Biggest hurdle/barrier to entry into hunting?

[Blacktail_]

As we know, hunting is being attacked across the country. As an Oregon resident it sucks seeing a measure to get rid of our amazing natural resource even in the conversation. Made me think, what is the biggest barrier to entry for new hunters? I grew up without having a lot of family into it and had to teach myself a lot.

Initially for me it was knowing where to go, pulling up onx on the western part of the state is an absolute headache as a newbie. Looks like a yellow/red checkerboard that is impossible to navigate.

I’d love to hear from anyone what they dealt with getting started and how they overcame that hurdle.

We always need new hunters to grow the support and keep this resource available to us in the long run.

 

[MallardSX2]

In the west, I believe it all boils down to knowing where to go and being able to draw tags that are actually worth a $hit.

There are a LOT of tags out there that are not worth the paper they are printed on and people buy them thinking that they actually have a chance at filling them.

 

[Blacktail_]

Great point, I think people going out and chasing animals that barely exist is a downer. Without success people get burnt out and never see it through. Maybe states need to be more transparent about success percentage but that data is out there for those who seek it out.

 

[Fogalo]

For most people it’s excuses. If you want to do it enough you’ll figure it out assuming you’ve got the IQ points.

Better question is how do we market to non hunters that aren’t against it. Say what you want about Rogan, hunting YouTube, meateater, etc there’s a lot more awareness around the positives of hunting than there used to be.

 

[fatlander]

I think the biggest barrier to entry these days is people’s need for instant gratification and general dislike of failure and discomfort.

There’s still tons of opportunities if you want to work and suffer for it. Most people don’t want to be new at something and suffer. They want to be what their flavor of instagram/youtube bad@$$ portrays from jump street.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CorbLand]

The biggest barrier to entry is the initial up front cost for someone that is starting from scratch. Even low end gear is expensive when you have to buy pretty much everything. Outside of that, going hunting is easy.

Being successful while hunting is a completely different animal. Most of that boils down to putting in the work.

 

[Blacktail_]

The biggest barrier to entry is the initial up front cost for someone that is starting from scratch. Even low end gear is expensive when you have to buy pretty much everything. Outside of that, going hunting is easy.

Being successful while hunting is a completely different animal. Most of that boils down to putting in the work.

Great point, costs are HUGE.

 

[cmahoney]

People are lazy


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jimmy]

Someone to do what a father didn't do. Where, how, and when.

 

[Blacktail_]

100%, without a mentor it’s easy to never get started.

 

[LongWayAround]

I think the biggest barrier is that every time I talk to a prospective hunter, they mention getting into bowhunting deer/elk. I try to tell them to start with small game. There's less regulations, longer seasons, fewer gear requirements and you'll learn the things most of us started with.

No one is interested in that. They want to cut to the glory of the bigger success without the foundational building blocks.

It's like the want to jump straight from never worked out to body builder physique.

 

[Blacktail_]

Great idea, less “sexy” but great foundational skills to be built in small game.

 

[displacedtexan]

The biggest barrier to entry is the initial up front cost for someone that is starting from scratch. Even low end gear is expensive when you have to buy pretty much everything. Outside of that, going hunting is easy.

Being successful while hunting is a completely different animal. Most of that boils down to putting in the work.

Exactly what I was gonna say.

A lot of money up front, to try something. No guarantee that you'll like it, or be successful.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Biggest barrier is and will continue to be tag availability in the west.

There are no other real barriers. Seriously. For 1000 dollars you can be completely outfitted with equipment that is better than our military used in gwot to kill animals out to 300-400 yards. Information is disgustingly easy to obtain, heck you don’t even have to read, you can just listen to podcasts or watch videos. No real bush craft, no map reading, no real suffering need to had. Seriously it couldn’t be any easier than now. Heck dude on here designed an app to show you where elk will likely be in the public land that is now just on your phone.

 

[Blacktail_]

Biggest barrier is and will continue to be tag availability in the west.

There are no other real barriers. Seriously. For 1000 dollars you can be completely outfitted with equipment that is better than our military used in gwot to kill animals out to 300-400 yards. Information is disgustingly easy to obtain, heck you don’t even have to read, you can just listen to podcasts or watch videos. No real bush craft, no map reading, no real suffering need to had. Seriously it couldn’t be any easier than now. Heck dude on here designed an app to show you where elk will likely be in the public land that is now just on your phone.

I don’t believe you can be better equipped and have everything for $1000 haha but if you can that’s phenomenal

 

[7mm-08]

I believe there are a good number of people who have the desire to hunt, but they need mentors. Figuring out all the ins and outs of it is quite the learning curve and most are just too overwhelmed to wade in. Hell, I have a bunch of big game hunting friends and they're too intimidated to go wolf and cougar hunting on the winter ranges without substantial handholding. I also think that the economics of hunting deters urban people from starting hunting - the rural folks grow up with it. I've taken a good number of new hunters out for their first hunts. When I do, I leave guns and bows at home. This is always met by a question along these lines: "Why aren't you carrying a rifle?" To which I always respond , "Our success depends on you." That usually creates serious contemplation on the receiver's part.

 

[Blacktail_]

That’s awesome of you, I agree mentors is HUGE in terms of growth. Even with readily available information, until you have plenty of experience it’s easy to doubt yourself and be too intimidated to go try by yourself.

 

[bozeman]

Barrier to Entry: Lack of balls to drive 25 hours and hunt ground you had never set foot on and sleep in a tent by yourself in the middle of nowhere.

Remedy: grow a set and go.

 

[whoop]

people want to be mentored, then they repay the mentor by taking their buddies to the mentor's spots. a good approach is to get out and find areas on your own. sure it takes time, but at least you have accomplished something when you start finding animals.
the only barriers are the ones you build. set a goal then make choices that move in that direction.

 

[LostArra]

West states (elk, mule deer, antelope)- learning and understanding the tag systems. Long distance travel and backpacking/camping isn't a big deal.

I was giving an elk tag overview of the draw and preference points recently to a Sourh Carolina native. His eyes were crossing but his wife, a German girl, said " it sounds like trying to buy a car in the old GDR"