Acta Scientiarum Polonorum
Silvarum Colendarum Ratio et Industria Lignaria

Contemporary hunting causes a lot of controversy and diverse opinions in the society. On the one hand, it faces rejection and even active aggression, and on the other, the functions it performs are understood and approved. The primary aim of the research is to define problems associated with hunting as well as developing proposals for specific solutions. To obtain knowledge concerning emerging opinions and attitudes towards hunters, a series of surveys was carried out, involving several hundred people. The received results indicate the areas of consistently positive opinions on hunting as well as the areas of negative ones. For example, the answer to the question related to hunting ethics and a positive motivation to take up hunting turned out to be highly differentiating in groups of young people. Opinions on hunters’ activity are often highly critical in social media. There are grounds to believe that the basis of critical opinions is the lack of knowledge on hunting, as well as a highly emotionally polarised attitude to problems of the natural world. An important element in understanding the function of modern hunting is the reliability of hunters sanctioned by compliance with customary law and ethics – hunting traditions and statute law.