Wild bird hunting as a deviant leisure practice

Wild bird hunting in the Philippines continues despite long-standing legal restrictions under Republic Act No. 9147. Based on qualitative field observations, interviews, and secondary materials, this study examines bird hunting through the lens of deviant leisure. Neutralization theory and social learning theory help explain how hunting is learned, justified, and reproduced across generations. Rather than being viewed solely as illegal behavior, hunting is often understood locally as routine, skill based, and socially meaningful. These interpretations blur the boundary between subsistence, work, and leisure, complicating conventional distinctions between lawful recreation and deviance. The study highlights how everyday leisure practices can persist in tension with formal environmental regulation.