Good Article on Hunting Trends in the U.S.

[Lunatic]

2 hours ago, Tarhunt said:

Video games are destroying kid's participation in the outdoors.

I think the bigger picture is overall pussification of America. Can do this, can't do that. Can't let the kid play outside without adult supervision, can't ride without a helmet, can't play with BB gun, can't play with fake guns, can't be mean to other kids, no one wins no one loses, God forbid your kid played with a bow and arrow, can't roller skate  anywhere , can't skate on the lake, can't swim anywhere, and don't even think about posting pictures from your hunt of target practice with your father without suspension.  

[Tarhunt]

13 minutes ago, Lunatic said:

I think the bigger picture is overall pussification of America. Can do this, can't do that. Can't let the kid play outside without adult supervision, can't ride without a helmet, can't play with BB gun, can't play with fake guns, can't be mean to other kids, no one wins no one loses, God forbid your kid played with a bow and arrow, can't roller skate  anywhere , can't skate on the lake, can't swim anywhere, and don't even think about posting pictures from your hunt of target practice with your father without suspension.  

That's probably the biggest part of the kids not going outside.

[Lunatic]

6 minutes ago, Tarhunt said:

That's probably the biggest part of the kids not going outside.

And think about their video games. Its guns, crime , fighting, killing, sports  and everything else we did, only we did it  outside:-) 

Edited February 8, 2019 by Lunatic

[bucky]

48 minutes ago, Lunatic said:

I think the bigger picture is overall pussification of America. Can do this, can't do that. Can't let the kid play outside without adult supervision, can't ride without a helmet, can't play with BB gun, can't play with fake guns, can't be mean to other kids, no one wins no one loses, God forbid your kid played with a bow and arrow, can't roller skate  anywhere , can't skate on the lake, can't swim anywhere, and don't even think about posting pictures from your hunt of target practice with your father without suspension.  

and worst of all are the high school kids that cant even walk to the bus stop even if its at the end of their driveway,most parents sit in the car with them until the bus comes. If you are one of those parents, congratulation at being a absolute  pussificator 

Edited February 8, 2019 by bucky

[Kype]

My daughter is 3 years old. And she keeps telling me she wants to go hunting and fishing with me which is awesome and I can't wait to take her out fishing this summer. However im afraid as she gets older and makes friends. Her interest will slowly fade away. 

[njbirddog]

I think the urban \ rural statement is true if its a way of life, but NJ has as good as, or better fishing and hunting opportunities then other states, (within reason).   Good duck, deer, pheasant, great  SW fishing.   Trout fishing, not so much. 

I'd say the biggest decline is simple.   Hunting is a high effort - low success kind of hobby with a high cost of entry especially if you don't have a mentor to lend equipment and transfer knowledge.     As a duck hunter, most guys don't want to wake up at 4am sit in the cold, put out decoys, all morning and not get a shot off.    Its a lot of work.     Its way easier to sit on the couch on a Saturday and watch college football. 

 

Edited February 8, 2019 by njbirddog

[Lunatic]

1 minute ago, Kype said:

My daughter is 3 years old. And she keeps telling me she wants to go hunting and fishing with me which is awesome and I can't wait to take her out fishing this summer. However im afraid as she gets older and makes friends. Her interest will slowly fade away. 

They will change many times. Part of growing up.

[Bonefreak]

.....from the article.

Yikes!

 

Shifting demographics play a big part. Hunters have historically been white men; today, more than 90 percent of hunters are Caucasian, and more than 70 percent are male. But soon—by 2044, according to U.S. Census projections—Caucasians will make up less than half the U.S. population. 

[DV1]

21 hours ago, Lunatic said:

I don't agree that lengthening of deer season had anything to do with drop in participation. 
 

I seems to have a good bit to do with it around here, mostly because the club hunting thing is so big. Remember, these are kids we are talking about, they see things differently than adults. How excited would your kids be about Christmas morning it it lasted for a month?

It does matter to them...the excitement of the rare event draws interest for them. If it lasts for a month or more, what's the big deal, they can do it anytime, so they put it off and do "other" things and then never really get motivated to get out there.

It isn't the only reason, but it IS part of the reason. 

[Lunatic]

6 minutes ago, DV1 said:

I seems to have a good bit to do with it around here, mostly because the club hunting thing is so big. Remember, these are kids we are talking about, they see things differently than adults. How excited would your kids be about Christmas morning it it lasted for a month?

It does matter to them...the excitement of the rare event draws interest for them. If it lasts for a month or more, what's the big deal, they can do it anytime, so they put it off and do "other" things and then never really get motivated to get out there.

It isn't the only reason, but it IS part of the reason. 

I still don't agree. Kids don' run with muzzleloaders and after  6 day there are only 3 days of shotgun hunting in December. By January deer are nucturnal in you club driven world so it makes no sense to me someone would not be excited for the six day because they can chase ghosts in January. This makes no sense to me but who cares we can agree to disagree

[tommymo]

While I agree with kids not spending any time out side unless its scheduled in advance,I don't believe it's the reason for the decline in hunter recruitment trends. I grew up in a time very much like all of you, where you came home at dusk, covered in dirt begging to stay out for 5 more minutes, kids playing up and down the street. I have to say, out of all of those kids I'm the only one who hunts, truthfully I only know a couple of folks who do.

I honestly believe that there is a "Hunter" gene, and some folks have it, others have lost it due to 100's of years of industrially provided convenience, they've lost their need of the pursuit. It's sad but I get it all the time from folks when the topic of hunting come up. Comments like, you wake up at 2 in the morning to sit in the freezing cold waiting to shoot something, NO THANKsS!! Why don't you just go buy a steak? I can't believe you shoot Bambi......no I shoot his father!

I have 2 boys, I selfishly pray that both of them will take up the passion that others call a sickness, I would love the company! Honestly, all I can do is take them out and expose them to nature and show them where food really comes from. Unfortunately, only time will only tell if they have it or they don't, either way I'll be fine with it, its not going to stop me.

I think the bigger issue at hand is how society is producing a level of weakness that defies common sense. My wife and I had to go see the principal this past Wednesday to pick up our 7 year old because he was caught talking to a student about stabbing something in the eye. The teacher or principal didn't even care to ask what they were talking about, they were immediately separated and my son removed from the class. The end result was my son was sharing a scene from a fictional story based on the NJ shark attack of 1916.  We were told he shouldn't be reading those kind of books..........I lost my shit.

[Live to Hunt]

God I am so thankful for the way I grew up. My entire childhood was spent outdoors. Building forts, fires 🔥, hiking, climbing trees, playing Rambo, and then at 16 started hunting. Growing up I had 2 dogs at different times and they came everywhere with me. Except up the trees 🤣. I have no children to mentor and kinda don’t have the patience. Rather hunt alone or with someone who is as nuts about this stuff as me. 

[Lunatic]

7 minutes ago, tommymo said:

While I agree with kids not spending any time out side unless its scheduled in advance,I don't believe it's the reason for the decline in hunter recruitment trends. I grew up in a time very much like all of you, where you came home at dusk, covered in dirt begging to stay out for 5 more minutes, kids playing up and down the street. I have to say, out of all of those kids I'm the only one who hunts, truthfully I only know a couple of folks who do.

I honestly believe that there is a "Hunter" gene, and some folks have it, others have lost it due to 100's of years of industrially provided convenience, they've lost their need of the pursuit. It's sad but I get it all the time from folks when the topic of hunting come up. Comments like, you wake up at 2 in the morning to sit in the freezing cold waiting to shoot something, NO THANKsS!! Why don't you just go buy a steak? I can't believe you shoot Bambi......no I shoot his father!

I have 2 boys, I selfishly pray that both of them will take up the passion that others call a sickness, I would love the company! Honestly, all I can do is take them out and expose them to nature and show them where food really comes from. Unfortunately, only time will only tell if they have it or they don't, either way I'll be fine with it, its not going to stop me.

I think the bigger issue at hand is how society is producing a level of weakness that defies common sense. My wife and I had to go see the principal this past Wednesday to pick up our 7 year old because he was caught talking to a student about stabbing something in the eye. The teacher or principal didn't even care to ask what they were talking about, they were immediately separated and my son removed from the class. The end result was my son was sharing a scene from a fictional story based on the NJ shark attack of 1916.  We were told he shouldn't be reading those kind of books..........I lost my shit.

To your two pints

It is Call of the wilds

It is pussyfication of America

I don't think we are seeing genetic changes because they are usually to slow for us to recognize them in a life time. However, I think you are right on when it comes to social pressures changing our kids behavior

[JHbowhunter]

On 2/8/2019 at 8:53 AM, Gobblengrunt said:

It’s very hard in today’s society.  I’m in the woods everyday of my life.  I shoot archery or guns everyday of my life.  My kids see my obsession with the outdoors and the joy it brings me.  Yet, it’s hard to get my kids to enjoy the same because of the huge influence of ALL their friends.  It’s a struggle to get them away from video games or just to get them outside.  I would love to mentor or teach a young or new hunter what I have learned but I feel guilty if I’m not doing the same for my own kids.  The great outdoors is definitely a dying passion.

and there you have it - he summed up what I believe the #1 reason for declining participation. It's a product of society, there is only so much we can do.  I could make up some numbers and say that in born in the 60s and 70s,  90% or more of kids born into sportsman families carried on that tradition, and kids born in the 90s and 2000's, only have a 30% continuation rate.

Again - those are just made up number to reinforce Gobblengrunt's point. 

[Rusty]

19 hours ago, Tarhunt said:

That's probably the biggest part of the kids not going outside.

Today, parents that let their kids play outside are labeled "free range" parents and are criticized for being unsafe.