephant populations could disappear within a decade. And, unfortunately, there's no incentive for the community to change that paradigm.

Hunters do not condone the illegal activities or poaching of animals. There is a difference between hunting and poaching that is often missed by the media and general public and the two are often couched together by animal-rights activists as one and the same. .

It may be hard for non-hunters to understand, but hunters consider it our privileged responsibility to care for wildlife by playing our vital role in the great circle of life. We only look to follow in the footsteps of our ancestors and enjoy the great outdoors with friends and family and provide for our families. Ultimately, we strive to keep our forests healthy, our water clean and our wildlife populations abundant so future generations can share and enjoy what we have experienced.

Olivia NalosOpre and her husband, Tom, co-host "Eye of The Hunter'" on the NBC Sports Outdoors channel. She also is a hunting consultant for Jack Brittingham's World of Hunting Adventure and has hunted around the world.

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