Don't know about the dove hunting, but at the campground where I cut grass, the owners said they have not a one single reservation for hunting season and only half of what they usually have for the Forksville Bowhunters Festival.
I went out dove hunting a few times and noticed I didn't hear very many shots, when other years there was always lots of shooting.
I think the increase in the price of gas is causing people not to go places and to cut down on driving. I've noticed myself not logging as many hours scouting for the upcoming archery season because of the price of gas. I'd burn up almost a half tank in a round trip to my hunting spot. A few trips and that adds up.
It does seem that people are losing interest in hunting, though.
I've talked to guys at work and many say they are ready to quit hunting. They say it costs so much and they aren't seeing the deer to make it worth the price. Some are talking of taking up other sports or activitys. Instead of using vacation time during hunting season, they want to just do something with the family.
Yeah, I think hunting is on a downhill slide. I've even noticed my interest fading. We all enjoy being outdoors but the main reason I hunt is to get a deer. If I just wanted to enjoy nature, I don't need a hunting llicense to do that. Since the deer population is down, I feel many hunters feel the same way. Why pay all that money just to sit in the woods and not see any deer? Bird watching is free and you don't need to purchase a hunting license to do that.
The same holds true for small game hunting. With so very few pheasants to hunt it hardly makes it worth while. Grouse hunting isn't much better.
I'm glad I live close to New Jersey where they have a pretty good small game program for pheasants and quail.
Windwalker,,i think you hit the nail on the head,,,,Gas prices have slowed alot of people down this year,,,i was down in Outer Banks for a week in aug. and the locals there were complaining of sales down and alot of rentals were cancelled early in the season. i would have made 3-5 trips to pa. by now to scout and do odds & ends to prepare for the upcoming season,,,but this year i will do what i have to do in the afternoon of openin archery season & the next day (sunday),,,Im in Va. and would never miss a deer season in Pa. but this year,, i have really had to put the brakes on when it comes to spending money on hunting,,,like you say,,,my scouting trips here in Va. cost me 1/2 tank round trip and when i come home to Pa. it's a 239 mile trip one way and at 12 mpg it starts to add up fast,,so im just gonna have to make the most of it on openin weekend,,as far as interest in hunting,,my family (who all lives in Pa.) is wound tight about the season getting started,,,with or without deer present we will enjoy the time together.(hopefully with deer present)
Gas has been a big factor for me fishing and scouting.
As for quitting hunting...I feel for the guys not seeing the deer they used to. But ifthey are going to give up hunting because there are not deer all over the place,they never where into it much in the first place. Sounds like they would have bowed out anyway...
I've been hunting for quite a few years in various counties of Pa. I've never had the good fortune of running across a place that had deer all over the place. Through the 70s and 80s, I hunted McKean and Potter quite a bit, and amoung the 9 of us, I can't recall any of us speaking about glassing herds of thirty and forty deer in hopes of finding a spike. I think this is acatch phrasethat the wannabe trophy hunters use as an excuse for the mismanagement.
I think wives play a big part in some guys giving up on hunting.
Gas prices are up and most wives view hunting as a waste anyway.
So whena guy spends all that money in gas, food and all the extras that go with hunting, and comes home empty handed I'm sure they hear it from the wife. When the wife overhears the guys talking of seeing no deer, this just adds fuel to the fire. I believe that's some of the reasonwhy I'm hearing coworkers talking of quiting. They just get tired of hearing the wife bytch about all the money that is being "wasted". So the guy sits down and thinks about what it costs and how many deer he seen. He then agrees with the wife.
Gas may be a factor but the recent decrease in price may help. I know no-one that will not be hunitng this years because of the price of gas.....and we travel 5-6 hrs up to Maine.
Also, I honestly don't hunt with anyone who's wife looks at hunting as a waste.
Some may not agree with their husband's passion, but none think of it as a waste. In fact most support deer hunting and look forward to venison. And no, we (they) don't hear it from the wife.
And.....Coming home empty handed may indeed happen quite a bit. It surely happens in our group and hunting in New England (NH/Maine) doesn't help. But the number of guys who are successful in our group has not decreased over the years.
Complaining because of not seeing deer is something thatishappening less and less. Again, even for NH, which has probably the worse odds for a hunter. Hunters are at least seeing more deer than in past years. There aresimply more deer.
All in all, a lot of factors go into the decline of hunting. I just disagree with the above posts....and it's all based on my personal observation.
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My mom use to complain to my dad about how much it cost to hunt and if you add up the cost she could buy a side of beef.
My old girlfriends, exwife, current wife (LOL), mother-in-law, relative's wives, buddy's wives, women at work, theyall complain. Let's face it there ain't much women don't complain about!
I'm surprised you don't hear it. Must be something in the water around here.
But seriously, gas prices are causing some of the problems today. As well as people having other responsabilitys. Kids involved in sports and after school activitys take up lots of time. Its just that some guys get overwhelmed with everything that is involved in raising a family and hear the wife's constant complaints, then realizing that they aren't seeing the deer they use to that they reach the conclusion that maybe its time to give up hunting.
But actually there are many factors involved but I think most will agree that there is a decline in the interest in hunting.
Hunters?
