Valentine

Of course. A lot of the hunting population is getting older. Many in the large"Baby Boom" population is over 65 and 60 years of age. Few of the under 35 age group is hunting in comparison. As the baby boom aged the replacements never came up.

flags

Not quite. The number of younger women that are getting involved in hunting has grown pretty substantially lately. Additionally the actual demographics don't really support the claim you make, with one exception and that is the NorthEast. The rest the nation really hasn't seen much of a shift over the last decade plus.

Here is the data:
http://nssf.org/PDF/HuntingLicTrends-NatlRpt.pdf

Now, I do have to ask why you're such a downer? Lots of negativity springing forth from you. Why is that?

kidoggy

even if what valentine says is true, so what?

sure long term it will suck for wildlife and hunting enthusiasts.but again if the youngsters don't like to hunt, so what??we won't be around to see it. frankly if they choose not to hunt , that's on them ,not me.

for now while I am still alive to hunt, less competition makes better hunting
opportunities for me now!
I know some will call that a narrow minded view and perhaps they are right. but keep in mind ,I am not telling the youngsters not to hunt. I am just saying it is their choice ,how they wish to shape the world they are gonna live in.frankly if the wild game is all extinct a hundred years from now ,I seriously doubt I will roll over in my coffin worrying about it.

Oldtimr

In my state less people are going to camp because we now have good populations of deer all over the state, not just in certain counties so they stay home and hunt.

Champlain Islander

I think what Valentine is saying is certainly true here in Vermont. Less and less youth are coming aboard in spite of programs like youth hunting days etc. In the old days it was a hunting heritage thing whereby all the kids followed their parents in hunting and often were given permission to skip school to go to deer camp. As the state grew from Vermont natives to more and more transplants from out of state and settling around the cities that heritage started to diminish. The public schools which are liberally based have helped to drive the aspect of hunting out of our youth. Today our Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife uses funds derived from license sales to self fund. As the number of licences lower the prices have to rise. When the older generation hangs it up not as many youth are there to take the place. That dynamic is exactly what Valentine is saying and I don't see it as being a negative but rather a question.

kidoggy

https://idfg.idaho.gov/2015-deer-elk-outlook

Oldtimr

I do not think there is any doubt that our hunter numbers are going to continue to drop faster than recruitment will fill our ranks with new hunters. It is a different time, there are many things kids can do that won't make them have to sit still for hours and or make them uncomfortable with the weather conditions. That coupled with the fact that unlike video games there is not action every minute in hunting like there is with video games. Granted, there are families where the tradition is passed on as it was when I could not wait to go hunting but they too are getting less and less and it was carrying on the tradition that grew our ranks. The states can come up with programs such as mentored youth and mentored adult hunting to try to light the fire of hunting in the breast of new hunters but I sincerely do not think it will do much more than slow the outgoing tide of loss. I will be 70 in January and I watched PA go from over one million licensed hunters, we were always 1st or 2nd in licenses sold annually to about 700,000. Now there has been a slight increase but I would not call it turning a corner. Times have changed, people have changed and the less adults that hunt means there will be less children hunting which means there will even be less adults hunting. I will not see the numbers get low enough that it will become a serious problem but I am pretty sure my grandchildren will and I can only hope my grandson sticks with it as his father does not hunt. There are other factors such as access to private land problems and conflicts with public land use but more than anything I believe it is simply a sign of the times. I could say good, that means more for me, however the sad truth is, in numbers there is strength and the state legislatures listen to the numbers more than anything else. As our hunter population decreases, so does our ability to sway the state legislators in matters of wildlife and hunting and trapping.

Topgun 3006

Excellent post Oldtimr, as that about covers it! I'll be 70 in August and I've seen the number of MI deer hunters go from approximately 800,000 back in the 60s and 70s to what the DNR said this year was approximately 550,000. That is a huge decrease and along with youth just having too many other things on the table the lack of private land without paying for a lease IMHO is the other big reason for the decrease in our numbers.

Champlain Islander

F&W funding is always a catch 22 especially when self funded through license sales. When hunter numbers fall the department needs to raise fees to make up for the deficits. The increased fees can also have some impact on people not buying licenses. In addition they have opened more tags for different seasons and sold more ML antler less tags mostly for the revenue. It brings in the money but if not properly managed can hurt the deer herd which in turn makes the state a place where out of staters don't come to hunt since it is so poor. Even in a rural area like where I live many of the middle school and high school aged kids seem to have other things to do rather than hunt.

alleyyooper

I just turned 70, went every year to my deer camp with 6 other guys. Had a good bunch who didn't need telling what to do and when to do it out side of the hunt. The last one died in 2005, fall 2005 I went alone and did ok but then was only needing to cook and clean up after my self. 2006 told 2 young fellows Probably in their 30 they could come. No manners once so ever brought a uninvited guest and all 3 were so lazy a coon dog in the middle of a hot summer day had noting on them. Closed the camp early that year Just 3 days of the season had expired and I kicked them out and left. Have never been back to deer hunt there since, just mid winter coyotes and some good snowmobiling.
Rather stay home and hunt in my back yard or front yard of course.


It really is hard to replace good hunting and fishing buddies. Cherish the ones you have while you have them.






Al