Hunter Numbers Continue Their Decline, DNR Concerned About Funding

[10x25mm]

Long form story in today's Detroit Free Press on the eve of deer hunting season bemoaning the continued decline in the numbers of people hunting in Michigan:

https://www.freep.com/story/news/loc...ng/1924497002/

Michigan hunting in major decline — why that matters
Keith Matheny, Detroit Free Press Published 8:00 a.m. ET Nov. 9, 2018 | Updated 12:26 p.m. ET Nov. 9, 2018

Hunting, and to a lesser extent fishing, are on the decline in Michigan — with a particularly alarming drop in hunting that's only going to get steeper, as the baby boomers who have driven the sport for decades age and drop away.

This could pose a crisis in how Michigan funds its wildlife and habitat programs; have a huge, negative impact on the state's economy, and raises the specter of deer overpopulation, accompanying animal diseases and increases in car-deer accidents.

From a high of 785,000 deer hunters in 1998, the number of licenses sold for Michigan's firearm deer-hunting season last year was down to 621,000 — a nearly 21 percent decline. And those remaining hunters are graying, with most in their late 40s to late 60s, according to a demographic analysis conducted by Michigan Technological University. By 2035, projections are that the late-'90s rate will be cut by more than half.

That group of hunters will continue to decline and then reach a dramatic collapse as age forces them out of the woods almost collectively, with nothing near adequate replacement numbers behind them in younger generations.

That matters whether you love, loathe or are indifferent to hunting and fishing. License fees and surcharges on hunting and fishing gear purchases fund most of the wildlife management and habitat preservation and restoration work done by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. And hunting contributes $2.3 billion annually to Michigan's economy and supports more than 34,000 jobs, according to the DNR.

"People who hunt and fish in this state have really paid for conservation in this state, over a very long time," DNR Director Keith Creagh said.

Michigan's highly lucrative hunt, for decades, has been driven by one population cohort: white, male baby boomers, said Richelle Winkler, an associate professor in Michigan Tech's Department of Social Sciences and author of the hunting demographics study.

"Those hunters, those people in that generation, have participated in hunting at very high rates throughout their whole life, compared to other generations," she said. "And there are a lot of them."

Younger people are still getting outdoors — they're just not hunting. State park attendance and trail usage are at all-time highs, and activities such as bird-watching, paddleboarding and kayaking are soaring.

Looming in the demographic data on hunters is an upcoming wall — an age where the physical rigors of hunting lead to a near-complete dropout. Historically, it has been around age 70, the data shows. While passionate baby boomers are pushing that wall farther out, a point will come where they have to hang up the hunter's orange for good.....

Lot's more at the hyperlink, above, including some good graphics.

Nowhere in the article are the DNR's license fee increases or the complexification of hunting regulations mentioned.

This decline also portends the diminishing political influence of hunters and shooters as well.

[Smokepole]

Long form story in today's Detroit Free Press on the eve of deer hunting season bemoaning the continued decline in the numbers of people hunting in Michigan:

https://www.freep.com/story/news/loc...ng/1924497002/



Lot's more at the hyperlink, above, including some good graphics.

Nowhere in the article are the DNR's license fee increases or the complexification of hunting regulations mentioned.

This decline also portends the diminishing political influence of hunters and shooters as well.

...Who needs the hassle?

I can see the difference around here, big time.
There used to be dozens of duck hunters out here every fall.
Now,just a few.

In the winter,there used to be dozens of shanties out on the ice.
I used to be able to count 80 to maybe a 100.
Now maybe a dozen,and that's it.

[Quads]

The DNR has only themselves to blame over the decline. Year after year they make it more and more a PITA to get out in the field or on the lakes. Existing hunters get more and more fed up with it and stop jumping through the hoops, or hunt less than years prior and new hunters aren't coming out to the field.

Poor hunting culture, nothing to attract new or the next generation of hunters and horrible oversight and management by DNR.

[Sledhead]

Maybe they should have another early deer season to get new hunters.

Deer season should start in late August.

[Jackam]

Maybe they should have another early deer season to get new hunters.

Deer season should start in late August.

For Left Handed shooters.

[Jackam]

DNR Concerned About Funding

The last time they needed cash, they offered Lifetime Hunting Licenses.

In Minnesota, you can buy a lifetime, anytime.

[DrScaryGuy]

The DNR has only themselves to blame over the decline. Year after year they make it more and more a PITA to get out in the field or on the lakes. Existing hunters get more and more fed up with it and stop jumping through the hoops, or hunt less than years prior and new hunters aren't coming out to the field.

Poor hunting culture, nothing to attract new or the next generation of hunters and horrible oversight and management by DNR.

why go hunt and get dirty for venison when you can get beef that grows between a styrofoam tray and a plastic wrapper?
or the new hybrid version that grows between two plastic sheets and falls out of the pack without actually having to touch it?

[luckless]

I guess spending a bunch of money on more COs to enforce their convoluted regulations wasn't the answer.

[CyborgHunter]

Agree with all the comments above.
In addition to those, I'd like to add the nearly unlimited doe permits decimating herds on State land while farmers have learned to monetize access to the deer on their property.

Into the '70s there was 1 doe permit per every 10 hunters.
Now, as the article reports, some places give out 10 doe permits per every 1 Hunter.
Farmers used to be glad to allow hunters to cull deer on their land, now they charge hundreds or thousnads to "lease" it for hunting.

They are killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.

[crankythunder]

While I still hunt deer and small game, I used to be a big time duck hunter.

The duck hunting regulations got so complex that it is a good thing we got smart phones now, you need a computer in the duck boat to figure out if you can shoot that particular duck at this time in the morning.

And every time I went duck hunting, always got checked by the Conservation officer and while yeah, that's part of their job, it seams that after that guy stops you four or five times a year he should know your a honest hunter and follow the rules. Plus, how come they are so pissed off every day of duck season!


I just got fed up trying to figure out the rules and got afraid that I would be a violator from ignorance, and with the heavy and obnoxious enforcement, I no longer go duck hunting. Used to enjoy it too!

Frustrating!


Regards,
Cranky