Barriers for new hunters? (Poll)

What are the biggest barriers for new hunters out west?

  • They don't know where to go

  • Lack of hunting knowledge (i.e. animal behavior and hunt strategy)

  • Inadequate physical fitness

  • They need someone to help them with the logistics of the trip

  • Fear - Worried they might get lost or hurt / fear of failure

  • Lack of time/money

  • Other (see comments)


Results are only viewable after voting.

KsRancher

WKR
Joined
Jun 6, 2018
Messages
706
For me it was 50% cost and 50% time. Finally it happen at age 25. Only missed a couple years in the last 12.
 
Joined
Apr 5, 2015
Messages
5,942
I think it is lack of knowledge coupled with land access. If you are in certain (mostly western) states, land is less of an issue but here in the east, Public Land is more rare and it doesn’t always offer the best hunting opportunities.
 

np307

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Nov 28, 2019
Messages
108
Location
North Carolina
They just don't want to. They may say they want to, but if they really wanted to then they would. Every time I get back from hunting out west, I always have people saying how nice it would be to go and how much they want to. I always tell them they can do it and they always give some excuse about money, time, or knowledge. If I know the person well, I'll remind them that I've got bills, a wife who works full time, a kid, and a full time job of my own, and I didn't know squat about hunting out West when I started. Not a single one of those people have put any effort into planning a hunt.

I've even had people come up with excuses to not go when I offered to plan the whole trip.

It just comes down to their liking the idea of the hunt more than the hunt itself.
 

Yoder

WKR
Joined
Jan 12, 2021
Messages
1,652
Gas is almost $4/gallon. Groceries are at least 2x what they cost 3 years ago. Everything is more expensive. A lot of people, it's money. I know most people here have $1k jackets and $50k trucks but many are just getting by.
 

SDHNTR

WKR
Joined
Aug 30, 2012
Messages
7,058
I think it is lack of knowledge coupled with land access. If you are in certain (mostly western) states, land is less of an issue but here in the east, Public Land is more rare and it doesn’t always offer the best hunting opportunities.
How can it possibly be lack of knowledge? A orangutan could figure it out in minutes! Perhaps lack of desire to find the knowledge or laziness and wanting someone else to do the work for them, but the knowledge has never been easier to find. Takes virtually zero effort on the Google machine.
 
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SDHNTR

WKR
Joined
Aug 30, 2012
Messages
7,058
They just don't want to. They may say they want to, but if they really wanted to then they would. Every time I get back from hunting out west, I always have people saying how nice it would be to go and how much they want to. I always tell them they can do it and they always give some excuse about money, time, or knowledge. If I know the person well, I'll remind them that I've got bills, a wife who works full time, a kid, and a full time job of my own, and I didn't know squat about hunting out West when I started. Not a single one of those people have put any effort into planning a hunt.

I've even had people come up with excuses to not go when I offered to plan the whole trip.

It just comes down to their liking the idea of the hunt more than the hunt itself.
Precisely.
 

IBen

WKR
Joined
May 15, 2021
Messages
353
The number of “new hunters” as men who have picked it up later in life is simply astonishing to me. I think the biggest factor in driving it has to do with the advent of social media that has taken over society in the past decade. So to me the question isn’t “what’s in the way?” but rather “why?” The “why” is for reasons that never even existed when I grew up. It was always about tradition. Not so anymore.
Hunting magazines have been replaced by social media. Hunting mags did the exact same thing social media does today.
 
Joined
Oct 8, 2019
Messages
2,956
Laziness, lack of desire, lack of discipline, fear of unknown, nagging spouse, folks on the Internet bitching about crowding of hunting grounds, folks on the Internet bitching about out of state hunters, folks on the Internet insisting that a hunter has to have X/Y/Z in order to be successful, etc.

At the end of the day, you either are going to get off your ass and do it or you will not not.
 
Joined
Jun 23, 2013
Messages
365
Location
Whatcom County, WA
I'd say lack of knowledge overall. There are less people willing and able to pass knowledge down the line.
The onset of social media and forums should make it easier to share information and promote hunting in a positive way but it usually turns into arguments and belittling each other.
 

Pacific_Fork

Well Known Rokslider
Joined
May 26, 2019
Messages
1,260
Location
North Idaho
It’s 100% accurate hunting magazines marketed hunting. Print media is declining social media is taking up the slack.

You stated SM replaced the magazines. That suggest they are on the same scale, surely you don’t believe that.

SM and Netflix (MeatEater) catapulted a sacred lifestyle to the moon. Only hunters were interested in hunting magazines and forums before.
 

TWHrunner

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Nov 24, 2018
Messages
147
Location
Calgary
It’s 100% accurate hunting magazines marketed hunting. Print media is declining social media is taking up the slack.
That’s the business end of social media. You’re correct on that. But you’ve missed the point. That does not include the global participation of millions (for hunting) of individuals who jump in to social media. And that’s the part I was referring to. Print magazines had virtually nothing to do with that. Except the dozen odd photos at the end of some of them that gave readers an opportunity to send in a photo of themselves for their wall of fame.
 

wapitibob

WKR
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
5,893
Location
Bend Oregon
They just don't want to. They may say they want to, but if they really wanted to then they would. Every time I get back from hunting out west, I always have people saying how nice it would be to go and how much they want to. I always tell them they can do it and they always give some excuse about money, time, or knowledge. If I know the person well, I'll remind them that I've got bills, a wife who works full time, a kid, and a full time job of my own, and I didn't know squat about hunting out West when I started. Not a single one of those people have put any effort into planning a hunt.

I've even had people come up with excuses to not go when I offered to plan the whole trip.

It just comes down to their liking the idea of the hunt more than the hunt itself.

bingo
 

TWHrunner

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Nov 24, 2018
Messages
147
Location
Calgary
You stated SM replaced the magazines. That suggest they are on the same scale, surely you don’t believe that.

SM and Netflix (MeatEater) catapulted a sacred lifestyle to the moon. Only hunters were interested in hunting magazines and forums before.
This. Spot on to my point and stated much more clearly.
 

IBen

WKR
Joined
May 15, 2021
Messages
353
You stated SM replaced the magazines. That suggest they are on the same scale, surely you don’t believe that.

SM and Netflix (MeatEater) catapulted a sacred lifestyle to the moon. Only hunters were interested in hunting magazines and forums before.

That’s the business end of social media. You’re correct on that. But you’ve missed the point. That does not include the global participation of millions (for hunting) of individuals who jump in to social media. And that’s the part I was referring to. Print magazines had virtually nothing to do with that. Except the dozen odd photos at the end of some of them that gave readers an opportunity to send in a photo of themselves for their wall of fame.
Let me give you an example.
Before SM how would a hunter from the lower 48 know or become inspired to hunt in Alaska if it wasn’t for hunting magazines?
If it wasn’t for Hunting magazines there would be virtually no out of state/NR hunting.

As far as scale goes obviously SM is easier to distribute and is free but has that actually translated to more hunters or is there just less habitat now? Less public land? And my point wasn’t about scale it was about the role played by magazines which you both agree with me.

Btw you are both on a social media website that promotes hunting complaining about social media that promotes hunting.
 

TWHrunner

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Nov 24, 2018
Messages
147
Location
Calgary
Let me give you an example.
Before SM how would a hunter from the lower 48 know or become inspired to hunt in Alaska if it wasn’t for hunting magazines?
If it wasn’t for Hunting magazines there would be virtually no out of state/NR hunting.

As far as scale goes obviously SM is easier to distribute and is free but has that actually translated to more hunters or is there just less habitat now? Less public land? And my point wasn’t about scale it was about the role played by magazines which you both agree with me.

Btw you are both on a social media website that promotes hunting complaining about social media that promotes hunting.
I don’t think you’re getting it, but that’s ok. It’s probably an age thing. I’m guessing we see things differently because we’re probably 20 years apart.

On your last point. You’re correct. we’re using it to tell you why it’s messed everything up.
 
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