I grew up and currently live in Laurel Mt., from my perspective there is just a ton more for kids to do than when I grew up and they are doing a lot of those other things besides hunting. I blame parents for not taking their kids hunting like both my Mom and Dad did, technology (internet), travel team sports etc.. it's just not a staple for youth like it was when I was a kid and I'm afraid as time goes on it's only gonna get worse. Despite the chant to make America Great Again, the reality is we can't go back to the way things used to be, things change with the times, always have always will, and unfortunately hunting and the participation in it has changed and long term I don't see that trend changing much. Hope I'm wrong but I don't think I am.
2.2 Million Fewer Hunters Since 2011
- Thread starter Whiptail
- Start date
Let's not forget that a lot of boomers, who are/were hunters, are getting to the age where they just don't want to go any more. Especially, as stated above, they can't where/how they did in the past. Just not worth the energy to many to find that new honeyhole.
u1299- I agree, that there are more options/distractions for kids today than when I was a kid. I'm not that old. Heck, I graduated HS in the late '90s. But, with a bit of effort kids can still be introduced to hunting while doing those other things. Hunting and multiple sports (at the travel level) depicted in my 10yo's room. This picture sort of defines him. He's busier than I could have ever imagined at that age, but he seems to be loving it all! He's pretty wicked with a PS4 controller as well.
u1299- I agree, that there are more options/distractions for kids today than when I was a kid. I'm not that old. Heck, I graduated HS in the late '90s. But, with a bit of effort kids can still be introduced to hunting while doing those other things. Hunting and multiple sports (at the travel level) depicted in my 10yo's room. This picture sort of defines him. He's busier than I could have ever imagined at that age, but he seems to be loving it all! He's pretty wicked with a PS4 controller as well.
There's a good group who try to work on this through a faith-based non-profit my father was involved in:
https://www.fathersinthefield.com/
If we want to change this, it takes mentorship and the desire to volunteer to show kids w/no prospect of getting out how to do it, and how to do it correctly.
https://www.fathersinthefield.com/
If we want to change this, it takes mentorship and the desire to volunteer to show kids w/no prospect of getting out how to do it, and how to do it correctly.
Flatland Crusoe
Member
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2014
- Messages
- 572
Access and urbanization of populations are the real reasons for drops in hunter numbers. Western hunters are a very small portion of the nationwide hunting population and its definitely driven by more eastern trends. Over the last 2 decades leasing land to hunt has gone from rare to the norm for hunters who don't have land in the family. Money has become more of requirement to have good hunts a lot of places in the east. Over time a lot of casual hunters have been pushed out by access issues. I can't tell you how many sob stories I've heard about loosing access to one property ending someone's hunting.
Urbanization is also a big issue for hunting participation. New hunters lack to connections to find mentors and land access when you live in a large city. You end up driving a lot further to hunt, can't hunt or scout after work. Hunting requires a ton of dedication if you live in a city compared to the ease of casually going out for an hour here and there. You can't shoot your bow in the backyard every night, you end up driving a lot just to find a shooting range. You are probably short on places to store equipment because the cost of space is very high. In the last 2 decades there has been a big focus on youth hunts, but their retention rates are very low. Youth hunters have a lot of things competing for their attention and the lack the resources to be able to start hunting on their own effectively. Adult onset hunters have a higher retention rate than youth new hunters, but haven't had programs in place to help them get past the steep learning curve of hunting until recently. The average age of hunters keeps climbing so you will likely see this trend continuing into the future of having fewer hunters.
Urbanization is also a big issue for hunting participation. New hunters lack to connections to find mentors and land access when you live in a large city. You end up driving a lot further to hunt, can't hunt or scout after work. Hunting requires a ton of dedication if you live in a city compared to the ease of casually going out for an hour here and there. You can't shoot your bow in the backyard every night, you end up driving a lot just to find a shooting range. You are probably short on places to store equipment because the cost of space is very high. In the last 2 decades there has been a big focus on youth hunts, but their retention rates are very low. Youth hunters have a lot of things competing for their attention and the lack the resources to be able to start hunting on their own effectively. Adult onset hunters have a higher retention rate than youth new hunters, but haven't had programs in place to help them get past the steep learning curve of hunting until recently. The average age of hunters keeps climbing so you will likely see this trend continuing into the future of having fewer hunters.
VikingsGuy
Well-known member
This +1. The fragmented and convoluted nature of licensing and land access really introduces a lot of cost/inefficiency to the system.
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VikingsGuy
Well-known member
Super Cool! Thanks for sharing!
Let's not forget that a lot of boomers, who are/were hunters, are getting to the age where they just don't want to go any more. Especially, as stated above, they can't where/how they did in the past. Just not worth the energy to many to find that new honeyhole.
u1299- I agree, that there are more options/distractions for kids today than when I was a kid. I'm not that old. Heck, I graduated HS in the late '90s. But, with a bit of effort kids can still be introduced to hunting while doing those other things. Hunting and multiple sports (at the travel level) depicted in my 10yo's room. This picture sort of defines him. He's busier than I could have ever imagined at that age, but he seems to be loving it all! He's pretty wicked with a PS4 controller as well.
Yes with a bit of effort kids can still be introduced to hunting, mine were as well, it's just that it now takes more effort and not everyone like you and I take that time and effort, because of that I believe it's just going to be a slow trend downward, unfortunately. Personally though for me it was never an effort to take my kids hunting and fishing, it's what I always looked forward to and a big reason we decided to have them in the first place. Wish everyone else felt the same way we appear to.
BuzzH
Well-known member
Not even close to true. I can assure you, access to permits is a non-issue to why you aren't hunting...FACT.
You're choosing to whine rather than hunt.
Not true. I applied for both Elk and Antelope in your home state of Wyoming and didn't draw either, but I'm certain it won't bother you when you shoot 5 elk, 10 antelope, and 10 deer on Federal land. I also applied for 10 different public hunts in my home state and didn't draw any.
I was fortunate enough to pick up a 4th season Colorado cow elk tag so I do have that to look forward to.
Permits are hard to come by, especially for non-residents, and the number of permits allocated support that. FACT!
jryoung
Well-known member
They're hard to come by if math was hard. There is no reason you can't hunt out of state every year.
smarandr
Well-known member
Yup. I have an antelope, elk, and deer tag in my pocket this year, all of which any non-resident could have picked up. Also only one out of those three is an OTC tag. Then again, they are in Idaho. Not sure anyone really wants to hunt here.
BuzzH
Well-known member
Read JR's reply...not my fault if you cant read a draw stats page. Like I said, if you aren't hunting the West its by choice, not because you cant get tags...and that's the only fact that matters. My problem is not access to tags, but rather not having enough time to hunt them all.
Oh, and get it straight, I only have 2 buck pronghorn tags, 2 cow/calf elk, 1 bull elk tag, and a general buck deer in Wyoming is all. I left another buck deer, 4 doe/fawn pronghorn and at least 4 doe/fawn deer on the table...no sense in getting greedy.
Bought an OTC buck deer tag in Montana and drew my 4th AZ bull elk tag too.
JosephBrown
Member
Yeah but did you apply for the primo spots, or apply for general tags and other tags. If you're only applying for primo of course you won't get to hunt, but that doesn't stop you from being able to hunt. I've only been looking a the western draw system for about a year now, and its not as hard as some people make it out to be. Hopefully I'll be going on some of these hunts next year if I have time
In NY the number one reason ex hunters say they longer hunt anymore is lack of acesss. While no doubt that true in many localities I also think that hunters generally aren't willing to establish the relationships needed for ascceses in many cases. For example. I no longer bowhunt deer in NY to any significant extent, get I own two good size pieces of property. I the last 10 plus years the number of hunters that have asked permission to hunt has been zero.
I also think the Lock up your private land and grow " your " deer BS is a major reason for the perception of a lack of access.
I also think the Lock up your private land and grow " your " deer BS is a major reason for the perception of a lack of access.
Access and Habitat Loss
Land is one of the largest past, current and future threats to Hunters and growth. Though in comparison, the west holds a lot of public land and opportunities to hunt. The access to that land is declining at an astonishing rate over the last few decades (The decline in state lands being a significant factor), forcing Hunters into smaller and smaller regions in which to Hunt. Not only is the public access declining, but the land that is sold is being developed and removing Habitat. This puts a strain and decline on the numbers of animals within a given area that can exist.
The decline in access is moving at a faster rate then the decline in hunters, leaving less opportunities for seclusion in the outdoors (a large motivation for sportsman). The decline in Habitat (private and public) leaves smaller and smaller populations and therefore fewer permits.
Though this is the simplistic answer and other causes play a role in Hunter Decline, public land and habitat loss are at the top.
Land is one of the largest past, current and future threats to Hunters and growth. Though in comparison, the west holds a lot of public land and opportunities to hunt. The access to that land is declining at an astonishing rate over the last few decades (The decline in state lands being a significant factor), forcing Hunters into smaller and smaller regions in which to Hunt. Not only is the public access declining, but the land that is sold is being developed and removing Habitat. This puts a strain and decline on the numbers of animals within a given area that can exist.
The decline in access is moving at a faster rate then the decline in hunters, leaving less opportunities for seclusion in the outdoors (a large motivation for sportsman). The decline in Habitat (private and public) leaves smaller and smaller populations and therefore fewer permits.
Though this is the simplistic answer and other causes play a role in Hunter Decline, public land and habitat loss are at the top.
ChrisS
Active member
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2016
- Messages
- 122
True, I have plenty of access to land to hunt, it's just where I grew up which is an hour or so away from where I live. There are some closer areas I could try to get access to, but honestly, it's not worth my time. It's not so much the urbanization, but suburbanization and fragmentation of properties. Nearer the small city I live next to, over the last 40 years former ag lands and large-ish dairy farms went from 300-600 acres to a pile of 3-5-acre lots with a house in the middle of them. There's a 1600 acre state park that sits in the middle of low-density residential where hunting is forbidden and I did ask for access at a 300-acre property not far from my house that always has a ton of deer filtering from it to the nearby residential areas. I was told that they didn't allow hunting because they didn't want to harm the wildlife. Meanwhile, our village pays $20k a year for USDA sharpshooters to come in an cull deer every January. So, to hell with it. I hunt my friend's property for a few freezer doe and the occasional buck and hunt the Adirondacks with my club in November for the chance at a 4.5 to 5.5 year old that's not nocturnal.
I also lost my turkey spot on a 1,200-acre farm because the son-in-law wanted no other hunters to disturb his cultivated big buck factory.
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