OregonOutdoorDude

I believe the United States is in it's Golden years of most anykind of hunting, although I think we've got quite some years going for us I think that places like Canada are going to be the main places to hunt with the decrees of hunters and increase of anti-hunters and videogame stumped kids that are to lazy to hunt. People eventually won't be into the sport and overrun cougars, coyotes and wolves will greatly tamper the populations. But as I said we have A LONG time left to hunt and we will probably all be long dead before this happens.... I HOPE!

Great article and I wish more were like it! Thanks!!!

SwampCollie

I've got a few theories about that too.

First off, I totally agree that bowhunting is as popular now as it has ever been. And its snowballing. The reason behind that ties directly back into the "golden age" of deer hunting. I'm 25 now, and I can barely remember a time when the limit was one deer per hunter per season (I think that changed when I was like 6 here in VA). Point here is that most of my generation (and I'm techically not a Gen-X'er as the cut-off was 1982) has never hunted in a time when deer were not fairly rampant and ripe for the taking. By the time I graduated high school I had already started losing count of how many deer I had killed (and this was before I really knew what I was doing, and even that is still debateable).

Because of the abundance of game, most of my peers have simply grown tired to shooting deer at 25 yards over corn piles with 7mm Mags. Simple solution... how about a bow? Its just a natural progression (stages of the hunter... we all remember that topic).

As to the reason behind outfitting and outfitters... the baby boomers are getting old remember? You think a 60 year old man... recently retired with a cool million saved up wants to go fight the hoard on public land in Western PA on opening day? Hells no. Welcome to the era of the big shot outfitter.... folks who hoard up/lease land and then resell or sublet it to out of staters for often a 200% mark-up (example... Pike Co., Ill.) If you live in Pike County, you'd be a damn fool not to let some rich hick from the south pay you $25,000 for two weeks to hunt your families 500 acres. You can go to Africa (twice) for that and still pay the mortgage and buy your buddies a few rounds at the watering hole. It all ties together... the more the toys and gadgets, the more folks want to use them... the folks using them, the more hunter vs hunter encounters and now everybody wants their own piece of dirt to hunt. The industry gets flooded by folks looking to make a buck off the fairly well off generation that grew up on 1/2 acre with a dog, 2.2 kids,two cars and a SUV, Nintendo, Karate, Cub-Scoutsand T-Ball. Where else are you going to hunt? GMMAT has stands tied to all the light posts and flag poles.... but I bet he'd sublet one to you for a couple grand .

There again, TOTAL hunting numbers are on the decline. You hear about all the "new" hunters because they are the ones on the internet... they are the techo generation. But you don't ever hardly hear any of our more senior members (because even our senior members ain't hardly senior) just up and say... well thats it for me y'all have fun this fall I'm out. The new guys are in here asking 1000 annoying questions about rage broadheads and stand placement and mature deer and shyte like that. Hell its impossible not to notice them. The videos on youtube of gut shot basket racks and piss poor shooting form and unloading a couple of magazines of .22 bullets at a puddle of water..... but there is no evidence short of license sales figures that represents the silent old timers who decide to sit and have coffee in the club house playing checkers andtelling lieswhile the rest of the bunch puts on the morning drive. And thats why I think it seems that hunter numbers are going up... when in reality they are going down.

M.R. Bucks

M.R. Bucks

You said every thing that I have been thinking. Why keep score lets just eat it

in da woods

I agree w/D&D being a very good magazine. I buy that come fall. As for the decline of deer, I believe that depends on where u live. Land is being gobbled up my developers w/no regard to nature. Yes I believe that introduction of the wolves has had an effect on deer for where they exist. Here in Wi. there are tracts of land where wolf packs exist & many people have noted a decline in the deer. Also, is the inaccessability to the average working Joe on private land being turned over to people w/big money. I think if any thing, we are being bought out by the Gen Xers' that have money & are willing to pay inflated prices to get the deer they want. I know of a guy that's hunting 80 acres for $1400 for bow only hunts. I certainly can't afford that, let alone of going in half for the that opportunity. I think the golden age has come & gone. Try to go out & ask to hunt on private land, see the answer you get. A friend of mine sent out 25 letters to land owners looking for the chance to hunt on their land. 3 replies, & all those were no. What happened to the days of being able to work for the rights tohunt of private parcels. Far & few between. Can't blame the land owners, easy money.
The DNR here says there's tons of deer in Wi. & need to be cultivated. I don't see nearly the deer that I did 15 yrs ago. So that is another influence on the deer population. If

mobow

Swamp, I'll say this for ya....You're one squared away 25 year old. Respect bro, respect.

I agree, but will add a few things. First, I don't think it's the recently retired with cool millions saved up that are buying all the guided hunts. I think the vast majority of them have land of their own already, and don't need to fight the hordes. Hell, they saw it coming and planned appropriately. That's one thing us younger folk don't do, plan. The more I talk to my grandparents, and the more I talk to the older guys at the shop, the more I realize this. Those guys had the foresight, and bought their land years ago. So now that they are retired.......easy street. And more power to them!

Also, I agree with this being the "techo" crowd. I agree whole heartedly that those of us around here have a skewed outlook, just due to the exposure. But I get a first hand look at the "general public" by working in a pro shop. While I will readily admit I don't know what the numbers of new hunters each year are, I assure you, around my area anyway, that BOW hunting is on a HUGE increase. Shoot, look at an archery catalog today, and one from 10 years ago. There are..oh hell, I don't know.....100 different rests to choose from now, and at least that many sights. Why is that? Because (bow)hunters are decreasing? I hardly think so. And these companies are surviving because of sheer numbers. Look at thearchery aisle in a Bass Pro or Cabelas...it's absolutely staggering.

And, IMO, the reason bow hunting is on such a rapid incline is due to the deer population. Folks just don't need to wait for weeks on end anymore to have an opportunity at a deer. Antlerless tags are in unlimited supply. Hell, I remember, and not all that long ago, when I had to APPLY for a doe tag, won via lottery. If you held a doe tag in my county, you were high man on the totem pole. Let's face it, today's younger crowd just isn't into working hard for anything (and yes, there are obviously exceptions to that) and while bowhunting certainly isn't easy........Seeing deer, having a reasonable opportunity at killing one, and staying entertained and interested just aren't that difficult anymore. Due to....staggering deer numbers.

How long can it last? Historically, us humans have found miraculous ways of screwing things up, and it's usually in the pursuit of the mighty dollar.

SwampCollie

AMEN! You got that right brother! Every single mentor, advisor proffessor etc etc I have spoken with has almost always given me and my peers etc one piece of advice that keeps resurfacing.... retirement... start saving now.. Roth IRAs, 401Ks.... hell basic savings accounts..... USE THEM!

As to the rich folks buying the guided hunts.... I agree with you there. But of course, being a millionaire doesn't mean you necessarily have a million in cash.... just a million in assets; investments, real property even perhaps. But as you mentioned... its a lack of planning and prep that leads to the 1/2 acre folks booking hunts. Lets face it, if you are not a farmer.... lets say you are a banker... short of finding a natural mineral deposit on your land, its easier to make big money living in a modest home on a small tract than it is to have 500 acres.... because time is money.



Yep. My parents are the same way. Paid a 30 year mortgage off in 11 years. Never made a car payment. Some of it stuck on me, the rest of it is just starting to stick. Sometimes I learn things the hard way, and sometimes I learn it the hard way twice.

Right there with you. Been working in the pro shop since 2005 full time. Couldn't agree more!

HuntinGUS

In a nutshell that is the problem right there IMO. The mentality of most yonger folks is....."I want it all.....and I want it NOW! Instant gratification!

Instant Gratification is something that should NOT be obtained throught Hunting, but asthis thingprogresses it's really what it is boiling down to.

Paid for "guaranteed" hunts.
Fenced operations.
Antler manipulation.
Easier to use equiptment.


Hell a few years a go, there was a guy offering the ability to kill a deer over the internet...and guess what.....people were doing it![&:].