Is your next generation adding or losing hunters?

[Lowg08]

I know in our little area. These youngins are hunting all the time. Shoot my youngin and his buddies when the go over to “ play “ its squirrel or coon hunting. Then they are always sharing deer pictures or game came pictures. The girls on our shooting team hunt just as much.

 

[Billy Goat]

I haven't had kids that I know of, and y'all should probably thank me for that.



My contribution to society.

 

[Greyinggrayling]

I am the last hunter in my family. There will not likely be any more.
My husband may have a couple of nephews but not dedicated like we are.

There are hunters and there are “hunters.” I don’t know much about draws in other states, but I propose this variable… are the newer generations of “hunters” more likely relying on the draw to tell them where to go rather than investing boots on the ground in open season general hunts? In other words, if they don’t draw, they don’t hunt?
Draw numbers up does not necessarily correlate with increase in number of serious hunters.

 

[Miboy86]

My son just turned 9 in september, ive been taking him fishing or out to deer camp during late season where we are sitting in a blind since he was 3. This year he started asking me everyday about going hunting , hes been on 4 hunts with me this season with no luck but he would be ready to go tomorrow morning. Next year he will be on the trigger himself. the wife is currently pregnant with boy number 2 so who knows if he will get into it either, or will either boy keep doing it when they get older, i truly hope they do.

 

[displacedtexan]

Net loss for my family.

I don't have kids, and there's roughly a zero chance my neice or nephew hunt.

 

[cnelk]

Gain here - both of my adult kids hunt/fish.
My granddaughter [almost 3] definitely likes being outside riding horses and feeding their stock.
Grandchild #2 arrives in April.

 

[gbflyer]

My older one is into it. The younger one has zero patience for anything that doesn’t provide instant gratification. Both boys, same parents. They’re all different.

 

[Yoder]

We may have lost a few but not many and the number that we have lost is not equivalent to the amount of huntable land that has been lost to urbanization


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Where I live, numbers have dropped every year for the last 20 years and the amount of public land has actually increased. There is no possible way more people are hunting. More people are hunting out west, but total number of hunters decreases every year. Google it. Actual numbers not anecdotal experiences.

 

[butcherboy]

I don’t know if my oldest boy will continue. He is 12 and has been on one antelope hunt for himself and he had a lot of fun. Took him with me for 4 days on my archery elk and again lots of fun. He has a late elk hunt starting the day after Christmas and it’s like pulling teeth to get him out to shoot. I’ve taken him twice to shoot and he won’t pull the trigger. Even on a led sled. It’s been excuse after excuse with him. He doesn’t want to camp in the cold but that one went away when I told him I rented an ab&b. He likes to shoot his 22 and his bow. I’m taking him hunting anyways to give it one last try. If he doesn’t want to do it anymore then that’s fine. Maybe he will when he gets a little older and I certainly don’t want to force him so much that he hates it. He likes fishing so that might be “our” thing to do. My 9 yr old daughter is all in and has been begging me to take her. She loves to shoot and be outside, fishing, etc. I take her on hikes but haven’t been able to really take her hunting because I rarely draw tags. She is old enough now to understand hunter safety and apply it so I will be putting her in for hunts in 2024.

I have 1 of two older brothers who doesn’t hunt and two older sisters who don’t hunt and have husbands who don’t and kids that don’t.

 

[EastHumboldt]

Where I live, There used to be more deer, and it was easier to get a tag. So at least around here the numbers are going up. Part of that is I live in one of the fastest growing states in the union. I was hoping to be the last immigrant.

 

[RUDDYDUCKY]

In my area way down. It's always middle age or older. Never see kids or young adults.

 

[timekiller13]

My dad didn’t hunt. But my brother and I do.

I have two daughters, one with zero interest in hunting and the other seems to like it but she’s only 9 so hard to say if it will stick. So it will be a net loss for me.

My brother has one kid. He’s only 1 yr old so who knows if he will like it or not.

At best we are looking at zero net gain/loss.

 

[Laramie]

Gain here. +2

Perspective on numbers of hunters is hard for some to grasp because most on here focus on the trends in western states. The real numbers are in the whitetail states imo. As land access shrinks, and leases become more expensive, I am seeing overall numbers dropping. I know a dozen guys that would hunt deer if they had a place to go but access is so limited in our area they have just given up.

Imo, we don't need to recruit more western antelope, elk and mule deer hunters, we need to recruit small game, upland, waterfowl, and maybe whitetail hunters. These are species most of the general population can hunt within an hour or two of virtually all locations in the country.

 

[Rich M]

Gain here. +2

Perspective on numbers of hunters is hard for some to grasp because most on here focus on the trends in western states. The real numbers are in the whitetail states imo. As land access shrinks, and leases become more expensive, I am seeing overall numbers dropping. I know a dozen guys that would hunt deer if they had a place to go but access is so limited in our area they have just given up.

Imo, we don't need to recruit more western antelope, elk and mule deer hunters, we need to recruit small game, upland, waterfowl, and maybe whitetail hunters. These are species most of the general population can hunt within an hour or two of virtually all locations in the country.

Yup - we need to have places to go hunt and game to hunt.

I started off with thousands of acres to hunt as a kid. Same exact spot now I have permission to hunt 10 acres, all the surrounding properties have been posted or subdivided into 5-acre tracts for cabins. While I was up there, would stake out duck hunting spots a day in advance for opening day or get there at 03:30 to beat the guy who got there at 04:00. That was 30 yrs ago.

I'm in FL - if you don't have private access, you are fighting crowds. We essentially have no more quail but lotsa tree rats, few rabbits - dove hunting is big down here if you got a place to go. The state has been spraying aquatic vegetation and run off all the ducks, which concentrates all the duck hunters in the few areas with weeds and ducks. With only a few exceptions, turkey is a draw hunt, deer is often a draw hunt, hogs are limited in some areas but not others, gators are a draw. It is really kinda pathetic and we have 23.5 million folks down here now, even if only 10% hunt it is a crap-load of folks and we keep packing more in.

Much of the hunting is about having a place to hunt. Then you need something to shoot that you want to shoot.

 

[Glendon Mullins]

I guess mine is gonna stay about the same, I am the last person in my family that hunts, and my son is really into it. My brother's 3 kids wont hunt, because he doesn't hunt or fish. Same with my uncles on my mom's side, their kids dont hunt either.

 

[Glendon Mullins]

Gain here. +2

Perspective on numbers of hunters is hard for some to grasp because most on here focus on the trends in western states. The real numbers are in the whitetail states imo. As land access shrinks, and leases become more expensive, I am seeing overall numbers dropping. I know a dozen guys that would hunt deer if they had a place to go but access is so limited in our area they have just given up.

Imo, we don't need to recruit more western antelope, elk and mule deer hunters, we need to recruit small game, upland, waterfowl, and maybe whitetail hunters. These are species most of the general population can hunt within an hour or two of virtually all locations in the country.

exactly,

for whatever reasons the west is getting pounded, but where I live there aren't nearly the amount of hunters as there used to be. Back in the day every national forest pull off or wide spot had a tent or camper in it, nowadays u hardly see anyone. My family (and a few friends) used to be a group of 20 or so that came up here and camped and hunted, now it's just me and my son. and most other people have the same story that I run into occasionally on public here, they only come because its tradition and there are only 1 or 2 of them left out of a big bunch of people.

 

[Lawnboi]

Losing in wi. Access is getting harder. Probably part of the reason other states are running out of tags.

I know probably a very unpopular opinion but I don’t think youth seasons help. They remove the kids from the actual season and experience of hunting. I know a lot of kids who have done the youth hunt, got their gimme buck and were done. I see the point of the youth season but it’s taking away from kids getting involved with the actual hunt, which is what keeps some people coming back.

 

[Glendon Mullins]

Losing in wi. Access is getting harder. Probably part of the reason other states are running out of tags.

I know probably a very unpopular opinion but I don’t think youth seasons help. They remove the kids from the actual season and experience of hunting. I know a lot of kids who have done the youth hunt, got their gimme buck and were done. I see the point of the youth season but it’s taking away from kids getting involved with the actual hunt, which is what keeps some people coming back.

while I don't necessarily agree with you about the youth days, but I think people take hunting way to seriously and forget to have fun. Trophy Hunting has done just as much damage, you want to turn a kid off to hunting? take them out and let them freeze their little nuts off for 6 hours and a 4 point walk out and tell them they "cant shoot it" cause it isn't a big buck. Good luck getting little jimmy to go with ya next time lol

That and not a lot of people don't take their kids small game hunting anymore (cant be out squirrel hunting and scare away the trophy bucks now can we). But i guarantee you taking your kids hunting for something like squirrels, where they get multiple shot opportunities and get to "have fun" will do more for their "want" to go deer hunting that taking them deer hunting and boring them to death.

 

[Lawnboi]

while I don't necessarily agree with you about the youth days, but I think people take hunting way to seriously and forget to have fun. Trophy Hunting has done just as much damage, you want to turn a kid off to hunting? take them out and let them freeze their little nuts off for 6 hours and a 4 point walk out and tell them they "cant shoot it" cause it isn't a big buck. Good luck getting little jimmy to go with ya next time lol

That and not a lot of people don't take their kids small game hunting anymore (cant be out squirrel hunting and scare away the trophy bucks now can we). But i guarantee you taking your kids hunting for something like squirrels, where they get multiple shot opportunities and get to "have fun" will do more for their "want" to go deer hunting that taking them deer hunting and boring them to death.

I totally agree with both your points as well. I see youth season utilized in a good and bad way. I also have a daughter I’m hoping enjoys hunting with me in the future.

My above comment on the youth seasons is an honest observation.

Antlers are the reason access is getting difficult in many places as well.

 

[Laramie]

Losing in wi. Access is getting harder. Probably part of the reason other states are running out of tags.

I know probably a very unpopular opinion but I don’t think youth seasons help. They remove the kids from the actual season and experience of hunting. I know a lot of kids who have done the youth hunt, got their gimme buck and were done. I see the point of the youth season but it’s taking away from kids getting involved with the actual hunt, which is what keeps some people coming back.

In tough access areas, like the one my family lives in, youth seasons are extremely important. Many kids simply wouldn't have an opportunity to go without them. Now whether they continue hunting as an adult isn't nearly as important to me as the fact that they did hunt, and understand that an animal died to provide food for our family. Grocery store kids just don't make that connection nearly as well imo.