AggieHunter
Well-known member
Spent the first 30 minutes after my first deer thinking we might have to bury it since it was illegal to shot a spike, but since I was a youth it was legal we eventually found out.
The REAL (REASONS) hunting is declining
- Thread starter Elk Bugler
- Start date
Pucky Freak
Well-known member
Not bad for 19; I was a complete bumbling moron at that age. Some of y’all are a little harsh.
I started hunting in 1991. I’ve seen changes in hunting trends firsthand.
Overall, I think you over-complicate things. Each successive generation is less connected to the outdoors than the one before. This is reflected by surveys of what percentage of Americans spend time outdoors, and how often. This narrows the pool of persons who have any interest in hunting. For those who do have an interest in getting started, I agree with the previous post that the barriers are basically where to go and what to do. Some people will try it out and not catch the bug. Others will enjoy it, and need dozens or hundreds of mentoring hours to become self-sufficient to the point of being able to plan their own hunts. I think some of us who grew up hunting have a difficult time conceptualizing this learning curve.
I live in IA and if I had nothing to do except hunt public land in this state, I’d never run out of opportunities hunting 365 days per year. Turn off the TV, quit social media, and do what you enjoy. Media influences are only in play if you choose feed your mind with them.
I started hunting in 1991. I’ve seen changes in hunting trends firsthand.
Overall, I think you over-complicate things. Each successive generation is less connected to the outdoors than the one before. This is reflected by surveys of what percentage of Americans spend time outdoors, and how often. This narrows the pool of persons who have any interest in hunting. For those who do have an interest in getting started, I agree with the previous post that the barriers are basically where to go and what to do. Some people will try it out and not catch the bug. Others will enjoy it, and need dozens or hundreds of mentoring hours to become self-sufficient to the point of being able to plan their own hunts. I think some of us who grew up hunting have a difficult time conceptualizing this learning curve.
I live in IA and if I had nothing to do except hunt public land in this state, I’d never run out of opportunities hunting 365 days per year. Turn off the TV, quit social media, and do what you enjoy. Media influences are only in play if you choose feed your mind with them.
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Deleted member 28227
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Appalachia
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Another factor to consider is the fellow “hunter” who shares the public land with you. A few years ago, when I got back into hunting, I had a couple of confrontation with other so-called hunters. I had walked a couple of hundred yards down a trail. To listen for some gobbles. The next thing I knew, two individuals were walking up behind me. In short, both individuals told me that I better not be here in the morning as they are hunting this particular area. Needless to say, I avoided that area. Honestly, since I have gotten back into hunting, I have noticed that many individual lack enthusiasm for new hunters. I almost decided to quit hunting all together because of these instances.
This is what I have noticed, hopefully, you all have had better experiences when reentering the hunting world or just starting out. Eitherway, I still hunt public land
This is what I have noticed, hopefully, you all have had better experiences when reentering the hunting world or just starting out. Eitherway, I still hunt public land
Elk Bugler
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Yeah that reminds me of my first buck I was only able to take him because I was a youth and when we got to the butcher (the first and only deer I haven't processed myself) he said to my family friend who helped me gut the deer "you know you can't shoot spikes" and you could see the look on the butcher's face like "well I've known this dude for 20 years but I gotta call fish and game on him" and he said no that it was my deer lol. That fat little buck was good eating.
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Deleted member 28227
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My first big game animal was a black bear(Idaho) it was/is super blonde and I totally panicked and thought it was a G-bear.
OverlordBear
Well-known member
Anything that long without a story about a dead animal at the end is tough to swallow.
However, you make some valid points. Tough for some to swallow for various reasons, the first of which is that it isn't translating into more attainable tags.
Western Tag Draws Unfazed by Hunting’s National Decline
The U.S. hunting population fell by about 1 million between 2006 and 2016, but the nation’s relentless shedding of baby-boomer hunters the past decade has done nothing to boost the odds of drawing coveted elk or muley tags in Western states. And make no mistake: We aren’t even discussing...www.themeateater.com
he had some short stories at the beginning with dead animals
AggieHunter
Well-known member
My first big game animal was a black bear(Idaho) it was/is super blonde and I totally panicked and thought it was a G-bear.
We were definitely in a panic and our friend who introduced to hunting was seriously considering burying it.
Elk Bugler
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Thanks I agree earlier generations grew up in a less urban country without phones, video games (maybe a Nintendo 64), computers social media etc so outdoor recreation was really all some of them had. On top of that more people live in cities and suburbs than ever and have limited opportunity to engage in outdoor recreation.
Elk Bugler
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Man you're in par with Scotty Kilmer with these memes. Please make a meme about a Toyota Celica.
Elk Bugler
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This is very true I've had similar experiences. Public land ediciate needs to be taught in hunter Ed. I've never had a "this is my land story" but my third turkey season I was set up before light like I should've and then time flies now it's 30 minutes past first light and a big Tom is strutting 100 feet away from my blind and I'm thinking "this is it he's gonna come to my decoys" then there's two idiots come in one of them in blaze orange and both with headlamps on and walk right into the field and the tom bolts. Those idiots ruined my hunt, long sotry short they're calling non stop and ruining hunting in the area for the day so I leave they're waving goodbye to me and they get the middle finger. But I have a nicer story of last turkey season where I was coming back from roosting a tom and in the parking lot another teenage hunter pulled up in his truck and we talked exchanged names and he said he asked where I roosted the tom and I told him and he said he'd go to another field and I told him about my other good spot. We need more of this
AggieHunter
Well-known member
I have had a similar experience pronghorn hunting when two guys stood up and walked straight at a group headed towards me. They learned their lesson about walking towards pronghorn on crowded public landed as they had idiots shotting from all directions over them towards the pronghorn.
This is exactly what I was thinking!
DouglasR
Well-known member
Dude you’re wound tighter than a 3 day clock.
Welcome to the forum, I appreciate your passion.
There’s a lot of great people and a TON of knowledge on here.
@Elk Bugler
Way to put it all out there and express points that others may not realize. I think you have a lot of valid points and stats can be deceiving. That being said the thing I learned going from 20-30 is to speak more from an opinion with examples. There are always exceptions and extenuating circumstances for someone to jump on your point if you present things as fact without backing them up.
a couple thoughts as well that I don’t know where they fall, a lot of young kids are gamers and stuck in their phones but there are also those kids in athletics with crazy 7 day a week scheduled. I didn’t get into hunting till after college because of sports, and those that fit it in between sports may only be able to go out one morning per season. Hard to get hooked when thats all the time you have.
I would also be hesitant to say “boomers” aren’t mentoring.It would be interesting to do a poll of people who mentor new hunters regardless of age. A lot of kids wouldn’t want to go out hunting with someone double or triple their age. Have you invited your friends out? Mentored younger people that just got their hunter safety? Most people will not ask to be mentored, you have to make it accessible for them. Something we can all work on.
Keep it up kid!
Way to put it all out there and express points that others may not realize. I think you have a lot of valid points and stats can be deceiving. That being said the thing I learned going from 20-30 is to speak more from an opinion with examples. There are always exceptions and extenuating circumstances for someone to jump on your point if you present things as fact without backing them up.
a couple thoughts as well that I don’t know where they fall, a lot of young kids are gamers and stuck in their phones but there are also those kids in athletics with crazy 7 day a week scheduled. I didn’t get into hunting till after college because of sports, and those that fit it in between sports may only be able to go out one morning per season. Hard to get hooked when thats all the time you have.
I would also be hesitant to say “boomers” aren’t mentoring.It would be interesting to do a poll of people who mentor new hunters regardless of age. A lot of kids wouldn’t want to go out hunting with someone double or triple their age. Have you invited your friends out? Mentored younger people that just got their hunter safety? Most people will not ask to be mentored, you have to make it accessible for them. Something we can all work on.
Keep it up kid!
Elk Bugler
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I'm not upset at all I just wish people would actually have a discussion on the issue of the decline of hunters maybe have people offer me their point of view retort some points that they disagree with. But this turned into people being offended because I said "ok boomer" response to an older gentleman brining up the you're a teen you know it all cliche. The thing I find really REALLY funny is the older gentleman obviously took it as a joke and didn't even get upset then you have a few dudes trying to be offended on his behalf lol. I'm new to this fourm and thought I'd like it because I've watched the YouTube show for a while now but it seems everyone wants to get offended, make memes, and not talk about the single greatest issue facing hunters which is there aren't that many anymore.
AggieHunter
Well-known member
The sports issue is a very good point. Although I was at the top of my age in track while living in Texas once I arrived in Colorado I said from day one everything is secondary and had to give up sport basically which is really hard for a lot of kids.
HONEYBADGER
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Expense and lack of tags are the two main reasons. Hard to try and get into a new sport when you have to wait years for a tag or risk failure on a 1000 tag and multi-thousand dollar trip, returning home to a wife who asks you why you wasted all that money for nothing.....
Grew up in Colorado and was competing professionally in snowboarding before I graduated high school. I was riding or training 7 days a week from August to May. I loved it but if I had to choose now it would be hunting without a second thought. Hindsight is 20-20 though
Elk Bugler
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I've tried to get my friends hunting and one of my friends has hunted in the past, most younger people in my area don't hunt and it's mostly older people 45+ who do hunt. Like you said most young people are addicted to phones and video games and you couldn't be more right about that fact also this comes back to the cost issue of getting into hunting it's hard to convince a young person to spend $300-500 on an entry level all around gear setup. I think states should have programs to recruit young hunters and have a hunter Ed teachers take new hunters hunting. I saw an article about how Pennsylvania does this and it's having a positive effect on people. A lot of the new hunters recruited weren't people who come from hunting families, I read that a lot of the people being mentored were foodies who wanted to have fresh organic meat and one was a Haitian immigrant who was interested in hunting, we need to recruit people like this to expand our small tent.
