Verifiable Data on the Number of Licensed Hunters - All 50 States

[Laramie]

I can believe the number of licenses falling but folks hunting more.

Everywhere I go is much more busy than it used to be.
Most places I hunted as a youth are developed or posted No Trespassing and leased.
Takes 3-4 preference points for me to get a resident deer tag
Right now at 7 application periods trying to get a fricking 1 weekend duck permit - they won't give preference points...and removed the leftover tags from being purchased.

There is absolutely no reason to have a "we need more hunters" push.

Agree - Teach a kid to fish and target shoot. Both should be available and unlimited in the future.

 

[Macintosh]

Maybe. On the other hand, I walk out my door on public land and dont see another hunter. I have seen hunters in the woods, but not many. I still knock on doors and get access all the time. I buy multiple OTC tags every year. 1 archery tag with 3 more available if I want them. the basic hunting license already includes a rifle deer tag plus a bear tag. 2 turkey tags are OTC. A muzzleloader deer tag is OTC, with a lottery for antlerless deer. Duck hunting on public has been fun, and I havent had an issue finding places to hunt that arent crowded. Other than my literal backyard I rarely hunt anywhere twice each season, becasue I have so many options. Next door state where I grew up is similar, and with an even less crowded "hunters per acre" ratio. My state sells approximately 55,000 hunting licenses per year, not that many years ago it was 75,000 (entire state population is only 600k).

So while I think its fair to ask if we need more hunters, its clear there is major variation in how things manifest between different areas, and if we dont have data its impossible to be targeted in how we approach it. Even where hunter numbers are stable or growing, the general population has grown and hunters make up a lower % of the total, to the point that in some areas most people dont even know anyone who hunts. The problems Colorado, Oregon, Washington and other states are having imo are a direct result of so many people having no connection to or knowledge of hunting, even if they don't do it themselves. So I'm not sure what the right balance is, but I'm fairly confident that if we just shut down and refuse to open doors because its more crowded in some places, it's going to cause it to be even worse.

 

[Laramie]

Maybe. On the other hand, I walk out my door on public land and dont see another hunter. I have seen hunters in the woods, but not many. I still knock on doors and get access all the time. I buy multiple OTC tags every year. 1 archery tag with 3 more available if I want them. the basic hunting license already includes a rifle deer tag plus a bear tag. 2 turkey tags are OTC. A muzzleloader deer tag is OTC, with a lottery for antlerless deer. Duck hunting on public has been fun, and I havent had an issue finding places to hunt that arent crowded. Other than my literal backyard I rarely hunt anywhere twice each season, becasue I have so many options. Next door state where I grew up is similar, and with an even less crowded "hunters per acre" ratio. My state sells approximately 55,000 hunting licenses per year, not that many years ago it was 75,000 (entire state population is only 600k).

So while I think its fair to ask if we need more hunters, its clear there is major variation in how things manifest between different areas, and if we dont have data its impossible to be targeted in how we approach it. Even where hunter numbers are stable or growing, the general population has grown and hunters make up a lower % of the total, to the point that in some areas most people dont even know anyone who hunts. The problems Colorado, Oregon, Washington and other states are having imo are a direct result of so many people having no connection to or knowledge of hunting, even if they don't do it themselves. So I'm not sure what the right balance is, but I'm fairly confident that if we just shut down and refuse to open doors because its more crowded in some places, it's going to cause it to be even worse.

Assuming you are in Wyoming... By far the state that was the most public land per hunter out of the lower 48.

I understand your sentiment, and felt that way for a long time since I grew up there, but as I have traveled and lived in other states, it has really opened my mind. Just look next door to the East. Nebraska has the third least amount of public land in the nation. The majority of that public land is on your end of the state making it very challenging for people in the population centers of the state on the East side to find somewhere realistic to casually hunt. And Nebraska has it good compared to most states further East...

 

[browtinebull]

Nebraska should try expanding some of the ground that comes up for sale to add acres/habitat. Curious why thats never done or discussed.
The local public power company sold off a piece a few years back and created a landlock on other public acres. Never asked for input.
CRP program is Neb is non existent in eastern part of the state.
We do allow our farm open to anyone that asks as my Grandma always said to share what you are blessed with!

 

[SDHNTR]

absolutely, unequivocally, YES. Tons of them. The data is critical if you want to have a real picture of the reasons why that's different in some places than it is in others.

Ok, sure. I just don’t really care what the data says about some trailhead in Alabama.

 

[SDHNTR]

I also don’t really care about making it easier for “casual” hunters. We don’t need anything making hunting (at least in the west) any easier. The influencers already ruined that program.

 

[Macintosh]

Assuming you are in Wyoming... By far the state that was the most public land per hunter out of the lower 48.

I understand your sentiment, and felt that way for a long time since I grew up there, but as I have traveled and lived in other states, it has really opened my mind. Just look next door to the East. Nebraska has the third least amount of public land in the nation. The majority of that public land is on your end of the state making it very challenging for people in the population centers of the state on the East side to find somewhere realistic to casually hunt. And Nebraska has it good compared to most states further East...

Sometimes I wish! But I live in Vermont. Family camp is in Northern NY in the Adirondacks. And I could say the same thing if I lived in NH, ME or several other states in the East.
Yes, you are 100% right that access is uneven. I was (clumsily) trying to make the point that the issue looks wildly different in different places, and is therefore not as simple as saying this one issue is good or bad, or that we have too many or too few hunters, or too few places to hunt, etc. And that because of that, if we dont have data it really isnt possible to say that what makes sense in one place, does or doesnt make sense somewhere else.

 

[Laramie]

Sometimes I wish! But I live in Vermont. Family camp is in Northern NY in the Adirondacks. And I could say the same thing if I lived in NH, ME or several other states in the East.
Yes, you are 100% right that access is uneven. I was (clumsily) trying to make the point that the issue looks wildly different in different places, and is therefore not as simple as saying this one issue is good or bad, or that we have too many or too few hunters, or too few places to hunt, etc. And that because of that, if we dont have data it really isnt possible to say that what makes sense in one place, does or doesnt make sense somewhere else.

Good points and I agree. I think it is safe to say we could use more small game hunters but widely introducing western big game hunting to rookies that will struggle to ever do it doesn't make sense. Don't get me wrong, if a kid has a dream to hunt an elk, I'll help him but I'm not encouraging people like I did in past.