Sad Time for New York Hunters

[Steve D]

Last Saturday (9/22) was National Hunting and Fishing days http://www.nhfday.org/  It wasn't that long ago it used to be a real big deal here in region 8 and people from all over would come and spend the day(s) seeing the different hunting displays, demonstrations, vendors, and tailgaters.

It was a good inexpensive way to spend the day with family and or friends and maybe pick up some information or a deal or two on hunting supplies or equipment.

Now.... in a hunting state like New York it is hardly mentioned or celebrated while the Naples Grape Festival coming up this weekend will be packed.

A sign of the times I guess

[Culvercreek hunt club]

2 minutes ago, Steve D said:

Last Saturday (9/22) was National Hunting and Fishing days http://www.nhfday.org/  It wasn't that long ago it used to be a real big deal here in region 8 and people from all over would come and spend the day(s) seeing the different hunting displays, demonstrations, vendors, and tailgaters.

It was a good inexpensive way to spend the day with family and or friends and maybe pick up some information or a deal or two on hunting supplies or equipment.

Now.... in a hunting state like New York it is hardly mentioned or celebrated while the Naples Grape Festival coming up this weekend will be packed.

A sign of the times I guess

Our QDMA branch had a table there for 2 years some time back. It was at the Region 8 headquarters. The Booth pricing was getting high (Typical NYS fashion). and what vendors were there, many we kind of junky to be honest. It's why I don't go the the State Fair anymore. loaded with crap vendors and they didn't do a good job of promoting the shows and events i guess. 

I remember going to the national hunting and fishing days and it was packed. water dog demonstrations and lots to do. Now it seemed like a quick spin through vendor tables and out. 

[NFA-ADK]

Not to many new hunters coming into the fray, most are stuck playing games on the computer or playing on the phone.  Sad but this is not just NY it is nation wide.  Hunting and the pursuit of game is on the decline, makes me wonder if hunting will be present 50-100 years from now.  

[DDT]

Nothing stays the same. Sadly, in it's heydays the Avon field days were a good promotion. My son and I enjoyed attending. I instilled the love of hunting in him. Now it's a part of his lifestyle. I grew up on a farm, being outdoors as much as I could. Learned from my elders. My dad said "your handshake is a contract". Couldn't think of a better way to grow up. I did my best to give those values to my kids. It's a sign of the times as outdoors activity fades away.

Now.... in a hunting state like New York it is hardly mentioned or celebrated while the Naples Grape Festival coming up this weekend will be packed.

Good place to stay away from. My son and I are going to camp Saturday morning. We'll go through Naples early to avoid the melee.

Glad you brought up the subject.

[cbyzerman]

hunting will be like trapping someday.........  pretty much non existent.   Sad but true.........

[Five Seasons]

shows and expos are a dying breed in general. you can get so much information online now. videos from outfitters, testimony, reviews etc. The only benefit now is hands on and even that is more and more unnecessary. 

What knowledge on a product or outfitter would you get at an expo that you couldn't get online? besides a pushy salesman. 

[Core]

38 minutes ago, NFA-ADK said:

Not to many new hunters coming into the fray, most are stuck playing games on the computer or playing on the phone.  Sad but this is not just NY it is nation wide.  Hunting and the pursuit of game is on the decline, makes me wonder if hunting will be present 50-100 years from now.  

Safer to keep kids indoors on the screen. The big bad world out there is a terrible place full of risk and danger. You can't be hit by a car or fall out of a tree if you're developing low back pain on the couch and getting fatter.

I do wonder where the future will go for hunting.

My dad never hunted, I picked it up by myself. Finally, three years after doing it, I've convinced my brother to do the same (he's in Canada).

[sits in trees]

Most young people I know are working two jobs and that includes weekends. They also can't buy hunting equipment on ten dollar an hour jobs

[Culvercreek hunt club]

1 hour ago, sits in trees said:

Most young people I know are working two jobs and that includes weekends. They also can't buy hunting equipment on ten dollar an hour jobs

what ages are you talking about when you say young people?

[G-Man]

2 hours ago, sits in trees said:

Most young people I know are working two jobs and that includes weekends. They also can't buy hunting equipment on ten dollar an hour jobs

thats why i trapped as a kid made 1000 bucks in a few weeks.

[sits in trees]

58 minutes ago, Culvercreek hunt club said:

what ages are you talking about when you say young people?

The ages vary, but the ones I'm talking about are the ones who should be starting the American dream with a real career and real jobs and have the money to continue the hunting tradition the way I did when I was young. This so called great economy of young folks working for peanuts with no sick time or vacation time and low pay ,not to mention straddled with college debt does little to help young Americans get into the sport

[steve863]

4 minutes ago, sits in trees said:

The ages vary, but the ones I'm talking about are the ones who should be starting the American dream with a real career and real jobs and have the money to continue the hunting tradition the way I did when I was young. This so called great economy of young folks working for peanuts with no sick time or vacation time and low pay ,not to mention straddled with college debt does little to help young Americans get into the sport

 

They find ways to buy $1000 iphones, don't they?  You could buy a perfectly adequate rifle, scope, a few boxes of ammo, license for less than that.  I think your theory of why they are not hunting is not correct.

 

 

[Five Seasons]

Do your part and pass it on. If you don't have kids of your own, volunteer to mentor. It's the only way we can keep the tradition alive. 

[Jeremy K]

22 minutes ago, sits in trees said:

The ages vary, but the ones I'm talking about are the ones who should be starting the American dream with a real career and real jobs and have the money to continue the hunting tradition the way I did when I was young. This so called great economy of young folks working for peanuts with no sick time or vacation time and low pay ,not to mention straddled with college debt does little to help young Americans get into the sport

Sounds like the jobs everyone started out with ,i know i did. 

[DDT]

3 minutes ago, Jeremy K said:

Sounds like the jobs everyone started out with ,i know i did. 

My first job was at the mall in a women's clothing store. I was in charge of the panties table. True story.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

1 hour ago, sits in trees said:

The ages vary, but the ones I'm talking about are the ones who should be starting the American dream with a real career and real jobs and have the money to continue the hunting tradition the way I did when I was young. This so called great economy of young folks working for peanuts with no sick time or vacation time and low pay ,not to mention straddled with college debt does little to help young Americans get into the sport

They aren't looking hard enough or made poor decisions in acquiring all that college debt. If a person wants to learn a skilled trade there are literally boat loads of opportunities just not many in NY thanks to the high tax environment. . Our apprenticeships for high school grads start out at $19 and hour in MD. Raise every 6 months and we pay the schooling and books. At end of 4 years (22 years old) they are at 38 an hour. another year (23 years old) to make certified craft and that up to $42. Foreman is $46  This program isn't unique.

[Core]

People aren't into hunting for various reasons but lack of money is not one of them. It's not expensive to start and unlike everything else in this state permits are cheap. 

[Jdubs]

5 hours ago, sits in trees said:

Most young people I know are working two jobs and that includes weekends. They also can't buy hunting equipment on ten dollar an hour jobs

I say this respectfully: people of all ages make choices about how they spend their disposable income.  Some have a discipline to work and save, some don't.  Some live at the edge of their means by choice. 

Watching "esports" become a thing at least begins to explain the lesser attraction to hunting these days for younger people.  Like it or not, smart phones, ipads and gaming are huge draws for millenials.  I think if established hunters make the effort to connect with new hunters through electronic platforms, there is a good chance for success to advance the sport. 

[jmark]

Where we live (40 minutes north of Manhattan), there are tons of young people.  I was a PTA chair and I know many of the kids and parents in our town (most of them).  I know exactly one young person who is in any way interested in hunting - my son (14 yo).  The rest of them... video games, etc.  It's depressing.  I grew up in NC, where every kid had a .22 by age of 8 (at the latest), and we carried them around in the woods and "shot stuff" after school every day.  Hunting and firearms were a basic part of life.  Here in lower NYS... well, let's put it this way, I had to go to the school and to the local police department to explain myself when my son posted an image of a rifle on his Instagram account.  It's bad, folks.  Very bad.  (Upstate not so much, thankfully...)

[Daveboone]

Last week end there was a big outdoors fair at a local fish hatchery...demonstrations on fishing, trapping, ML and reenacting...quite a decent show, with a corporate sponsor (In Manlius, as I remember, Carpenters Brook Hatchery maybe? I was out of town and missed it).

[Reb]

5 hours ago, Culvercreek hunt club said:

They aren't looking hard enough or made poor decisions in acquiring all that college debt. If a person wants to learn a skilled trade there are literally boat loads of opportunities just not many in NY thanks to the high tax environment. . Our apprenticeships for high school grads start out at $19 and hour in MD. Raise every 6 months and we pay the schooling and books. At end of 4 years (22 years old) they are at 38 an hour. another year (23 years old) to make certified craft and that up to $42. Foreman is $46  This program isn't unique.

I am in the HVAC field which pays pretty darn good and I can say there is a huge labor shortage,its to the point that companies are willing to hire and train people that have no experience.  These days Anyone,especially young people that say they can't find a job besides a low paying McDonalds job aren't looking very hard.  

[ncountry]

100%

I run the construction side of a small company and it is close to impossible to find skilled help. Heck I would be happy with an intelligent 20 yr old kid who knows how to work and was willing to learn.. . Every business owner I talk to has the same problem.

[Hunter007]

13 hours ago, NFA-ADK said:

Not to many new hunters coming into the fray, most are stuck playing games on the computer or playing on the phone.  Sad but this is not just NY it is nation wide.  Hunting and the pursuit of game is on the decline, makes me wonder if hunting will be present 50-100 years from now.  

It will always be around I think but in  greatly diminished  numbers in the future probably . But then again I heard the CEO of Tesla  say in 20  50 100 years humans will become more like robots then humans cyborgs .

The smart phone was the start of that process he said . Soon he said they will have the technology to transplant your smart phone in your body or brain believe it or not according to him .

Scary stuff it's either that or ai robots will take over altogether he predicts. 

 

Edited September 29, 2018 by Storm914

[Bolt action]

I enjoy going to shows like this. It's not often I get to connect with so many people about outdoor topics. Whether it's phesant hunting, wildlife biologists, muzzleloaders, or anything else.. I enjoy the time, advice, conversation and demonstrations that I get. I keep my ears and eyes in for information about these and can honestly say I had no idea this was taking place.. It's too bad. I would've brought my son.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I am in the HVAC field which pays pretty darn good and I can say there is a huge labor shortage,its to the point that companies are willing to hire and train people that have no experience.  These days Anyone,especially young people that say they can't find a job besides a low paying McDonalds job aren't looking very hard.  

We are using pipe fitters and plumbers. Electricians in r same boat