Is Western hunting over promoted?

[mfllood3800]

Make it a requirement that every NR has to hunt with a resident. Give every successful harvest a free Mtn Ops decal and Flat brim of choice that has to be used/worn. Then automatically subscribe them to 5 of the latest trending youtube/IG sites and force them to watch 20 hrs straight with a test immediately following. Finally include mandatory education programs learning how to hug after harvest and talk with words like, "dude, did that just happen, now the real work begins" Finally if NR is successful, make it mandatory they have to appear on social media videos helping the super stars of the hunt industry clean their garage, wash their bro truck or mowing their lawn.

 

[KurtR]

I don’t know if it is just western hunting . In 2018 South Dakota has 69000 out of state bird hunters. North Dakota gets hit with the nr waterfowl hunters every year. Some times I catch my self complaining but then remember a lot of those dollars open more private land up to walk in and access for everyone. I think crowding is such a subjective thing. I go to a trail head in Idaho with 2 rigs and one of them is complaining of crowding. Show up to a waterfowl production area in eastern S.D. with only 2 rigs and your happy as hell. Will be interesting what will happen with this economy.

What surprises me is how many hunters out west hunt maybe a month out of the year and that is it. I understand as a lot of times you have to travel in state a ways makes me appreciate my 30 second drive to be hunting any thing from mule deer to doves .

 

[16Bore]

The racks are full of elk one day rifles.

 

[Bighorse]

I live and hunt up in Alaska by choice. I lived in WA state and have visited since experiencing AK. The best way I can sum it up is, AK hunting is a lifestyle choice that has genuine cultural roots in subsistence. We appreciate our wild places and have opportunities to swim in wilderness. Being a hunter in AK is a reverent endeavor tempered by a ruthless vast geography and ocean. After experiencing this and cheating death your not the same again.
Hunting down south with the roads, access difficulties, competition, and commercialization, I felt disenfranchised from the very real sentiment experienced deep in a coastal rainforest. Load up a small boat and run 150 miles, paddle across a 6mile lake, Climb a trail less 4k peak, roam a braided river valley littered with bear, sit on a shale slide deep in the Brooks range, there you'll be forever ruined for lower 48 hunting.
That being said...….My respect to the deep penetrating wilderness roamers of the Cascades and Rockies. Those high rugged mountains are brutal too and your cheating death also. Your just at a tactical disadvantage and wrestling a logistical beast. Shoot true!

 

[cuttiebrownbow]

The popular places are getting more popular at destination locations.

Overall though license sales don’t lie. Most states have seen a significant reduction over the last 20 years.


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[Roksliding]

Absolutely it is.

Way of the world now tho, any thought, action, event attend, etc. a person experiences is seconds away from being public knowledge for the world.... and all to often is

 

[IdahoElk]

The original question was "Is Western hunting over promoted"

My answer to that is how can't it be?
In my opinion unless you lived out west for at least 10-20yrs you really can't grasp how much hunting has changed out here.
Back in the day if you had dreams of hunting Elk,Deer or whatever the animal it took way more personal sacrifice to live you dream, like actually moving out west planting roots and learning how to hunt the backcountry.
Today everything is basically spoon fed to the wannabe western hunter via youtube,hunting forums,Google earth and social media, life has never been easier for hunters with the dream of hearing the bugle of a Elk,all you have to do is join a forum,ask a question or follow your favorite Elk slayer on youtube,facebook and eventually you will find yourself in some remote canyon with bow in hand punching a tag on your first bull that's 300"+ and having no idea how you did it.
Hunting here is not the same and starting to remind me of why I left the east coast 30yrs ago.

Before you guys jump on me I've spent years helping people fulfill their western hunting dreams.

 

[Bighorse]

My answer to the original question is a solid yes! I neglected to clarify that in my ramblings. I feel it and choose not to participate in Western hunting. One of the many benefits of wilderness is experiencing it on your terms. When one is overly influenced and trying to recreate another perceived experience it can be inauthentic. Wilderness is a great educator...….