Decreasing number of hunters...

[bravedeer]

Interesting article:

Hunters remain a powerful force in American society, as evidenced by the presidential candidates who routinely pay them homage, but their ranks are shrinking dramatically and wildlife agencies worry increasingly about the loss of sorely needed license-fee revenue.

New figures from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service show that the number of hunters 16 and older declined by 10 percent between 1996 and 2006 — from 14 million to about 12.5 million. The drop was most acute in New England, the Rocky Mountains, and the Pacific states, which lost 400,000 hunters in that span.

Read the rest below:

 http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070902/ap_on_re_us/fewer_hunters

[Al Dente]

I really have an issue when these figures are presneted every year.  Here in NYS, we're told by the DEC that hunters numbers have declining for years, but their data is only based upon those who purchased a hunting license.  Just the group that I teach the sportsman education classes with put through close to 500 students every year.  There are hundreds of groups across NYS doing the same thing.

Some folks are fed up with the DEC and do not purchase a license, others simply don't have a chance to hunt year in and year out.

On that show "The Power of 10", they asked the percentage of Americans that hunt.  The answer was 42%!!!!!  I couldn't beleive that it was that high.

I don't think the data is accurate in both instances.  What game agencies should be focusing on is getting the youth more involved, as they are the future of the sport and ...THEIR REVENUE!!!

[Wary Buck]

I think the causes of low hunter recruitment are so myriad you almost can't even discuss it in an hour.  Obviously there are the hunt-related issues including especially shrinking habitat and land access, the near-abandonment of small-game hunting that many of us cut our teeth on, and the ridiculous cost of entry-level equipment.  It is darn near impossible for most kids to pick up a bow or shotgun and step out the back door and hunt; for many of us, we did that early and often.  Also the restrictions on carrying guns in vehicles in school parking lots...when I was a kid, many of us lived for Wednesdays when we had early morning basketball practice and therefore could hunt pheasants or ducks after school in Nov. and Dec.  This near total focus or emphasis on big game hunting is not a positive trend in my mind.

But an even bigger hurdle may be the tons of things that vie for teenagers' time these days:  sports practices year-round (instead of seasonal when I was a kid), "club" sports, work, video games, internet, IPod, ATVs, and parents too busy golfing, working two jobs, etc. to take their kids out.

It's a very complicated issue that I'm only scratching the surface on.

[Huntschool]

I actually discussed this yesterday in class with my students.  A number of questions presented themselves relevant to how those numbers are gathered and loop holes in the statistical accountancy.  

For instance:  How do the agencies account for lifetime licenses?  A one time purchase but for how many years will that person be hunting.  What about active duty military that do not need a license in many states (I do not have a problem with this)

Yet, not that all of them hunt, it took two days at The Grand this year to run two thousand SCTP kids through the competition.  

Wary Buck is right, it’s complicated

[Brian Gillispie]

Hey all,


I like the way Mark Twain stated the situation>


"There are three kinds of lies,

Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics."

Brian Gillispie

[matt schuster]

As for the accuracy, I don't know enough about it to have an opinion but down my way in Georgia I fear there is a smaller percentage of hunters.  Several reasons:  Hunting is predominately a white sport and most of the increase in population in my state is non-white.   Kids with no dads also don't get to hunt much.  I have several Little Brothers in the Big Brother program and all they needed was a little exposure to the sport and they wanted to participate.   I do think that way too many kids now participate in too many pastimes that offer instant gratification and find the patience required for hunting/fishing hard to deal with - not a good trend.  As Wary Buck said too, a kid with a bb gun or .22 was a common sight even in the burbs when I grew up and now some fool would probably call the police on them.  Anyhow, I will try and do my part.  I bought a cheap .243 kids gun this year and have 4 kids who are planning to get their first deer with it - if they don't killem with their recurves first.

[Hogtamer]

Matt Shuster is my hero.

[ChuckC]

As a devil's advocate here.  Twenty five years ago we had far fewer hunters and the DNR got along just fine and we didn't bump into someone every step we took into the woods.  Why is it that we think going back to numbers we had twenty five years ago is neccesarily a BAD thing.
ChuckC

[bravedeer]

Matt, and more and more white men are becoming metrosexuals right? That's also a problem.

If less whites wanted a better job and were willing to do the work that the undocumented workers do, half of the problem would be solved  

[vermonster13]

The smaller the number of hunters the smaller our voice is in todays politics. If we are looked on as a statistically insignificant group then we will start losing more and more of our hunting opportunities as those opposed to us that are very well financed I might add are seen as a larger voting segment.

[matt schuster]

We have to remember too, that we are talking percentages.   The percentage of the population may be less, but the actual number of hunters probably has not decreased all that much.   That said, I do see a lot less kids doing it than when I was young.

Bravedeer, I am not sure why you put white in the comment about work.   The statistics are clear on non-white population growth and that hunting is predominantly a white sport.   The kids I am taking hunting are black and they took to hunting very quickly.  But yes, if more Americans, white, brown, black, yellow, green,  or some combo of the above, were willing (or better yet, had to work to eat) to do manual labor then maybe there wouldn't be so much work for others.   Or, if there were not so much cheap immigrant labor, then the demand for workers would go up and so would wages and maybe Americans would do the jobs.     And, lol, I actually hunt with a few metrosexuals.   They wear rubber gloves when the gut stuff so they don't mess up their nails. .just kidding.

[Hogtamer]

Sometimes ignorance IS bliss...metrosexuals...I hope no one misunderstands my shaved left arm.

[Shakes.602]

I was One of those Kids whose "StepFather" wasnt an Outdoorsman, Period. That is Part of the reason I am 42 and dont know how to gut a Turkey.  

[bravedeer]

The reason I addressed the white issue that if hunting is "mostly" a white sport, then the metrosexualization of white men has a real impact on the hunting community.

And it is a fact that not only most white men no longer want to work in a farm, neither do black folks.

If there were no more migrant workers and the wages were raised the cost of food would go up or we could just import our food from China.  

[matt schuster]

Bravedeer, you are right, although are food costs are artificially low now due to numerous subsidies.  And if folks needed to work to eat, they might be willing to work the fields.  Personally I have no problem with a guest worker program either but the last time I hunted Texas I personally saw hundreds of illegals streaming in and that scares me, it is just too easy - it also doesn't help that an illegal with a long record broke in to my daughter's house and tried to rape her last year . .  . . as for the metrosexualization thing, it cracks me up.  I own a business in a ritzy section of Atlanta and have had numerous women tell me that I should get a facial and have my nails & toenails done.   They would have to kill me first. . .lol.

[vermonster13]

Guys keep it on hunting issues please.

[SERBIANSHARK]

ttt

[Steve D]

Numbers will HAVE to decrease as there is less land open to hunting and the rising population,folks need homes to live in    
result  more homes less hunting land,plus leasing.in much of the midwest here there is way too much hunter competition already on lands open to hunting,causing/producing negative experience's in the field.

[Mint]

Here on long Island I think we lose hunters because it is pretty hard to find a spot to actually hunt.

[Daddy Bear]

I have an extensive background in archery that can be traced back to youth archery programs during my childhood. I credit much of my success as an adult to the mental discipline that I developed during these early years when I was exposed to positive programs such as archery in an organized setting. These programs go hand and hand with introducing youth to hunting.

Today, there is an outstanding national archery program available to all schools grades 4 through 12. The National Archery in Schools Program (NASP) is currently implemented in over 3,800 schools throughout 43 states with over 2.3 million students who have participated. Contact your State Outdoor Education Supervisor within your Game Department for information on how to contact your State Coordinator for NASP. In Virginia, the DGIF Education Supervisor is also the Virginia NASP Coordinator. They will provide training and certification for teachers within the schools and funding is available to provide the schools with the initial equipment set to include NASP in the school curriculum.

This program to date has proven very successful at introducing youth to archery and at planting the seeds for a future of archery hunting. I encourage you to step up to the plate and get involved. Make sure you do your part to ensure the future of archery and hunting for generations to come.

Take a kid hunting and fishing,
Daddy Bear