Hunter Recruitment

[JBen]

Not sure how to help with big game. Hunt camps if you can are a good way. Others like WF, Turkey, even bear. Guides are a viable option to help pick up first hand knowledge, while trying to develop your own skills, places and experience.

Good article on that in the June issue.

[MikePal]

As a new hunter (first year hunting started last Sept 2014) who is starting this sport in his 40s I've found it pretty frustrating to get started. I don't come from a hunting background and I've had to teach myself what I can by reading and trial and error. There was a lot of trial and error and not much success for me last year.

Thanks for posting....I was actually surprised when I was looking up the info here that there is a huge percentage (55%) of the new recruits that are older. I would have assumed that most would have been youth.

In Ontario right now 20% of the people taking hunter education courses are women. Another roughly 25% are youth. Last year we put 25,000 new hunters through the hunter education program. You can do the math—you're probably better at it than I am—but 45% of those 25,000 were either young people or women.

I would have imagined that it would be easier for older guys to find their way around and network into hunt camps etc. But your saying it's still a challenge.

Good luck...

[welsh]

I would say, looking at recent posts from new hunters, that the scorn many people here heap on people from Toronto (& from cities in general) reflects a problem. You don't encourage people to take up hunting by calling them citiots.

[JBen]

Agreed welsh.
In other threads pertaining to "Cecil", I have referenced the we (and this includes non hunters).

Take any topic/subject/issue in life. Does anything ever get resolved, improved if all people from any camp is point fingers?

Here's a "thought". If we can agree that one issue as it pertains to the various conservation issues,,or bears or XY is because youth, people in cities are disconnected from nature. That doesn't mean they are dumb, or ignorant or...

That we need them? Today and tomorrow?

Just consider the challenges for people in the cities. Getting land is becoming harder and harder. Ranges to practise or sight in. Mentors and more. I have a ton of connections/friends, open invites to many places through out Ont, thanks to what I do. I find it hard, very........

"We" should be thinking about doing a 180 and how we can get more people from cities, especially youth.Back to nature and the outdoors. Not making them feel unwelcome or orher.

[chrispret]

As an older (41) new hunter, I took the course last year with a friend. He hasn't done any hunting and also didn't buy a license. I don't see him doing so this year either.

I hunted public land last year and almost landed a buck, but due to inexperience I let him get away. I will definitely be hitting the woods again this year and will hopefully be better prepared.

From a new hunter's perspective, I had very little support (I did get some advice from fellow archers at my club) and I find it hard to find hunting land. I'm lucky in that I live close to public land, but I can't imagine it would be easy for others who don't have that.

This is a significant barrier to cross for new hunters. Mix into that the fact that hunting isn't easy and I can understand why lots of people give up after their first year.

[Snowwalker]

On a brighter note, my new hunter and I are talking and things are going good. He has some gear and a little experience so that helps. I am looking forward to hunting some geese this fall with him in the early season, and maybe it will be the start of a life of memories and camp stories..

[kickingfrog]

I was at a ofah zone meeting today and one stat that was mentioned was that about 20% of the people taking the hunter safety course are women, whereas in the past that was closer to 4%. Not sure what role that plays, if any.

[MikePal]

As an older (41) new hunter, I took the course last year with a friend. He hasn't done any hunting and also didn't buy a license. I don't see him doing so this year either

Mix into that the fact that hunting isn't easy and I can understand why lots of people give up after their first year.

Sounds like your situation is the norm, with only 50% of the course grads buying hunting licenses. Not that it's wrong, because having people get out and becoming more familiar with Hunting is always a good thing.

I was at a ofah zone meeting today and one stat that was mentioned was that about 20% of the people taking the hunter safety course are women, whereas in the past that was closer to 4%. Not sure what role that plays, if any.

Hi Dorthy, I think as we become a more gender neutral society, women seem to feel more comfortable immersing themselves in non traditional pastimes. I see/saw it with my own two daughters.

Unfortunately, like I mentioned before, I heard some troubling stories from guys visiting our camp that guys were getting their wives/Gfs etc to take the course just so they could get extra tags.

[Fox]

Sounds like your situation is the norm, with only 50% of the course grads hunting licenses. Not that it's wrong, because having people get out and becoming more familiar with Hunting is always a good thing.



Hi Dorthy, I think as we become a more gender neutral society, women seem more feel comfortable immersing themselves in non traditional pastimes. I see/saw it with my own two daughters.

Unfortunately, like I mentioned before, I heard some troubling stories from guys visiting our camp that guys were getting their wives/Gfs etc to take the course just so they could get extra tags.

That is just poaching, unless they are out hunting but I know I have heard it before as well.
Give the tag to the husband who goes out hunting.

[kickingfrog]

I guess I missed the part where the current percent of women was weighed against the former.

I also get my straw men and scarecrows mixed up as well so what do I know.