Is Western hunting over promoted?

[Blackcow]

Yep

 

[WV Mountaineer]

Its not over promoted. It is simply a much more fun and gratifying way to hunt. Typically, you can see a long ways. Typically, you can spot and stalk your prey. Typically, most hunters out east have no where near the ability to roam a round and have the fun in their local areas, as they do out west. And typically, all this adds up to a more successful and fun hunt. It ain't rocket science

 

[NUGGET]

I’m not sure if it’s over promoted because I grew up in the west and never paid attention to otherwise. I will say this, after being back East (Every state past Wyoming) they can have the East. There is nothing there for me. I couldn’t imagine living there. They’ve even tried to spice it up and reintroduce a few elk. But it’s not going to happen. I not only need mountains but wild mountains.

So I threw everything in the truck one day and moved to AK. Now I look at the west as just an extension of the East. It’s about as wild as one can get up here and it’s where I’ll die.

 

[RyanT26]

Short answer is yes.

Longer answer, it’s complicated. Hunter recruitment is a big deal if we want to continue to have a voice at the table. But it also no fun dealing with overcrowding. This is coming from someone who started heading west less than five years ago and relied heavily on rockslide and OYOA forum for advice.
It will be interesting to see if this year‘s events have any long lasting affects on people traveling west for hunting.

 

[Ursus1975]

If I could go back to the 80's with the gear I have today........I would in a heartbeat. Hunting and fishing was great back then with all that solitude. You didn't even have to think about it, no matter where I went, it was pretty much solitude. But we have better widespread trophy quality these days than back then too, so there are trade-offs. But I've just about given up flyfishing the rivers I always used to.......because of the crowds 12 months out of the year these days. Hunting might be next.

ok so i'm confused here. We hear all the time how hunter numbers are down and in the same sentence we see hunters everywhere and it's crowded. So is there less land to hunt and we'er all shearing a smaller place with less hunters? As for me I just recently got in a position in my life financially and family dynamic to be able to travel out west to hunt. Also technology has played a huge role in allowing me to go also. I never knew a person in 41 years that ever left the state of Alabama to go hunting somewhere else. I know the numbers are down here because the average person doesn't hunt anymore and the ones that do whitetail hunt mostly. That is even becoming more difficult to do because of the lost of opportunities to hunt. So coming from an Southeasterner Im so grateful for the opportunity to hunt out west just for the experience, i could care less if i harvest an Animal. You guys that live out there are blessed and please remember that there are those of us that need that need it also.

 

[Gatorgrizz27]

I just feel like the states need to manage non residents a little harder. I’m biased because here in Nebraska it’s all OTC first come first serve and only a little more expensive to a non res. A state resident shouldn’t sacrifice a season to nonresidents in my opinion.


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I don’t disagree with a certain number of tags going to residents, but that would pretty much mean OTC tags would have to go out the window. Maybe just put them up for sale a 2 days early for residents and have total caps?

The other problem that has been discussed is when states restrict the hunting opportunities for non-residents, they tend to quit caring about public lands and access.

Living in FL, I have as much legal right to Gunnison National Forest as somebody who lives on the edge of it. If I’m told I don’t get to hunt it anymore, my money, contacting legislators, raising awareness, etc, are going to be almost non-existent if they decided to sell it off and develop it.

 

[cmahoney]

10% to non residents is fair


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[Gatorgrizz27]

ok so i'm confused here. We hear all the time how hunter numbers are down and in the same sentence we see hunters everywhere and it's crowded. So is there less land to hunt and we'er all shearing a smaller place with less hunters? As for me I just recently got in a position in my life financially and family dynamic to be able to travel out west to hunt. Also technology has played a huge role in allowing me to go also. I never knew a person in 41 years that ever left the state of Alabama to go hunting somewhere else. I know the numbers are down here because the average person doesn't hunt anymore and the ones that do whitetail hunt mostly. That is even becoming more difficult to do because of the lost of opportunities to hunt. So coming from an Southeasterner Im so grateful for the opportunity to hunt out west just for the experience, i could care less if i harvest an Animal. You guys that live out there are blessed and please remember that there are those of us that need that need it also.

It’s all of the above. The total hunter number decline is based on license sales. In most of the south, grandpa was a pretty serious hunter, dad dabbled with it, and then you did it a handful of times on holidays, etc. Now dad doesn’t hunt any more, you’ve got kids and projects keeping you busy, and just quit buying a license.

Ranches where people have had access are being sold off and developed, public lands are losing hunting rights as more dog walkers and mountain bikers use them, and lease prices are going up to where it’s not affordable any more.

In many parts of FL and TX, a lease costs $6-$10k per person each year, and people are realizing they can do a guided elk hunt or even go to Africa for the same price.

You also see a number of posts on here about someone who’s never hunted before wanting to get into it due to what they’ve seen on social media.

 

[idahohikker]

I don’t disagree with a certain number of tags going to residents, but that would pretty much mean OTC tags would have to go out the window. Maybe just put them up for sale a 2 days early for residents and have total caps?

The other problem that has been discussed is when states restrict the hunting opportunities for non-residents, they tend to quit caring about public lands and access.

Living in FL, I have as much legal right to Gunnison National Forest as somebody who lives on the edge of it. If I’m told I don’t get to hunt it anymore, my money, contacting legislators, raising awareness, etc, are going to be almost non-existent if they decided to sell it off and develop it.

Great attitude. Me, me, me.

 

[RyanT26]

Great attitude. Me, me, me.

Not saying it is a good or bad attitude, but it is the truth. I will just pick Utah, if I know I will never be able to hunt in Utah why would I care what happens there. Why would I spend my money to support that state, when I know I will never be able to enjoy that resource.

 

[Terrapin]

This week Idaho Sheriffs started turning away out of state fisherman and hunters due to the Corona Virus. All I’ve seen from Idaho residents is jubilation. I’m starting to think most residents would rather see Fish and Game go bankrupt and all the guides and hotels go out of business, than see one more out of state license in the woods.

People point out that residents don’t pay their fair share... they pay it everyday by living out here. Most could make more money elsewhere, and possibly be closer to family etc. But either they, or their ancestors made the decision to pack up and move out west even though life would be easier elsewhere.


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[Gatorgrizz27]

Great attitude. Me, me, me.

I’m not saying I don’t care what happens, I’d probably still do something like click a link to email a senator and be pissed off about it happening.

However I’m not going to donate several $100 to fight it’s closure, tell everyone that will listen about it, etc, to preserve lands for people who don’t want me there in the first place.

 

[Rich M]

I go back and forth on this. The promoters would tell you that hunting numbers are down and we need to recruit more hunters. But I have a little selfish voice in my head saying "quit trying to convince every hunter in America to bombard a handful of western states every year to hunt big game!!" I mean all I hear is people talk about over crowding and over pressured big game populations. Then again, I always manage find places of solitude...

I tend to think that as a community we would do better to just keep a low profile and focus on habitat conservation, improvement, and access.

I try to look at it with an abundance mind set that we can expand and improve on what we have, but I have to be honest, I am concerned about the future of wildlife and wild places.

Maybe I'm just getting old. Just thinking out loud here, what do y'all think?

CO had a 40,000 increase in applications for quota hunt permits from last year. A 7% increase and during a year with a pandemic virus. LOL

The "promoters" don't have a clue or care - they make money off the hunters so they want to cram as many in as possible.

We've got enough folks. The world population is what is affecting life as we know it.

 

[Ntuttle15]

This week Idaho Sheriffs started turning away out of state fisherman and hunters due to the Corona Virus. All I’ve seen from Idaho residents is jubilation. I’m starting to think most residents would rather see Fish and Game go bankrupt and all the guides and hotels go out of business, than see one more out of state license in the woods.

People point out that residents don’t pay their fair share... they pay it everyday by living out here. Most could make more money elsewhere, and possibly be closer to family etc. But either they, or their ancestors made the decision to pack up and move out west even though life would be easier elsewhere.


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Almost everywhere we try to go hunt you are outnumbered non res hunters to res hunters. It's insane. And very frusterating. Their groups grow year to year leading to areas getting more and more crowded. That's why you see that reaction.
I'm of the opinion where I would be willing to pay more as a resident for tags in order to fund our departments, because selfishly it's nice to be able to hunt and not have so many people taking.

And part of that reaction is just the fact that Idaho has exploded in growth in recent years, and the people here dont like that. Having the lower population was nice. You could go to the grocery store and park within the first 5 spots every time. And now you're in the back of the parking lot. Going to school the past 3 years out of state has opened my eyes to the population explosion, everytime I come home it's worse and worse. And so you can understand why the locals dont like seeing so many people from out of state coming in. The state just isnt built to handle the amount of people that are there.

All that to say, that mindset translates to out of state hunters and an unusually high animosity towards them.. even though a lot of them have a good heart and just want to enjoy a hunt in a different area, simple as that.

 

[EJFS]

I’m not sure if it’s over promoted because I grew up in the west and never paid attention to otherwise. I will say this, after being back East (Every state past Wyoming) they can have the East. There is nothing there for me. I couldn’t imagine living there. They’ve even tried to spice it up and reintroduce a few elk. But it’s not going to happen. I not only need mountains but wild mountains.

So I threw everything in the truck one day and moved to AK. Now I look at the west as just an extension of the East. It’s about as wild as one can get up here and it’s where I’ll die.

I spent a season working at Wrangell-St. Elias. I still think about it almost every day!

 

[notradame]

I don't think it is, I think a culture is being passed down to younger generations and they methods are a little bit different. the tools are a little strong and firm. So many people rant about hunters killing animals but hunters are also useful for population control of animals which is very important. Besides, Compared to other sports, its not that commercial.

 

[EJFS]

I don't think it is, I think a culture is being passed down to younger generations and they methods are a little bit different. the tools are a little strong and firm. So many people rant about hunters killing animals but hunters are also useful for population control of animals which is very important. Besides, Compared to other sports, its not that commercial.

That's a great point. For those of us that didn't grow up with social media everything seems over promoted!

 

[S.Clancy]

Since everyone is talking about crowding here, I think a huge reason for that is the transition between working lands and investor lands in the west. Growing up it was really easy to get access to property to hunt from farmers and ranchers. Now, the land is either bought by Wilks brother-esque entities or, if still in farmer/rancher hands, leased out for hunting. This transition, in my opinion, has more to do with crowding on public than numbers or anything else.

 

[OXN939]

ok so i'm confused here. We hear all the time how hunter numbers are down and in the same sentence we see hunters everywhere and it's crowded.

That's because these figures are given relative to different constants. The percentage of hunters, per capita, is much lower than it used to be... but the population has increased hugely, so even a smaller percentage of that population equals a larger total number of hunters. In terms of political advocacy, the percentage if the population that falls within a group is generally one of the most important metrics, so that's why you see everyone saying "We need to recruit more hunters."

And to everyone disparaging the OTC hunting experience, consider it financially. The nonresidents hunting those areas pay a ton of money to have a relatively small chance of harvesting an animal... in terms of funding contributions, OTC units carry a disproportionate amount of the weight.

 

[Northpark]

I’d like to be selfish and say stay home if you’re a non resident. But that’s no way treat each other. Are some spots I hunted 5 years ago by myself now crowded with hunters? yes. Do I have an issue with OTC non resident tags? yes I do but until that changes I’ll be hoping every non resident gets a shot at a dream hunt. I grew up in the east and remember as a kid dreaming of hunting elk. I moved to Colorado after college for work and now I’ve killed at least 1 (some years 2) elk every year since I moved here a decade ago. So I get the dream hunt thing but I pay for living where I do with lower wages and cold long windy winters and being an hour from Walmart so sometimes I just want non resident hunters to stay home.