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In the United States, hunting is practiced by nearly 12 million people, or about 4% of the population. However, the number of enthusiasts has been decreasing since the beginning of the 1980s, in a context marked by the growing popularity of anti-hunting discourse and by the politicisation of the sport. How do hunters defend themselves against the emergence of an increasingly audible and structured anti-hunt movement? While they see their hobby under attack, how do they defend the preservation of their activity? Based on a study conducted in Arizona, one of the US states most renowned for the value and quality of its game, this paper shows how hunting promoters paradoxically turn a contested practice into an opportunity to build, organise and disseminate a (counter)ethics serving political purposes.