Hunter Recruitment

[finsfurfeathers]

If you're saying that we should keep our moral or ethical views to ourselves as long as people are within the law, I disagree.

You are having a bit of trouble reading my posts. Hunting should be govern first by legal definition. Tempered by an ethical conscience however another's moral plays no part in what you do.

[welsh]

Just a question on that...If I can legally shoot pocket gophers with my TAC-50, but you think it's unsporting are you going to be mean and call me hurtful names? 

No, but I am going to argue that you ought not to.

You are having a bit of trouble reading my posts.

Correct. And there's a reason for that.

[Snowwalker]

No, but I am going to argue that you ought not to.

And so why should I not?...I don't think I would even have to hit the gopher. Just the fact that I am hurling rounds at it that are the same size as the gopher could be enough to give it a heart attack..

[scud_17]

i think some people have it right... more people are taking after the more popular waterfowl and small game hunting.. With television shows such as duck dynasty, there is no wonder why people are going more towards that way of hunting, in which means you can take multiple limits per year for a lower price instead of one tag for a much higher cost for the liscence..

[welsh]

And so why should I not?...I don't think I would even have to hit the gopher. Just the fact that I am hurling rounds at it that are the same size as the gopher could be enough to give it a heart attack..

I'm not saying you should not. I'm answering your hypothetical case.

[trimmer21]

Legality has to be the final word. Morals and ethics are very subjective. Different strokes for different folks. Judge not lest ye be judged.

[Snowwalker]

I'm not saying you should not. I'm answering your hypothetical case.

Well at $32.71US for ten rounds.....price would make me talk myself out of it long before you could..

[tbasse01]

I took a quick look thru the remainder of the MNR Harvest reports this morning for the big game data and see that the trend in Hunter Numbers was, across the board, not overly positive.

Estimated Moose numbers; taking a look at the report at link it says that the estimated numbers of moose hunters dropped in 50+ % of the MWU's since 2006.

https://dr6j45jk9xcmk.cloudfront.net...tivity-and.pdf

Bear licenses have actually stayed pretty stable from 2003-2013, 17,000 to 21,000 or 20% growth over 13 years or 1.5 % annually…which translates to only about 300 more licenses per year.

https://dr6j45jk9xcmk.cloudfront.net...ty-harvest.pdf

Add that data to what the Deer numbers show (down in over 50% of the MWU's) and the very low growth (+1.5 %) of the Waterfowl permits sold, it's apparent that the Hunter recruitment numbers (how many are taking the courses), while impressive to the OFAH, are less than adequate to maintain sustainably of the sport. Especially since when you look at the increase in Hunter Licenses sold to them is only about 50%.

In most cases it appears that Hunter recruitment is barely covering the decline of hunter numbers in many WMU's and in most cases (over 50%) are not replacing the Hunters who are dropping out of the sport. Failure ? Definitely not a success.

Should we be overly concerned? Does it matter ?

MikePal

the answer is pretty simple for hunter recruitment

I am a new hunter 1 year

I went to the course with 7 other people we took pal non and restricted and hunting course

all 7 of us purchased only small game license for predator hunting

I am the only one who has bought turkey and deer tags of all my buddies

and with the older hunters passing on or not hunting due to health the numbers are going to drop

shooting sports are huge and growing and a lot just take the hunting course "just in case " but 90% are for shooting sports and the hunter course is just a by product

[welsh]

Legality has to be the final word. Morals and ethics are very subjective. Different strokes for different folks. Judge not lest ye be judged.

The alternative view is that if hunters aren't willing to have conversations about ethics, others will have those conversations for them.

[Snowwalker]

The alternative view is that if hunters aren't willing to have conversations about ethics, others will have those conversations for them.

You mean like Anti's deciding that the best way to control coyote numbers is to not shoot them so that they don't have to have babies to replace the ones we shoot? Yup that is how they think.