But I can't see hunting non- meat animals or shooting birds as helping
Agreed - I wouldn't shoot something I wouldn't eat, and I don't approve of those that do.
That said, I've accounted for countless rabbits, pigeons, pheasants, partridges, ducks and a few geese in my time, and have enjoyed both the pursuit and the eating of every one.
I'm a lot happier doing that than I would be buying something anonymous in a supermarket. When it comes to meat, I like to know where it came from and how it was produced. Which reminds me - time to cart two barren ewes off to the slaughterhouse before the tup goes in. Plenty of mutton on the way!