Shrinking hunter numbers

[philoshop]

That is why we need some form of official early intervention in the schools by responsible agencies to offset those notions.

 

The public school system is currently incapable of even teaching "the three R's". We as a nation are unwilling to even fix that little problem.

 

I appreciate the sentiment, Doc, and I agree with the premise. But any change will have to be from the bottom up, rather than from the top down.

Like-minded parents will have to get together to force their local school boards to accept their views. Very few parents are willing to go out on that limb given the current political climate. It's an unfortunate reality, but we have officially been marginalized.

 

In the mean time, take a kid or a newbie hunting. Or fishing, or shooting, or camping...

[Elmo]

The public school system is currently incapable of even teaching "the three R's". We as a nation are unwilling to even fix that little problem.

 

I appreciate the sentiment, Doc, and I agree with the premise. But any change will have to be from the bottom up, rather than from the top down.

Like-minded parents will have to get together to force their local school boards to accept their views. Very few parents are willing to go out on that limb given the current political climate. It's an unfortunate reality, but we have officially been marginalized.

 

In the mean time, take a kid or a newbie hunting. Or fishing, or shooting, or camping...

 

It's the "what came first, the chicken or the egg" dilemma.  Schools won't accept these programs because there are too many closed mind parents.  There are too many closed mind parents because no such programs existed in their schools when they were young.  So do we start with the parents or do we start with the schools?  I think you have to start with the parents.  Like you said...take a newbie hunting and shooting.

[ApexerER]

Sometimes it does not feel like numbers are declining.  I see more hunters now that I did 20 years ago.  I hunt a lot of public land for deer and turkey.  If we have less hunters now than more are taking advantage of public ground.  Which leads me to my theory.  At least for NYS, I am of the opinion a large part of the issue for folks is having a place to hunt.  With the growing trends of posted property and leasing it is getting harder and harder to gain access to hunting ground. New hunters are disappointed with the amount they share the woods.  Many can not afford a lease to hunt.  Asking a perfect stranger to hunt their land for free use to be a pretty common practice.  Now it is an awkward experience.  A good solution would be to make more public land.  I for one would be willing to pay a little extra cash every year in my licensee fees if it meant a substantial gain in public hunting grounds.    

 

Here is a funny thing.  Most hunters want more seclusion and less sharing of space in hunting.... So....  it is not self serving for most folks to promote it.  Start making more public land and have enough space for everyone.  It wont hurt private leasing.  Folks will still pay for the exclusive access and rights to manage how they desire. 

 

For the record I have no issue with land leasing.  I understand it completely.  That is not what this is about.

 

 

.  

I agree it is difficult to find a place to hunt that isn't public. I am on a lease but it has been for sale for several years. One of these years it will be sold and we will be looking for another lease. It will never happen in NY but I have always thought that if you gave the people willing to open their land to hunting a tax break on property taxes that would open all kinds of land while also having a clause that the land owner cannot be sued. There really isn't any benefit right not to landowners opening their land to hunters.

[Rick Howard]

Heck, revenue from a slight increase in license fees to lease private land for public use.

 

I am not complaining about finding places to hunt.  My concern truly is for those who wish to start hunting.  

 

Maybe there is something to be said about some peoples nature and the modern (current) lifestyle.  Take a look at your daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, schedule.  We make time for hunting in there because we already love it.  For someone new... it is easy to give up the hunting.  Especially if they have to put more work into finding a place to hunt than they have anticipated.  Frankly, finding land to hunt is probably one of the last things most people think consider.  As their information comes from folks selling them Appareal, bows, arrows, broadheads, releases, tree stands, blinds, guns, ammo, scent stuff, knives.... you get it.

 

ahhh maybe I am just rambling.  

Edited April 5, 2016 by Rick Howard

[Five Seasons]

Access and parenting.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Doc]

The public school system is currently incapable of even teaching "the three R's". We as a nation are unwilling to even fix that little problem.

 

I appreciate the sentiment, Doc, and I agree with the premise. But any change will have to be from the bottom up, rather than from the top down.

Like-minded parents will have to get together to force their local school boards to accept their views. Very few parents are willing to go out on that limb given the current political climate. It's an unfortunate reality, but we have officially been marginalized.

 

In the mean time, take a kid or a newbie hunting. Or fishing, or shooting, or camping...

I guess I am looking for leadership from such sources as the DEC or the NYSCC or some major coalition of sportsmen's groups to spearhead lobbying efforts in the offices of hunting-friendly legislators. The article does not go into the details of how this was put into effect by West Virginia or he other states that have currents legislation pending. But I'm sure it was done on some higher level than just some minor organization of parents. Such an activity would have to have some muscle behind it. Perhaps it is time to call the bluff on some of these legislators who claim to friends of hunters.