Hunters...a dying breed.

[Mr. Ten-X]

WI DNR: Number of hunters on a steady decline

(WEAU) - While more deer hunters bought licenses this year versus last year, the DNR says hunting has been on a steady decline here and across the nation.

The DNR says there's more competition for people's free time and the biggest decline in hunting is happening in the 35 to 55 year old age range. The DNR says those hunters are weighing the costs versus benefits, is it worth their time?

The DNR says with the huge spike in bow hunters and increase in predators, there's more competition for the deer as well.

DNR Spokesman Ed Culhane says “the deer are being hunted all the time, so they're not stupid. They learn to pattern human movement so the deer being hunted today are harder to hunt.”

The DNR estimates by the year 2030, it could lose 1/3 of its hunters.

NOT IF YOU INTRODUCE A CHILD TO SHOOTING AND HUNTING!!

 

[stinnett1981]

Less hunters the better. More game for me to hunt! Just jokin!
Yep, I brought my 9 year old to the IL hunters education class that is 2 days 16 total hours. It has a 50 question test at the end. They dont allow the parent to help on the test either. In Illinois you MUST take the class if you are born before January of 1980. After the class you get your "GREEN CARD". You must have a green card to buy any firearms hunting license. He was in a tree stand with me this year deer hunting and I brought him squirrel hunting too already. He really likes it. He HATED cleaning the squirrels after the hunt!!! It took me 20 minutes to even get him to touch them! I think it was when I yanked the guts out that drove him past the edge!!! LOL!!!

 

[onelastshot]

Some of the biggest complaints I've heard time and again, every year states are dramatically increasing the costs of hunting licenses, implementing new rules and regulations that are confusing and often times unnecessary and, adding new fees for the sole purpose of generating revenue to cover shortfalls resulting from the recession, with none of the new funds going back into the sport.

Some states now require sportsman cards in addition to licenses, while others have harvest fee for animals taken. In Ontario Canada, for black bear hunting you must purchase a hunting license, a sportsman card, and an export tag, but they can't understand why Americans are staying home. Many states have nearly doubled the price tag for out of state hunters in recent years.

Other states report that conservation officers are required to write a certain number of violations each month further alienating the average hunter.

The anti's have developed a new strategy to target hunters and it's working. You don't have to outlaw hunting; bury us with red tape, price and tax every aspect of the sport and make certain conservation officers go out of their way to ruin your day afield and sooner or later sportsman will throw in the towel.

The NRA and other groups need to take a step back and redirect their efforts to stem the anti's latest strategy. In addition to introducing a child to shooting and hunting, make a point of adding another species to your hunt. Coyotes and the likes will only be controlled when the hunting community makes a unified effort to keep them in check. Fifteen years ago, I never saw a coyote when deer hunting. This year I've already seen two and one has now gone to the great beyond. Some hunters don't want to shoot coyotes when deer hunting afraid it will interfere. We have a rule on our property, every coyote is shot on site, no exceptions.

 

[1holeaddict]

Well come to Northeast Pa and try and find property to hunt. We have tons of farm land but try and get access to it. Now the natural gas industry has settled in and there are wells going up everywhere along with pipe lines. Before the gas industry the farmers would tell you the reason he wont allow hunting is ---
1- Somebody shot my house
2- Somebody shot my livestock
3- Somebody shot my wives pet
4- Somebody wounded a deer and my wife saw it suffering
5- Somebody stole something from my barn
6- Somebody went on the neighbors property and caused me grief
7- Somebody drove in my fields.
8- Somebody sued me
9- My family hunts
10- Etc,Etc,Etc
I do understand that there are a lot of unethical and ignorant hunters that would do these things but there are a lot of respectful hunters also. I do understand the land owners not wanting to allow hunting for any reason and they shouldn't have to give an explanation to anybody. Well i guess the point im trying to make is so many guys here are giving up hunting due to not having places to hunt. Face it you can have all the guns and equipment that money can buy but without property to hunt it is worthless.

 

[40X Guy]

Pennsylvania during the early 90's had a million hunters in the woods opening day. Now this past monday I kept hearing over and over from our lovely media 750,000 hunters hit the woods during opening day. So its looking like there are in the span of 15 to 20 years 25% less hunters out there. I am doing my part to get and keep people and kids out there shooting and hunting. IMHO its the TV, cell phones and computers etc. keeping kids out of the woods. Very sad!

Frank

 

[Zia Hunter]

I think some of the hunters you are missing are hunting in New Mexico. Each year the odds of drawing tags in the quality units gets lower. This is for both rifle and bow. I guess all those TV shows on hunting in NM are having an impact, When I first started hunting in NM all you had to do was buy a deer license and you could hunt anywhere in the state. Now you have to enter a lottery for a particular unit and hunt and hope you draw. I mostly hunt with bow now and the draw tags are hard to come by and landowner tags are becomings prohibitively expensive.

We are taking two of my friends sons hunting for cow elk in The Gila this weekend and frankly enjoy this more than hunting myself .

 

[JRS]

Each and every year, more and more anti hunters are buying hunting licenses and applying for hunts in every state. When successful in the drawing process, they throw away the tag and take a hunt away from us. They don't mind giving their money to the Fish & Game departments due to the support from many of these departments. They also take your hunting away and save another animal. This has been happening for quite some time.

 

[wvlongshot]

1 holeaddict made a comment about the farmers reasons why they didn't allow hunting. As a farmer, the one pet peave I have about people asking to hunt is that is the only time U see them, is when they want to hunt! If your in the hay working they just drive right by and wave, while mr farmer is working his guts out. Most of the people willing to help out get what they put into it. A few big farms in my area have the work a day hunt a day mindset. No help No hunt. Just food for thought.

 

[Rustystud]

Our state has a decline as well. Here are my opinions on the subject.

1. Kids today don't grow up on the farm or country They go to schools where most of the teachers are liberals and opposed to hunting and guns.
2. Kids today are introduced to video games and team sports earlier than ever. Parental egos and peer pressure from team mates keep kids today out of the woods.
3. Hunting requires a lot of effort and work. The work ethic today is not what it was a generation ago.
4. The cost and availability to quality hunting land or a place to practice shooting has gone up just like everything else.
5. Shooting interest have changes: not only hunting, target shooting has changed too. Bench Rest, Long Range Prone (Match Rifle, Palma, Three Position Small Bore, PPC, Match Pistol) all are on the decline and full of white hairs. Cross the Course has just sustained itself, but their have been steady increases in Cowboy Action, IDPA, IPSC, Three Gun, and Tactical Shooting.
6. The cost of shooting has gone through the roof. Guns, loaded ammo, reloading components have gone up dramaticly.
Here in NC Small game has declined dramatically, deer, turkey, and bear hunting has sustained itself or made a small gain in popularity.
7. I also think the divorce rate and single parent homes has affected hunting.
So lets join to together and take a couple kids hunting get them hooked on shooting we need to do our job to reinvigorate the sport.
Nat Lambeth

 

[bheadboy]

i raised my two sons hunting, thoughts for consideration-- 1965-1972

learned to shoot, club, $50 per year, 9 miles away -multipulranges encouraged youth
1st rifle, 22 single shot --$29.95
1st deer rifle, 30-30 788 --$79.95
clothing, blue jeans and camo jacket 24.95
RCBS jr $59 dies $15.50 etc.
1st tree stand $55
hunted state land free
1st hunt club $300/yr for me and sons, or one guest to introduce to hunting - 675 acrea
gas .039 per gallon

now that nearest range 1 hr away, 3 miles dirt rd requiring 4x4
nearest club 47 miles - $750 fee, $250 per yr rules out the goo
hunt club $2500/yr limit guest, at cost per day to have them
you put the cost on equipment and clothing,

Tell me about your thoughts on the economy and available locations to shoot out of doors and not in an inclosed range at some $$ per hour- and i will tell you why fewer hunters

Bob

 

[people]

This should not be a big shocker. Lots of the baby boomers are dying off every year. Kids today they have to be tied to their electronics. Heaven forbid they are not communicating to their friends every second of every day. Not to mention the sports and school. Talking to my friends who have kids it is amazing their new tactic is giving lots of homework due the following week. Here they also have school sports meets scheduled during opening weekend of deer hunting. I am sure there is more than just this one kid but I have only heard of this one. One of the guys I work with, his kid was kicked off a football team when he said that he would not be able to make a game because he was going hunting with his family. I would think there is more back story to this but I was never told the full story.


My younger cousins they all have been hunting and even though they are now all in their late teens they do not like to see dead critters. Hell if they have to put their hands in them game over. Their Dads still gut their animals when he can convince them to come out.

 

[timeout]

1 holeaddict made a comment about the farmers reasons why they didn't allow hunting. As a farmer, the one pet peave I have about people asking to hunt is that is the only time U see them, is when they want to hunt! If your in the hay working they just drive right by and wave, while mr farmer is working his guts out. Most of the people willing to help out get what they put into it. A few big farms in my area have the work a day hunt a day mindset. No help No hunt. Just food for thought.

You are right about that. Some even get to thinking you owe them a place to hunt, no need to ask, just show up. A friend of mine has a wood cutting work day to supply 3 outdoor wood burners with fuel for the winter. If you don't show up, you don't hunt. Seems like a small price to pay, considering the cost of land and property taxes. I like it so much that I believe I will begin the same program.

 

[Nodak7mm]

In the hotel lobby this morn, reading the days issue of USAToday (12/04/12). There is a graphic on the front page of every morning issue.

This mornings graphic says "Number of hunters rises, reversing trend". Up to 13.7 million in 2011, from 12.5 million in 2006. Source: US Fish and Wildlife.

I find this news to to be "Positive"...

Rod

 

[wyoming .260]

The State of Wisconsin is not losing hunters. Its just that they don't all hunt there anymore. They all seem to move about 8 hrs. west the first day of October.........

 

[Minesweeper3433]

Think about how many people live in just the United States and compare those numbers to the number of hunters. Dying breed no but are we a bit over crowded, yes.
We are running out of room.
I don't hunt purely because of the huge price and inconvenience of it. Shoot all the time just can't afford the time and energy it takes to build a relationship with someone who has the land to hunt anymore. Used to shoot on the amish property all the time in upstate NY as I helped out on the work for the day after I finished shooting for the morning. I ate great in those days.
If you are blessed to have an area to hunt thanks to family or friends than by all means enjoy it just don't forget many of us don't have access to someplace like that. Just state land and there are so many problems with that its not worth it.

 

[Jim See]

The State of Wisconsin is not losing hunters. Its just that they don't all hunt there anymore. They all seem to move about 8 hrs. west the first day of October.........

8 hours? that only gets us into the plains! 16-22 hours is where it's at.

I hunted harder in WI this year than any other of the past 8 years, but there were some big bucks running around the area. A 219 gross and a 177 gross were taken, (177 by me) and I'm still looking for a 190" that may or may not have met his demise

 

[wyoming .260]

The State of Wisconsin is not losing hunters. Its just that they don't all hunt there anymore. They all seem to move about 8 hrs. west the first day of October.........

8 hours? that only gets us into the plains! 16-22 hours is where it's at.

I hunted harder in WI this year than any other of the past 8 years, but there were some big bucks running around the area. A 219 gross and a 177 gross were taken, (177 by me) and I'm still looking for a 190" that may or may not have met his demise

Judging by the number of tags that were here from Wisconsin, I would say alot of the folks in Your state have develope a taste for antelope meat. Shame most of them don't practice with their rifles much.

 

[Jim See]

ain't that the truth! Opening morning, I heard 3 quick shots, and 30 seconds later a doe ran out across the field on 3 legs.

One shot thru the shoulders from me folded her up, then I chastised the guy who came following the blood trail, told him to drag it away with the guts in it as I didn't want to look at them out in the hay field from my tree stand.

I understand some people don't have the proper skills to hit a tricky target but for heaven sakes wait till they stop and are in your effective range, or wait for another one to come by.

 

[deadwooddick]

It's a rare cattlemen out here that will "require" a day's work to offset the privilege of hunting his place. One thing they do expect is that you don't whine because you can't hunt "opening w/e" given his "paid hunters" generally contribute toward the economics of running the place.

I do think also helps cement your relationship with ranchers, when you can hunt… to gift back some of the meat as they really don't have time to harvest their own deer, in most cases.

But what do I know, I grew up hunting in Noo York. :

 

[M14AMU]

Screw 'em! I'm gonna hunt till they pat my azz in the face with a spade!! Been doing it for 65 years and as long as the Good Lord lets me walk and breathe....I'll be out there come hell or high water!!