RE: How sad hunting is becoming...
What makes hunting sad is the lack of interest in the sport. License sales are down. In NYS the average age of a deer hunter is 46yrs old, least thats what the DEC said at the last public meeting I attended. Modern times have changed the interests. Kids spend too much time sitting on the couch playing their X-Boxes, and alot of after school activities. Our youth are not getting as involved.
I believe another reason is the lack of deer. When I first got into hunting it was nothing to see 20-30 deer in the woods. Groups of 6-8 deer at a time. Now seeing a group of 3-4 is alot. Hunters want to see alot of deeror big bucks in the woods, and spend as few hrs as possible to do it. The price of licenses, and equipment needed can put a heck of a dent in ones pocket, and with this economy thats tough. In my family we had to purchase 4 super sportsman licenses. Mine, the wifes, and 2 boys. That was about $275!!
Land access could also be another. But NYS has alot of public land that can be utilized. I hunt alot of public land myself, and have noticed a decrease in hunters on opening day of gun season in the past 3yrs in the area I hunt.But I don't know how other states compare for access.
But right now I think the most important thing is to keep the interest in hunting amongst our youth. If we don't it'll be a dieing sport.