Is the western hunting bubble bursting? (Or at least shrinking?)

[Will_m]

Why is everyone so convinced that hunting is under imminent threat of being abolished unless we recruit every single person possible? This is so stupid.

 

[rodney747]

Why is everyone so convinced that hunting is under imminent threat of being abolished unless we recruit every single person possible? This is so stupid.

I’m with you! Let’s just be positive and focus on our hunting. Poor or semi-wealthy I’ve hunted and fished all of my life! I make changes to methods and areas as my aging body tells me to. But will keep hunting somewhere until my body completely gives out!

 

[southLA]

Why is everyone so convinced that hunting is under imminent threat of being abolished unless we recruit every single person possible? This is so stupid.

Because the people who make money telling them that have been successful at convincing them.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

Why is everyone so convinced that hunting is under imminent threat of being abolished unless we recruit every single person possible? This is so stupid.

Influencer 101...expand your customer base to increase likes/profit.

 

[Will_m]

Kind of feels like we’re the rats to the pied piper.

 

[Cedarsavage]

Why is everyone so convinced that hunting is under imminent threat of being abolished unless we recruit every single person possible? This is so stupid.

That's the narrative we've heard our whole lives. I used to buy it, but we can't have too many hunters and not enough at the same time.

 

[SurfAMHuntPM]

I hope so. I’m an east coaster and am taking a break from helping the western states turn tags into Vail Resorts epic pass.

 

[elkyinzer]

Why is everyone so convinced that hunting is under imminent threat of being abolished unless we recruit every single person possible? This is so stupid.

Fear sells, and make no mistake, selling is what this is all about.

 

[rodney747]

I hope the western hunting continues to grow. Keep the NR’s out of our ever increasing mule deer, elk, and Aoudad populations here in Texas!!!

 

[HustlinOwl]

Every year I talk to strangers with a big pile of points in states we hunt. I think we would be surprised how many points are just sitting in accounts.

 

[dogcat]

I’m already out of the game and will never buy another preference point. much better ways to spend my money.

Same for me. I was spending $2,000 per year for points for my sons and I. When a couple of the states changed the rules for picking or lowered non-resident permits, I decided to opt out and hunt in Canada or Mexico. It is a shame but it is what it is.

 

[Str8shooter]

The intermountain west population has gone from 7.7 million to 78.5 million from 1970 to 2020. Thats over a 900% increase in human beings in the region. The percent of people hunting is not declining faster than the population is growing despite the anecdotal information shared here.


The NRA documentation from 2011-2018 shows that the intermountain west hunting bubble has not slowed, this is obviously pre covid madness as well. (https://www.americanhunter.org/arti...stern-states-defy-hunting-s-national-decline/).

The major hurdles to hunting have been information-based, and those hurdles have largely been demolished. The next (and sustaining) barriers will be legality and availability of intact habitat. And for the folks claiming that new hunters are just following a fad of instafluencers, sorry but we are only a couple years removed from our 2 million year heritage of spending most of our time thinking about/painting about/planning/or moving to hunt. It will take more than a couple years of softening culture, video games and code red mountain dew swilling to remove that genetic program.

 

[TaperPin]

Everyone should be encouraging the young and old to get into hunting of some kind. Otherwise, when it comes time to vote those same people aren’t necessarily on our side. I look at families where the younger kids don’t hunt, and as they grow up they have no idea how hunting fits in conservation and they repeat the same sht their non hunting friends say - they aren’t non hunters, they are anti hunting. They vote. Thats how politics works, and politicians make the game laws.

 

[wapitibob]

Every year I talk to strangers with a big pile of points in states we hunt. I think we would be surprised how many points are just sitting in accounts.

In WY, less than half the people with E/D/A points actually apply for a hunt and show up on the odds reports.

 

[jpmulk]

I like the wishful thinking. But I’m a bit of a pessimist on the future of hunting. It will become more and more of a monetized thing. More of a rich man sport. That is clearly in the works. And will continue to happen.

 

[ElfOR]

I feel like the last five years has been the perfect storm for point creep/tag allocation.

We had people like Rinella/Newberg/Rogan popularizing western hunting, as well as a huge baby boomer population that had been buying points in multiple points for decades, a booming economy and lots of people with disposable income, and a Covid pandemic where hunting was one or the only things people could still do.

Covid is now over, the boomer generation is aging out of the game, the economy is in a recession, and we’re seeing a decline in tag allocation to nonresidents and an corresponding increase in tag price.

Are we going to see things like MT combo tags not selling out again?

I doubt it. But I feel like we’ve reached the peak. A lot of guys are going to say it’s not worth it anymore and find other things to do. Point systems will still suck no matter what because they are a Ponzi scheme, but some tags will get more available for guys that have been in the game for years.

I think some general tags will become more available for those willing to pay the price. Those of us who are perfectly fine hunting B tags, etc will still have plenty of opportunities to hunt every year.

I’ve had numerous friends that have gone on one or two hunts for the instagram posts realize that most elk hunting is just a shit load of work and suck with relatively low odds of success compared to let’s say, eastern deer hunting.

Either way, I think we’re finally on the backwards side of the bubble. Does that mean it’s going back to what it was in the 90s? Absolutely not, there has been a paradigm shift… But I think the worst of the bubble is over.

Anyone agree?

Absolutely not! Just got back from CO 4th rifle hunt and saw more people than I ever have. Same with a 0 Pt unit in Oregon, people everywhere and new outfitter camps. I was shocked.

 

[ChrisA]

Absolutely not! Just got back from CO 4th rifle hunt and saw more people than I ever have. Same with a 0 Pt unit in Oregon, people everywhere and new outfitter camps. I was shocked.

Same for Colorado 2nd in an OTC unit we've been hunting for many years. This time we experienced many drivers of UTVs, a couple fat tired motorcycles, and believe it or not, pickups with a blatant disregard for off trail regulations. How in hell are you going to motor up to a meadow and expect to see anything? Totally F'd it up for anyone doing it the right way.

 

[JGood]

Just observations:

Hunted CO 3R and all I really saw were Utah trucks driving the main roads. I had the mountains to myself if I was willing to hike even a mile.

Alaska on the other hand was a shit show. Both hunts (bear and caribou) now have waiting lists multiple years in advance.

 

[Jethro]

Either way, I think we’re finally on the backwards side of the bubble. Does that mean it’s going back to what it was in the 90s? Absolutely not, there has been a paradigm shift… But I think the worst of the bubble is over.

Just finished reading the ID draw thread. First indication what 2024 maybe like. Appears the bubble has not burst, is not shrinking, and is not yet done being inflated.

 

[ODB]

I like the wishful thinking. But I’m a bit of a pessimist on the future of hunting. It will become more and more of a monetized thing. More of a rich man sport. That is clearly in the works. And will continue to happen.

Correct. Walk into the First Lite store in Hailey and this is abundantly clear.