Small Game Hunter Number Down in Ohio & Other Interesting Tidbits

[308win]

I have lived in Ohio since 1982 and have never seen a quail; it has been at least 10 years since I have seen a pheasant; but, the few times I have been grouse hunting we have always found birds. Turkeys on the other hand are everywhere as are deer - too many deer from many's perspective. Coyotes still seem to be in pockets - numerous in some areas, scarce or transient in others.

Hunters nowadays take aim at the bigger prizes



By Dave Golowenski
FOR THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH




Ever wonder what happened to the smallgame hunter? Evidently, he has concentrated on being a big-game hunter.
Citing data gathered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Outdoor Life in its March issue noted that in 1975 about 14 million hunters chased small game in the United States. By 2006, the number had tumbled to about 4.8 million, or to about one-third of the peak.
Small game includes, among others, ringnecked pheasants, ruffed grouse, bobwhite quail, rabbits, mourning doves and squirrels.
The number of big-game hunters, however, has remained fairly flat. In 1975 and 1980, about 11 million hunters chased big game, which encompasses deer, elk, bear, moose and wild turkey. The number peaked at about 12.5 million in 1985 and stood at about 10.7 million in 2006.
Ohio hunting habits seem to reflect the national trend. Grouse, pheasant and quail numbers have declined precipitously in the state, and so have the number of hunters who pursue them. Hunting for wild turkey and deer, both of which have increased in abundance during the period, has become the driver of license and permit sales.
The wildlife service survey does indeed suggest that opportunity drives interest. In North Dakota and South Dakota, where pheasants have made a remarkable comeback, the number of small-game hunters has increased.
Other tidbits culled from the recent pages of outdoors publications:
l The expansion of coyotes eastward might or might not be cause for concern, suggests the March issue of Outside.
Worrisome is the fact that a segment of the eastern coyote population, unlike the western animal, has interbred with wolves. Compared with their western relatives, such hybrid coyotes tend to be larger in size and have bigger jaws. In addition, the hybridized coyotes are inclined to travel in packs, unlike their pure western cousins.
Attacks on humans have increased in recent years as both people and coyotes get more numerous. Only two fatalities caused by coyotes have been recorded in North America, the most recent in October, and the number of coyote attacks between 1960 and 2007 totaled 142. During that period, domestic dog bites totaled 4.5 million. In 2007 alone, 33 people were killed by dogs

 

[matrem]

I was born in Ohio in 1962, and haven't left for more than a couple of weeks at a time.
Before the winter of 77-78, Bobwhite seemed to be as common as Canada geese are now. Until the late 80s, gray fox were at least as common as coyotes are now.In the hundreds of hours I spent walking the "wilds" in the 70s & 80s, I never laid eyes on a wild turkey.
I spent the better part of each deer gun week (in the 70s) hunting deer with my dad & uncles and felt fortunate if one of us saw a mature buck.
Most of the ringnecks I see any more, happen to be during breeding season and that's probably because I live fairly close to a decent sized public hunting area where they stock them regularly.
Cottontails & squirrels seem to be holding their own, but other than that,
Times sure are changing.. I guess I'm gonna hunt what "needs " hunted.

 

[CajunBass]

Back when I was a kid, here in Virginia, in the 50's and 60's there were a lot of rabbit and quail hunters especially and most everyone hunted squirrels at least from time to time, although that was reserved mostly for us kids.

A Wild Turkey was something I read about in my grandfathers "Outdoor Life" and "Field & Stream" magazines. I certainly had never seen one. People did hunt deer, but there were nowhere near as many as today.

Cleaner farming practices contributed to the decline of rabbits and quail. Farmers used to leave hedgerows between fields, and let fields stand fallow over the winter, and even from year to year. Today the tomato field that might have stayed "grown up" over the winter, might get plowed and planted in winter wheat or rye. Farming is a full time, 365 day a year operation.

 

[ArmedBear]

Cleaner farming practices contributed to the decline of rabbits and quail.

Out here, pheasants declined precipitously. Idaho used to be a pheasant paradise.

From what I understand, South Dakota farmers typically have so much land that they don't bother to farm little canyons or draws. As a result, the pheasant population is doing very well. Typically, these animals thrive when there's cover adjacent to unlimited amounts of food, e.g. brushy canals next to fields.

 

[kmrcstintn]

a few things to consider when looking at those numbers...

1) decline in the amount of game animals since there has been a decline in open, untouched land due to human development and urban/suburban sprawl

2) decline in amount of 'public access' to open, untouched ground as more and more floks purchase and fence off land; if hunters cannot simply walk into an open area, there will be fewer opportunities for successful harvests, hence less hunters willing to partake

 

[308win]

Farmers used to leave hedgerows between fields, and let fields stand fallow

In central Illinois there were a lot of hedge rows (mostly Osage Orange) that were planted in the 1920's to combat wind erosion. Waterways were in either native grasses or planted in clover, alfalfa, etc. Most grain farmers had a few head of livestock so they had some ground in hay. Pheasant were everywhere. I have never been pheasant hunting in S. D., Iowa, Kansas, etc. but central Illinois had really good pheasant hunting. Then the farming practices changed and now there aren't many pheasant - not like in the 50's & 60's. When dad and I used to hunt quail we knew every covey in two or three square miles and we didn't over shoot them so we always had quail to hunt. But there was also a lot of cover such as hay fields, lespedeza (sp?), etc. A lot of open woodlots that cattle ran in and the undergrowth was kept down; lots of cover, nesting areas, plenty of quail to hunt if you managed them right. Not so much anymore if you can even find a place to hunt. When I was a kid I had an area 3-4 miles on a side that I could hunt anywhere anytime as long as I was respectful of the land owner, his stock, fences, etc.; now I doubt I could find a place to hunt or even would know many land owners if I went back to the home place.

Things change; at least I have the memories.

 

[CajunBass]

now I doubt I could find a place to hunt or even would know many land owners if I went back to the home place.

That's something else, that I guess is a result of "times changing" as you said. Back when I was a kid, everybody knew me. I was "Richard's boy." That would get the gate opened. My dad didn't hunt, but he was well known in the community. Being "Richard's boy" was good enough.

Another reason for the decline of small game HUNTERS may simply be, there is more big game to hunt. Deer and turkey's are plentiful, and glamorous. When a hunter spends the money to join a hunt club (and most hunting on private land here is by club) he's not going to spend his time looking for rabbits or quail, at least not until after deer/turkey season is over. By the time those seasons are over, hunters are tired, the weather has turned cold/wet/snowy in January/February. Suddenly staying home might look more attractive.

 

[justice4all]

When I lived in CO, I used to hunt rabbits about every other weekend or so all season long, from around Oct. to Feb. The daily limit was ten rabbits, and I always came close to that number by hunting from sun up to about 10:30 AM. This went on for about four years, before I moved. Easy, fun hunting that resulted in a lot of meat.

I never saw a single other hunter going after the bunnies, even though hunting remains huge in CO. I never figured out why not.

 

[SkylandsRover]

Here in New Jersey, loss of habitat due to suburban sprawl is the biggest threat to game birds. As the years go by, more and more Mcmansions and housing developments are further encroaching on what little rural land we have left in this state. Just one of the reasons im looking to get out of NJ.

According to the old timers, grouse used to be abundant in the rural northwest corner of the state, but now they are as rare as hen's teeth. Nowadays the only quail and pheasant in the state are the ones stocked by the Game Commission on public land.