Hunters' Numbers

[Art Eatman]

Folks have commented on the data about the overall number of hunters declining, and in another thread there is the opinion that the high cost of hunting is a factor.

I don't doubt that cost is part of the problem, but I'd bet that demographics and land use are far more important.

Demographics: The percentage of our work force that actually lives on the land has been in steady decline for over a century. It was around 50% in 1900. Today, it's down around two percent. But the reduction in numbers of farming/ranching rurals and the increase of city-dwelling or city-oriented rural dwellers means that the actual demand for hunting has remained but is now among a more "citified" group. For many city people, hunting as an interest is competing with the such diverse attractions as the Internet and various entertainment aspects of city life. Given the hassles with dealing with game animals after they're shot, many are happy with "eco-tourism" or "photo safaris", etc.

Land use: All over the U.S., large tracts are being broken up for "five acres, five miles from town" residential development. Further, many large ranches, via inheritance, are separated into smaller ranches. Some of those smaller pieces are sold for ranchette development. Some of the unsold tracts don't all hunting. All this reduces the total available acreage.

I think what we're seeing is that a lot of people want to hunt, but they don't already have any sort of social acquaintance or work-related acquaintance with rural landowners. Landowners aren't as easy-going about the money issue as in the past, given their own higher costs. And, as has been mentioned here, slobbitis affects their viewpoints about unknown or not-well-known people on their land.

For a given number of would-be hunters, with a decline in available hunting lands, then, Economics 101 comes into play. The cost of fun goes up. As costs rise, some are forced out and don't buy licenses. As free lands become more crowded, fewer care to bother with buying a license.

I'm not madly in love with any particular one of the ideas above. I'm just trying to tie together some stuff I've seen in various sources over these last decades about why we're where we are in this whole deal about hunting...

Art

 

[learningman]

Where I was living in Montana alot of the "old hunting grounds" have been leased out to outfitters and you have to pay to hunt. So everyone who couldn't pay then has to focus on public lands. Over the last ten years the public lands have turned into pumkin patches with all the hunters. I can undrestand why some landowners take on outfitters. The money they recieve helps pay their property taxes or other bills. I'm not anti-outfitter but they have acquired alot of good hunting ground that I used to go and ask to hunt on. Economics 101 hits evryone, the hunter, the outfitter, and the land owner. I'm still an avid hunter but I have seen how the price of hunting has affected some of my choices. Having my wife out of graduate school and working now has helped ease some of those problems. I used to go out every weekend, now maybe two I time and other varibles work into my favor. I beleive that I will always manage to hunting long into my future though.

 

[MCgunner]

It's definitely more'n one cause, more complicated than just "it costs more".

 

[phantomak47]

Everyone that I have come into contact with in the Houston area in the last 3 years that I have been here ,have either lost their lease and had to find another or stopped hunting all together because of price.


Personally I would have tried to have found a lease in my area if I wasn't building a house, but from everything I found, I cant play for under $1500 for a lease.

 

[BridgeWalker]

Public lands are decreasing too, and the number of people hunting public lands (as opposed to farmland or similar) is increasing as more and more land becomes suburbanized.

Frankly, I'm a little nervous about safety issues. I have heard stories from reliable sources about over-aggressive hunters being threatening to other hunters. I have to admit being a little little nervous about venturing out into public land to hunt.

Also, even more than shooting in general, hunting is hard to learn if you don't have friends/relative who do it. The more people who stop doing it, the fewer people who can easily start doing. I was raised in a non-hunting culture (Orthodox Jewish), and now I want to hunt, but every step of the way I'm just lost.

I'm doing lots of other neat things right now and hunting is on the back-burner, but that is partly because the obstacles are just huge if you aren't coming from within a hunting culture.

 

[eliphalet]

I agree with most of what's been said but believe it is more than availibliity in todays world, although somewhere to hunt or even shoot does play a large part. It is how hunters and hunting is perceived, what the kids see, hear and learn as they grow up. Hunters are not looked upon very highly in much of today's world.

 

[Nathanael_Greene]

I was a little interested in this topic myself, because I didn't get involved in hunting until my 30's, and didn't start big-game hunting until my mid-40's.

I've read and heard a lot about "hunting becoming a rich man's sport", but I tend to be skeptical of anecdotal stories. Clearly, it's expensive, but what sport or hobby isn't?

I found this study on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department website, which studied whitetail, muledeer, and javelina hunting statistics for 30 years. I was surprised to see that the number of whitetail hunters has stayed pretty steady for the last 20 years, at over 500,000. That's a lot of rich people.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_rp_w7000_0718b.pdf

This being said, there's a clear national trend that hunting is declining as a sport. Political-correctness, bunny-hugging, a general distancing from nature (which has been going on for centuries in this country), nonexistent attention spans, and many other factors contribute.

 

[M_Olson]

i really enjoy hunting, but i rarely go. the last time was prolly 4 years ago when i went deer hunting for the first and only time. my dad knows a guy who has some land down south, but he only takes 3 people, and the 3 slots are usually full (im B squad lol). the biggest problems for me are both a lack of good hunting land, and a lack of money. there are about 3 WMAs within 20 min or so from my house, and i even live right across the road from a pheasant game farm. but really the only thing the WMAs are good for is deer and waterfowl. theres only one weekend a year for firearm deer hunting around here, and i dont have a bow/the money to buy one for bow season (not to mention i would have no idea what i am doing). as far as waterfowl, i dont have a boat or anything either, which makes that pretty difficult as well. the lack of hunting land is really the biggest problem, and i would have no idea where to even start to find good land to use. for instance, pheasant opener is tomorrow, and i would love to go, as ive never been before, but i have nowhere to go and dont know where to look.

 

[zinj]

It's just the classic problem; they aren't making anymore land, but they sure are making more people!

 

[Skoghund]

I was reading an article in a hunting magazine that quoted a American professor working at a Swedish university. His studies show that the reduced numbers of hunters is world wide. Numbers are down in Europe as well as America. Here in Sweden the numbers of hunters are down from 300000 to 240000 in 10 years. Unfortunatley I gave away the magazine so i can't quote the hole article.

 

[ZeroJunk]

It will be interesting in the next decade or so.In my area much of what used to be farmland is residential development.On the other hand,when I was a kid ,there were no deer in this area.Now,it is common to see groups of 15 or 20.They are becoming a real problem for crop damage.There is no limit on doe this year.I am curious to see what the population limiting factor is going to be.Probably disease.There is certainly not enough hunters to control the growth.Coyotes have come in to the area,don't know how much effect they will have.

It's hard to recruit the hunters necessary to maintain a balance when so many who have no clue about the reality of ecology are promoting so much anti hunting publicity.

 

[308win]

I believe it is a combination of:

Inclination - Hunting doesn't have the allure that it used to because people have more options for spending their spare time and hunting is a time intensive sport.

Opportunity - For many, public hunting areas are the option and we all have our horror stories about the people you run into on public land.

Culture - It is a self fulfilling prophesy - fewer hunters equal fewer new hunters

Economics - Hunting is an expensive sport even if you don't have to pay for the privilege

Peer/public pressure - What!? You mean you are going to kill a beautiful creature of God?

 

[countertop]

Access to land is the key.

Frankly, I'm a little nervous about safety issues. I have heard stories from reliable sources about over-aggressive hunters being threatening to other hunters. I have to admit being a little little nervous about venturing out into public land to hunt.

Don't know about the overaggressive hunting thing, but I about killed someone Saturday morning. They had set up a blind (well, not really, they were just on a little island sitting in lawn chairs out in the open) on the Potomac River about 50 yards downstream from us. We were shining lights on them in the early morning hours, to no avail. Once morning came, in addition to scaring the few ducks we saw (its still too warm, lots of resident geese, few ducks) when they went and took shots at the few ducks who did fly by but were high and way out of their range, I was treated to the pleasure of raining balls of steel shot falling all around me and my blind.

And thats just emblematic of all the problems public land hunters face. Safety and over use is a serious serious problem, especially here in the DC suburbs. Areas that only 5 years ago where more than welcoming of hunters have been purchased as hobby farms and turned into private game preserves for either rich internet bajillionaires who like to hunt, or more often, by rich budhhist internet bajillionaires who think we need to worship and commune with our cervid friends.

The cost of hunting generally isn't too outrageous, it only becomes so when you factor in how little you can actually get out and enjoy it. As I detailed here, it'll cost me $70 to hunt in Virginia this year. For someone in my income bracket, that not much. Basically the equivalent to a round of golf or a day and a half skiing. However, I have no guarantee that I will get anything in one day out in the field, and to have an enjoyable experience, you really need to be able to get out at least 6 or 7 times a year.

Which is fine if you've got some place accessible. But in Northern Virginia we don't. I would need to travel at least an hour to find the closest over hunted public land available (I don't do archery) and close to 2 hours to find land that isn't dangerous to be on. Forget private land, as a friend at the state Farm Bureau told me the other day in Northern Virginia all the private land is locked up in long term exclusive leases with hunting clubs. Membership in these clubs runs in the thousands of dollars and isn't routinely available.

So, I ended up dropping over $160 on an out of state licenses. Yes, I will be hunting Maryland this year. It costs twice as much, but I can actually hunt on the Potomac River for ducks (something my Virginia license doesn't allow) and I have some great public hunting opportunities within 30 minutes of my house for deer and plenty of private land with landowners who actually still farm it (as opposed to turning it into a hobby vineyard) who welcomed my request to hunt their land.

Imagine that . . . Maryland is more hunter friendly than Virginia. If I hadn't made that discovery, I'd probably have more or less given up hunting (my job gets me to the midwest often and I do lots of pheasant hunting there) because of the land access issues.

 

[Art Eatman]

Still and all, I can't help but be amused by some guy who spends $8K on an ATV, several hundred dollars on a tower-stand deer blind, more hundreds of dollars on other gear--and then gripes about $2,000 for the lease. He's wound up with five years' worth of lease money tied up in stuff he doesn't need for hunting...

Art

 

[Charles S]

Art, great thread and a topic that interest me.

I for one don't agree that cost is the primary factor driving hunters from hunting. Cost is a problem, but is also a justification in a lot of cases. Most of us can afford to do what we really want to do. Relatively IMHO hunting is fairly inexpensive around here. When compared to what I see people spend on a bass boat and the continual cost of fishing tournaments then hunting is really pretty cheap. Again compared to what I see people spend on golf clubs, memberships, and green fees hunting comes out looking pretty good.

I do think access a problem, but it is not the main problem. I have a lot of public land available to me (albeit rather crowded in gun season).

I think the main problem is the lack of mentors educating our youth on the virtues of hunting, and showing them what fun can be had in the process. In an MTV society we all expect instant gratification, and with few exceptions hunting does not provide that.

We all know the virtues of hunting, and the benefits of being a hunter. There are times and memories I have of hunting that I would not trade for anything. There are friends I have made around a campfire that will be my companions for life, and I look year around to the couple of camping trips we will have.

BTW I took my daughter (9) squirrel hunting this last weekend. We killed one, then she got tired. She did great and we had fun!

 

[okiewita40]

The biggest obstical hunting around my lil part of the world is finding land to hunt on. Growing up in kansas you could pretty much walk up to a farmer and talk with him to get permission to hunt. Not that way in this part of Oklahoma. Seems nobody want to allow someone else on thier land for any reason. Also some of the rule's on the public lands are a tad bit hard to follow. Not to mention the drive to get there. Used to be I could walk to where i was going to go hunting now it is an hours drive at the least.

 

[MCgunner]

Not that way in this part of Oklahoma. Seems nobody want to allow someone else on thier land for any reason.

In a world where people win million dollar lawsuits for spilling hot coffee on themselves in a restaurant, can you really blame 'em?

Also some of the rule's on the public lands are a tad bit hard to follow. Not to mention the drive to get there. Used to be I could walk to where i was going to go hunting now it is an hours drive at the least.

Only an hour???? Wow, I've been know to drive 16 hours to go on hunting trips. I've been known to drive 24 hours just to race a motorcycle. All in what you value as a hobby, I guess. Yeah, I am happy being 30 minutes from my property. I can't walk it, but what the heck is 30 minutes in the scheme of things? Heck, for a while I was driving 83 miles to get to work and, lord knows, I'd rather be going hunting than to work. LOL!

 

[Selfdfenz]

Looking at three generations, of which I am the middle generation:
The one older than me had a high % of hunters, say 85%
My generation, perhaps half that and time over target is way less
My son's generation, half again

IMO there may be more animals to hunt but land use has been pitch poled in this area. Access is a glimmer of what it was and shrinking. Even if you are willing to pay for a lease, they aren't available. Old school ag practices that generated edge and opportunity in the past have been replaced with shrubbery. Those guys aren't open to letting hunters on their land, leased or owned. Every time you turn around a new 15 to 100 house development is soaking up land that used to be corn fields or hardwoods.

Based on some of their policies it seems sometime the decision makers in wildlife managment have a love/hate relationship with the hunters who pay their salaries. Sometimes it's da-n hard to see what they are doing to actually /promote/save the sport other than PR and slick publications. The public hunting lands are here, and wide open,.....kelvar required.

As dismal as all that sounds an indicator that my optimistic heart beats true is my son's lifetime license should arrive any day.

S-

 

[Titan6]

Not much to add here:

- Access
- Diminishing land resources.... leading to overcrowding and high priced access
- Lack of ''passing it on'' to the next generation
- Shrinking rural population
- Political incorrectness (not so sure about this one... both dems and repubs are willing to lie and say they are hunters... must not be 'that' incorrect)

These ideas have been around for a while. A few years ago I recognized this for what it was. I bought land I should be able to hunt on for the rest if my life and the life of my kids. But I have more than one child. When they inherit- will they sell?

I already have introduced the older one to hunting and once the younger is old enough (safe enough) to hunt and he really wants to learn as well.

I allow others who are respectful to hunt and shoot on my land. I don't have eough for everyone but I have enough to share. If more people ould commit themselves than this would not be such a problem.

 

[MarinePride]

Access to quality hunting land is a big issue for a lot of people. By quality, I mean a place where you are going to get a shot in a relatively short amount of time on stand. By and large, hunting is a waiting game and is boring at some point . There are too many alternatives for recreation out there that are perceived as more exciting. Lately, I've lost my passion for hunting because I get bored quickly when I'm not seeing deer I can shoot. But that's me and I feel that I'm not alone in this experience.

In 20 years I believe that hunting will be relegated to people who can afford to drop the big money to hunt with outfitters and such. The others who still do it will hunt their own land. I could be wrong, but one thing for sure is that the number of hunters in the US is declining at about 1% per year.

 

[one-shot-one]

$0.02

price (the too expensive excuse) has to include more than just the price of the lease, gas prices and the need to visit many times before and after the season for stand/feeder/camp repair with many of the better places more than an hours drive away all pushes the "cost" up.
i also found that there were fewer and fewer folks on the leases that i wanted to socalize with. more slob or careless hunters, either on the lease or brought as guests, more folks wanting to stay drunk all week or weekend than hunt.
lets just say if your on a lease and the above does not apply to you feel blessed!

 

[birddog]

I was working on a (failed) book collaboration with a well known writer and he said "I think in our lifetimes, or shortly thereafter, you'll see the end of hunting". First I thought he was incredibly cynical for someone who's made his living writing about hunting. Then I thought "oh, he's just being melodramatic". But then, after a few years to reflect on it, I'm beginning to see his point. I can't tell you how many of my hunting grounds have turned into housing developements. I can't tell you how many of my friends have children who, though they have been exposed to hunting, will never hunt. I can't tell you how often I see my own children being influenced by a culture where hunting is no longer easily accepted. All these things sadden me deeply. Nowhere else will a child (or an adult) learn the reverence for life, the sometimes harsh lessons of the cycles and seasons of life and death, and the appreciation for a true natural world that you can TOUCH, not something to be experience merely via the Discovery Channel. Even the meaning of life and the understanding of the sanctity of death are to be found in the woods. These are things of which our culture is sadly lacking in knowledge, though they're right there, easily accesible beyond the concrete and pavement, for our enlightenment. My own outlook has become bleak, as much as I love to hunt and will spend every free day and hour this fall doing so. Everything is stacking up against the future of hunting. And it's to the detriment of our children that this ancient knowledge is slipping away.

 

[harbinger_j]

My thoughts

As a first time hunter who lives in an urban area in NJ I think demographics, laws and social attitudes are huge factors bigger than cost.

The challenge for me is scouting area to hunt and find new places is difficult. To drive an hour after work to look at a hunting spot is a pain. I can only scout once a week at most. I hunted on private land which required signing a liability waiver and half of the lake is in a town that has a "No firearms discharge" ordinance. Peoples attitudes are different now, people don't understand why I would want to hunt. Even if they have no problems with guns, killing and meat-eating, with so much entertainment and activities marketed and pushed on people something that takes so much effort and work and time and money (oh and the gross parts) why bother? Half my friends and family think I am crazy and I am not even talking about the vegetarians.

Last I totally agree that it is HARD to learn how to hunt! Even though I hunt with a friend who has been hunting, he only knows so much and isn't available 24/7.

 

[ZeroJunk]

Little can be done about urban sprawl.But the anti hunting sentiment will possibly change as the deer population explodes in the eastern U.S.When enough people have their cars destroyed or are injured in a wreck caused by a deer,or when enough home owners have their expensive landscaping ruined,deer may not remain so cute.

 

[308win]

No, the armchair conservationists will come up with all kinds of hair-brained delivery systems to get birth control drugs into the does. Everything from impregnated salt blocks to hiring 'sharpshooters' to dart them. You are undoubtedly laughing at the moron who posted this but those are only a couple of the schemes proposed and tested to control deer populations in Columbus Ohio area suburbs and parks.