Hunters as endangered species? Good article

[TheGoodLife]

http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0927/p01s02-ussc.html

Hunters as endangered species? A bid to rebuild ranks.

Youth hunt days in several states attempt to attract young people to a fading sport.

This is a very interesting article as to why several states are encouraging youth to get involved in hunting, ie, REVENUES from the sale of hunting licenses.

Several organizations are encouraging this and working with state agencies to promote it.

• The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), a trade association representing the firearms industry, is funding new hunting programs in 25 states, part of its Hunting Heritage Partnership with state wildlife agencies. Fruits of that program, which began in 2003, are being seen this fall in Indiana's first statewide youth hunt and other efforts.

• The National Rifle Association is developing a campaign to begin early next year to open more public land in all 50 states to hunting. It will use model legislation from South Dakota, NRA president Wayne LaPierre says. Easing access is generally aimed at increasing retention rates by keeping hunters more active.

• The National Wild Turkey Federation's new Families Afield program is targeting 33 states that currently make it illegal for youths to go deer hunting before age 12. It also is deploying new youth programs like Xtreme Jakes, which combines elements like rock climbing and mountainbiking with target shooting in triathlon-style events.

Sounds very positive to me.

 

[jacobtowne]

Nice. But at the heart of the problem is this: Our politicians have allowed this country to become dangerously overpopulated. Fifty years ago, when I was a boy, there were about 150 million Americans. The number now is almost twice that. Almost everywhere there are housing developments and malls under construction, and suburbs spreading like wildfire.
Increase development and decrease hunting lands. Increase suburbanite populations and decrease the number of gun owners.
Sad story, but we're heading for the day when hunting will be for the privileged few, as in parts of Europe.
How' s that for pessimism? JT

 

[swampsniper]

When I was a kid you just asked permission, to hunt almost anywhere in the county. Then, "hunters" from Jacksonville started flooding in, leaving gates open and shooting cows, and the posted signs started going up. Landowners started saying "no" to everyone, it is too much trouble to sort people out. Now, the county is becoming a bedroom community for Jacksonville, and land is getting developed a thousand acres at a time. There is no hope here.

 

[Molon Labe]

Our politicians have allowed this country to become dangerously overpopulated.

Damn them! I keep telling my congressman to draft up a Chinese-style "one child law," but he won't listen! Damn them!

 

[Poodleshooter]

Perhaps if public land reserved for hunting wasn't of relatively inferior quality there might be more of the urban hunters who are obviously diminishing. At least where I am, you don't find near the success rates on public land that you do on private land,particularly for deer and upland game. Urban hunters depend on public land if they don't have landowning relatives. I have basically given up on local public land and now hunt private land almost exclusively. Most farms are now reluctant to allow non-relatives on their land due to worry of damage and pressure from family members to keep the land as their own private hunting preserve (my family does this to some degree).
There's also the trend towards hunt clubs in rural areas,which is basically still a game for those who have $1k+ per year or so to spend on hunting. If you're poor and urban or suburban, with no landowning friends or relatives, you are out of the hunting market.

 

[TheGoodLife]

No doubt there are lots of problems, but the increased efforts to encourage more young folks to get involved in hunting is going to increase the interests in guns, gun rights, RKBA, etc.

It will be beneficial, I believe.

jacobtowne said:

Nice. But at the heart of the problem is this: Our politicians have allowed this country to become dangerously overpopulated.

I don't share your concern.

 

[jefnvk]

This is a very interesting article as to why several states are encouraging youth to get involved in hunting, ie, REVENUES from the sale of hunting licenses.

Well, that is a good thing. Where do you think the money for maintaining wildlife and nature comes from? Where does the money for building the wildlife refuges come from? Where does the money come from to manage the deer herd?

Hint: it ain't the envirnomentalist groups. Try the conservationist groups and HUNTERS and fishers.

 

[The Real Hawkeye]

Damn them! I keep telling my congressman to draft up a Chinese-style "one child law," but he won't listen! Damn them!

I believe he was referring to immigration. Without immigration, our population growth would be stagnant, which I don't see as a bad thing.

 

[Atticus]

I think it's partly due to the wussification and brainwashing of our youth. Hunters, along with all gun owners, have been labeled as violent murderers. Now OTH...spending all day on a video game and enjoying the graphic gore of shooting people in the head, while munchng on a happy meal is OK. After all....that gray stuff between the buns was a volunteer...and shooting fake people for entertainment is just plain wholesome.

 

[cuchulainn]

I haven't been out in four years

 

[sumpnz]

As much as I don't like a lot of the hunting situation here in AZ (relatively low deer populations, high demand for tags, and the resultant lottery system) it does have the advantage of being nearly all publicly owned land. That makes it pretty easy for newbie hunters to find a place to hunt if they are able to draw a tag.

 

[454c]

I'm glad they're trying to get the younger folks involved in hunting but as long as the amount of hunting land decreases,so will the number of hunters.

 

[Matthew748]

I think that the cost of hunting has had more of a negative effect on the sport than anything else. Of course, this goes hand in hand with available land. I guess if you have a buddy out in the country that has a lot of open land you can hunt on it eliminates one of the major expenses.

My dad is a life long hunter who has been all over North America hunting everything from pheasant along the Mississippi river to grizzly bear in Alaska. In fact he is heading out to Utah in a few days for an elk hunt. I have some interest in hunting and asked him some questions. I was floored by the costs involved. The conclusion I reached is that I can have a similar experience camping in rural northern Wisconsin on a budget of about $ 25.00 a day, maybe less.

I am not saying that I am right or wrong here, I am just sharing my personal experiences and conclusions with regard to the decline in hunting.

 

[c_yeager]

I think that the cost of hunting has had more of a negative effect on the sport than anything else.

I agree. This reminds me of a local program to get innercity (AKA "at risk") kids into playing golf as a means of keeping them out of trouble. Great idea, but after the program is over how the heck is a kid on food stamps going to buy a set of clubs and pay green fees?

Its definatly good for all of us that kids get some positive experiences with firearms and with hunting, i just hope that the program isnt too short sighted to do any long term good.

 

[cracked butt]

Overpopulation isn't the problem. Drive outside of the metropolitan areas and there is a whole lot of open space in this country.

The cost of hunting is a problem. A few years ago it cost me about $50 to acquire my archery, gun deer,fishing, and small game licenses and stamps, now it costs well over $100. Our governor just hiked the price of hunting licenses even more. I used to be able to afford every license available and do what I wanted, if and when I wanted, now, I only buy licenses as I need them. :banghead:

 

[Texas Moon]

I too have to agree that hunting has become just too expensive.
Where I grew up it was as simple as grabbing your rifle and walking out the back door to go hunt. I was eaten up with it.
Now, with lease fees, purchases of equipment and suplies, gas so expensive, it has just reached the point where it can't be done by folks on a budget.
I gave up hunting over ten years ago.

 

[Mnemesyne]

I used to hunt...I used to really enjoy it....But now after license, tags and gas to drive to somewhere I can get a deer, there's just so much money wasted, I could have stocked the freezer with meat from the store (I much prefer venison)....Ohio's fees have skyrocketed in the past 10 years....It's gotten to the point where it's literally cheaper to buy your meat at the store then go hunt for it

 

[jeff-10]

I don't think its price or available land to hunt that is the main problem. Plenty of open country and game in the US. Price? Compared to most hobbies or vacations it is pretty competitve. Hunting is just competing with too many other activities for the relatively small amount of time the average American has off. Also it doesn't offer the instant gratification that many other activities offer and Americans as everyone knows, love instant gratification.