Rise of popularity in elk hunting

[maninthemaze]

And don't worry... My brother and I will be hunting elk in Montana this year.

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[handwerk]

So where you folks live do you see an increase in young hunters, say 12-20 years of age? It's hard to believe that's an age group with a lot of hunters...even though we live in a very outdoors kinda town my kids were some of the few growing up hunting , and now that I have one in college and two out, it seems they know very few like aged people hunting...I suspect the increase comes from all the media and other info out there now days,social media, google earth, onyx maps and gps have become major aids in finding places to go....not a bad thing but a big change.

 

[Guff]

I understand what Bar is saying; residents do deserve first chance at tags imo and limit NR if the need be. Im not saying don't allow NR. Look at Iowa for example, and I know that is comparing whitetail to elk, they do a good job of taking care of their residents while still collecting money from NR. Just for a whitetail tag there though a NR has to wait a few years.

I am anxious to see if hunting takes a big drop in the future. I know very few kids that truly like hunting, most get drug there by there dads once a year and have no real desire to return. When I was young several kids my age all liked and enjoyed hunting, I don't see it at all with my sons friends and his classmates.

Not calling myself a wilderness athlete by no means, had never heard that term honestly lol, but I do love to workout and hunt. Anything that gets people to exercise is good in my opinion so if hunting is a reason for getting in better shape then that is great in my opinion.

 

[Gobbler36]

So let's say Colorado stopped selling elk tags to nonresidents. The state would have to make up the difference some how. This would come from increased prices on tags sold to residents. Based on 2016 CPW stats, 99,636 NR bought tags for a total revenue of $64,165,584. While 235,823 residents bought tags for a total of $11,555,327. If they quit selling to NR Colorado would have to get there $75.7 million from its residents at a cost of $321 per tag. Next thing you know, not everyone could afford the tag and they'd have to raise the cost even more. And then people would be coming onto forums complaining about the cost of tags. Let's face it NR keep the costs of your tags at a reasonable amount and the boost in dollars to the local economy is a tremendous amount. I'm sure all those little town scattered across the western slopes don't share your same desire to outlaw NR tags, or the money they dump into their little towns.

As for coming to KY to hunt whitetails. Come on. You can set in the tree within sight of 2 other people on the very limited amount of public land we have. What we need is more NR to buy expensive tags to help fund some public land purchases.

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I am sorry but this doesn't hold any weight with me, I would gladly pay NR prices as a resident if it meant having a quarter to half of the pressure. But yes I am sure you wouldn't mind us bombarding Kentucky for white tails as you may have your own little chunk of no trespassing area. NR vs Residents is a different topic. Point is I grew up hunting and fishing, it was an "organic" interest if you will, now we've got adult onset hunters who go out and dump $1100 on a new bow because they heard a podcast about being fit to hunt, where hunting has always been passed down from father to son/daughter or grandfather to grandson/granddaughter. So I feel that's where the increase has happened, I mean look at all the little hunting companies they all market to that 25 to 35 age group. While I agree that it's not all bad, it's not all good either.

 

[Guff]

Adam I know there is no way to know but I personally think the age group refer to will flame out with a little time, what do you think? I know a few guys that fit the bill as what you are describing and it is like they hunt because it is the cool thing to do right now, not that they love it.

Like you stated, my dad and granddad are the ones that got me into hunting. My granddad passed away this past November and so I have constantly thought about the hunts we had together, sitting in homemade treestands that we built together.

 

[Gobbler36]

Adam I know there is no way to know but I personally think the age group refer to will flame out with a little time, what do you think? I know a few guys that fit the bill as what you are describing and it is like they hunt because it is the cool thing to do right now, not that they love it.

Like you stated, my dad and granddad are the ones that got me into hunting. My granddad passed away this past November and so I have constantly thought about the hunts we had together, sitting in homemade treestands that we built together.

Yeah I completely agree the people that jump into it as a fad won't always be around. Good memories for sure, sorry for the loss.

 

[maninthemaze]

I guess my point was that there needs to be a balance between R and NR tags. KY allows 10% of its elk tags for NR. And I'm ok with that. The probability of me ever drawing an elk tag my home state is very very slim. They call it a lottery for a reason.

As far as young hunters go. I hunt on public land exclusively. The majority of the hunters I see are older. I started hunting when I was a kid and hated it. My feet were always frozen solid. Later in life, I started taking my kids hiking in Colorado and Wyoming. That sealed the deal for me hunting again. Then the western hunting bug began. Two antelope later and I'm on to elk hunting.

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[5MilesBack]

I'd pay $5k for a tag if it guaranteed I could hunt where I wanted without any chance of running into anyone else. I've had that kind of bowhunting before, and the difference is night and day between the two. When your passion is no longer a passion because of the crowds, then your focus shifts elsewhere.

I haven't gotten quite to that yet.......but we're getting there. It's a little like golf. Before Tiger Woods came on the scene, you could just about walk onto any public course in the country. Then golf became the "in thing" and people flooded the courses. There was a time there where it was pretty difficult to even get a t-time at courses I'd play twice a week before that. That has changed some, but it's still crowded out there and 5+ hour rounds has become the norm. That's why I've only played two rounds in the last three years. I'm crowd averse. Hunting is getting the same way.

 

[ColoradoV]

I would be just fine in Colorado limited all NR tags to 10% sounds fair to me! The cpw could go on a nice big diet then raise resident tag quotas by 15% and resident prices a bit - along with limiting all elk units and the numbers flat out work..

As a lifelong resident in a small town the hipster set these days are starting to look at hunting.. Elk as a first choice species. Hunters ed folks have commented on how many 20 - 40 year olds are taking the classes. Even the hard core vegies and vegans that seem to hate free range high country beef will belly up to a elk steak many times. It seems they are super fired up about hunting until they get on the hill and see what hunting involves then it is back to vegi for the hippi as carrots are much easier to "catch"...

 

[Bar]

So do the rest of us.

I bet you do and Cal has elk too.

 

[Bar]

So let's say Colorado stopped selling elk tags to nonresidents. The state would have to make up the difference some how. This would come from increased prices on tags sold to residents. Based on 2016 CPW stats, 99,636 NR bought tags for a total revenue of $64,165,584. While 235,823 residents bought tags for a total of $11,555,327. If they quit selling to NR Colorado would have to get there $75.7 million from its residents at a cost of $321 per tag. Next thing you know, not everyone could afford the tag and they'd have to raise the cost even more. And then people would be coming onto forums complaining about the cost of tags. Let's face it NR keep the costs of your tags at a reasonable amount and the boost in dollars to the local economy is a tremendous amount. I'm sure all those little town scattered across the western slopes don't share your same desire to outlaw NR tags, or the money they dump into their little towns.

As for coming to KY to hunt whitetails. Come on. You can set in the tree within sight of 2 other people on the very limited amount of public land we have. What we need is more NR to buy expensive tags to help fund some public land purchases.

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I never said stop selling to non residents. I said let the residents here get their tags first. I'm not bothered by the crowds. I know where to hunt that have no hunters. I just want to get a tag. I said this already. Did you read the thread? We even talked about the DOW needed to do a better job of spending the money. They seem really inefficient now.

 

[Bar]

Getting youth into hunting seems to be a problem. We have youth tags now which makes it easy for them to get tags. I noticed a lot of them don't get used. Kids don't seem to be interested in hunting like we were in my youth. I didn't know anybody who didn't hunt when I grew up. You can't force a kid to hunt if they're not interested in it. I don't know what the answer is. I've never had a kid ask me to teach them to hunt. Most of them ask me why I hunt and can't understand it. I try and explain it to them, but I doubt I changed any minds.

 

[NevadaZielmeister]

I am sorry but this doesn't hold any weight with me, I would gladly pay NR prices as a resident if it meant having a quarter to half of the pressure.

I'd pay $5k for a tag if it guaranteed I could hunt where I wanted without any chance of running into anyone else. I've had that kind of bowhunting before, and the difference is night and day between the two.

These comments concern me. It seems that you are saying that only the rich should be able to hunt. I think it is important to look at history and see how "rich people" pursuits are often regulated and legislated out of existence. Think African hunting lately. The masses will see that kind of behavior and then join together to enact laws that would ban hunting for just about anything. Yes, I am employing hyperbole, but we are seeing it now with the Cecil the Lion nonsense.

Let's be clear, this is my first year hunting Elk. I was lucky enough to draw two elk tags here in Nevada. Huge considering they only offered 50 in the area I put in for. So I consider myself lucky. But would I pay TEN TIMES as much for that same tag? Hell no. And so it would appear that you want to deny me my ability to hunt so that you can have more solitude. Seems a bit selfish to me.

The way I will beat other hunters is hiking further/higher/faster and getting myself into better situations than the next guy/girl. If I see another hunter, big deal. There is hunting competition in nature as god intended, let's not bring it all down to a balance sheet.

 

[Bar]

I wouldn't be able to hunt either if tags were $5K. I'm trying to survive on an SS check and it's tough. I think what they meant was they value hunting where they want and uncrowded is that important to them. $5k tags would never work here. The rich folks are tree huggers and would love to see tags cost that much. They'd prefer all hunting would go away.

 

[KurtR]

I'd pay $5k for a tag if it guaranteed I could hunt where I wanted without any chance of running into anyone else. I've had that kind of bowhunting before, and the difference is night and day between the two. When your passion is no longer a passion because of the crowds, then your focus shifts elsewhere.

I haven't gotten quite to that yet.......but we're getting there. It's a little like golf. Before Tiger Woods came on the scene, you could just about walk onto any public course in the country. Then golf became the "in thing" and people flooded the courses. There was a time there where it was pretty difficult to even get a t-time at courses I'd play twice a week before that. That has changed some, but it's still crowded out there and 5+ hour rounds has become the norm. That's why I've only played two rounds in the last three years. I'm crowd averse. Hunting is getting the same way.

You can now can't you. There has to be private land you can buy tags on for that much and not have people to deal with.

Tigger woods ha you give him to much credit. It was Happy Gilmore who started that trend. He showed every one you can have fun playing golf.

 

[Beendare]

So let's say Colorado stopped selling elk tags to nonresidents. The state would have to make up the difference some how. This would come from increased prices on tags sold to residents. Based on 2016 CPW stats, 99,636 NR bought tags for a total revenue of $64,165,584. While 235,823 residents bought tags for a total of $11,555,327. If they quit selling to NR Colorado would have to get there $75.7 million from its residents at a cost of $321 per tag.

^^ good post.....and that doesn't include non res purchasing licenses for pref points.

Think of the $$$ Arizona brings in for that...and then only a fraction of non res hunters even hunt their game.

OP, I think the popularity is due to "all of the above" but mostly to folks seeing the many screaming elk videos ...and thinking, 'thats cool, I want to do that'

 

[Gobbler36]

These comments concern me. It seems that you are saying that only the rich should be able to hunt. I think it is important to look at history and see how "rich people" pursuits are often regulated and legislated out of existence. Think African hunting lately. The masses will see that kind of behavior and then join together to enact laws that would ban hunting for just about anything. Yes, I am employing hyperbole, but we are seeing it now with the Cecil the Lion nonsense.

Let's be clear, this is my first year hunting Elk. I was lucky enough to draw two elk tags here in Nevada. Huge considering they only offered 50 in the area I put in for. So I consider myself lucky. But would I pay TEN TIMES as much for that same tag? Hell no. And so it would appear that you want to deny me my ability to hunt so that you can have more solitude. Seems a bit selfish to me.

The way I will beat other hunters is hiking further/higher/faster and getting myself into better situations than the next guy/girl. If I see another hunter, big deal. There is hunting competition in nature as god intended, let's not bring it all down to a balance sheet.

This post is rediculous and makes me laugh, just sounds like a bunch of regurgitation of some of the industry "pros" no one in the thread wants to turn it in to a rich mans game. I would lose, I am providing for a family of 5 off my income alone but hunting is a priority so we budget accordingly, all we are saying is there has to be more of balance all of these otc states for NR brings down quality of the experience as the backcountry hunter gains popularity and it should be addressed, but since this is your first time out and your in a state that limits tags I assume you haven't delt with this first hand.

But as with that last line about a balance sheet I whole heartedly agree, that way when someone says we need to limit otc to NR they can quit throwing it up that game and fish have to make it up somewhere.

 

[mod700]

If they ever start Elk commander,... stick a fork in it.... seen a lot of face painted rookies showing up duck hunting when the show got popular...
Mike

 

[njdoxie]

I see more rigs but not a big increase in the number of bodies in difficult uphill country with no roads on top Funny a large population of hunters don't want to hike uphill for an extended period of time

god I hope it stays like that, I hunt in rough country and every year I see an uptick in folks, I used to have it to myself, but no more.

 

[njdoxie]

Just throwing it out for discussion, passing the time until September.

Not to hijack the thread but we could use a few more discussion threads to pass the time until Sept/Oct....it's a long time away.