I have largely hung it up because of the increasingly enormous numbers of hunters. Apparently somewhere I've never been, has fewer hunters. Lucky you.

The history was interesting and well written. The main jist of it hit the nail on the head. Young potential hunters aren't interested as they were a few decades ago because it's the internet age.
Time and money priorities are so different now.
Just yesterday, I went to my range and coming out of the lane saw a kid pull out of a small neighborhood riding his bicycle. After about 200 feet he pulled to the side and got on his cellphone.
Parents are potentially less interested in hunting these days too, so there is much less or no encouragement from them as generations prior.
This didn't all happen in 5 years.

I don't hunt anymore because of loss of places to hunt. It seems that nearly all the places to hunt are taken up on hunting leases, and I don't have the resources to spend leasing a place to hunt. I read about people spending many thousands of dollars to hunt good places and take a trophy animal and I guess if you have the means that's okay, but I don't. I thought when I retired I would spend some time hunting but I have onset emphysema and won't dare hunt elk here in Colorado.

When hunting became more about fame and money.

It started the down fall.

When land owners decide they could make money charging for hunting rights.

City people buying country land and bringing their city ways with them.

When wild life agencies started requiring mandatory guide service.

When wildlife agencies and their governing bodies increase the regulations making them over complicated. Draw for this, draw for that. Dead line for this dead line for that.

When states decided to X times the amount of a resident tag for non-resident hunters

It was the start of driving the average Joe out of the field.

When the media decided ball sports of all types were the ticket to fame and fortune.

When the population went from rural to urban it is a lot easer to play golf or watch football then find a hunting spot.

When parents place the important on ball sports and not hunting.

These among many others are driving the numbers of hunters down.

There are more hunters in Colorado now than there ever has been.
If hunting is a dying sport then who in the hell is drawing all the tags here in Colorado?
I see lots of kids in the field here and in other states so I'm not quite sure the accuracy of the statements.

quote:

Originally posted by Snellstrom:
There are more hunters in Colorado now than there ever has been.
If hunting is a dying sport then who in the hell is drawing all the tags here in Colorado?
I see lots of kids in the field here and in other states so I'm not quite sure the accuracy of the statements.

Yep, and the same thing goes in Wyoming even with the fee increase that took effect for this 2018 season!

There must be regional differences. As indicated above for CO and WY, NM had record applicants for available tags this year. However, that doesn't necessarily translate to more hunters. It may indicate that existing hunters are just applying for more hunts in more or different states. This is supported by the research indicating an aging population of hunters - as we as a group get older, and probably a bit more affluent, we apply for more and different hunts. I know I sure put in for more tags now than I did when I was a starving college student.

As hunting opportunities decrease in states with mostly private land, we can expect competition for tags on public land (aka the west) to increase, at least until folks get tired of not drawing tags and find other pursuits like their comrades who gave up when their honey hole got paved over or leased out.

Some states do a good job of recruiting kids. NM finally got on the ball a few years ago and now has all kinds of great opportunities for youth hunters. However, there are still thousands of kids who are unsuccessful in the draw. How many times will they get skunked before they or their parents just quit trying?

In some locations I wonder if we're actually victims of our own success, while in many others the interest is waning as shown in nationwide research.

The situation varies from state to state. Here in Texas many folks have simply been squeezed out of hunmting due to a lack of Public Land and the cost to get on a Private Lease.

The main reason I went to doing elk hunts in Western Colorado in the early 90's was because it was actually cheaper than getting on a lease here in Texas by the time evetrything wass figured in.

Also, here in Texas, not only do you have to follow TP&W's regulations but also the management rules set up by the landowner.

For the most part, unless you own land or have close family that owns land, it gets hard to find places to hunt anything, including pigs.

TP&W does the best they can by offering drawn management hunts on state owned property and on private properties that are working in conjunction with TP&W, such as the Mule Deer hunt Lora and I got drawn for in 2015.

Add in the changing attitudes toward hunting by the Public in general and I don't see a bright future for hunting.

Found this informastion last night and found it interesting.

This is from the Colorado Game and Parks website and the data is current for 2018.

The official leftover big game limited licenses list for deer, elk, bear and pronghorn is now available on the CPW website.

These remaining limited licenses provide hunting access on specific Game Management Units (GMUs) and offer Colorado big-game hunters some great opportunities this big game hunting season.

The leftover licenses go on sale Tuesday, August 7 at 9:00 a.m (MDT). NOTE: at 9:00 a.m. licenses will be available for purchase online (CPWshop.com), by phone at 1-800-244-5613 , in person at CPW offices and at license retailers (sporting goods stores, hunting and fishing supply stores, etc.).

There are more than 50,000 big game hunting licenses available on the leftover list this year.

Bear – more than 4,900 limited licenses available

Deer – more than 8,400 limited licenses available

Elk – more than 29,100 limited licenses available

Pronghorn – more than 7,400 limited licenses available

Personally I find it difficult to understand how there can be that many license left over if so many folks are supposed to be hunting there.

Western State have never driven the absolute number of Sport hunters. We never had enough total population to do that.
That top number was back when the NE hunters flocked out in Red Wool jackets each fall. The Populated South contributed to that as well. The crowds in the popular states are just the concentration of hunters that are still hunting.
Habitat and Habit drive all participation rates both for the Game animal and the pursuer. Many good reason are listed in the posts above for all that.

Here are some interesting stats from the PA game Commission to go along with this..

https://www.huntingpa.com/Deer%20stats.html

CHC....you have to look at what is left over. Most licenses have very low success rates, limited access to public lands, etc. High demand for the good tags.

I will be spending my dollars in South Dakota this years, Colorado's loss.

quote:

Personally I find it difficult to understand how there can be that many license left over if so many folks are supposed to be hunting there.

I went over the list with a fine tooth comb yesterday, many thousands of those licenses are Private Land Only tags, only a handful of the remaining tags are for bucks or bulls the bulk of it is antlerless. Most of the Buck and Bull tags are ones that people drew this year and then changed their mind.
This year in Colorado there was a 100% increase in people applying over last year.

I would not argue with anyone that hunter numbers may be going down in a lot of the eastern states due to the lack of enough decent public land to support the number that might want to hunt. Leasing land for hunting across the USA has increased tremendously over the last 25 years everywhere due to that fact and it's not getting cheaper just like CHC mentioned lease prices in Texas. My Dad's last year around lease on a 2000 acre ranch near George West in Live Oak County was around $1000 per gun back when he quit hunting about 15 years ago due to his age. That was considered cheap at the time and if you went a little southwest of there down toward Freer in Duval County it was common for guys to pay 3 times or more that amount just for the deer season and not a year around lease to shoot hogs, birds, etc. There are a lot of people now, especially from the eastern states that are going on hunts in the western states due to the large amount of public lands available.

Quit bitching boys
Hunting has been hobby for long time, go and hunt and don’t make excuses
Trucks used to cost $ 15 G’s and now they are $ 50 G
Did you quit driving?

I heard these excuses all my life
Ultimately less you hunt, more room for me

Regardless of the reasons, 50K left over tags is still a lot of animals that will not be killed, therefore that creates problems with the management of those species.

Justify it any way you want too, but not ALL of those tags are for private land and not All of those tags are in TROPHY units.

The situation is a lot more convoluted than some want to admit to, but it does prove that hunter numbers, regardless of the reason are declining!

One of the things here is number of game being historically high despite big predators and hunters.
Much of it might be easy winters and plenty of moisture in Springs.
Lots of burned woods provides excellent forage throughout much of a year

And then numbers will crash and circle will begin again
Nothing is constant in nature and of course man always wants to control everything
Sometimes I wonder what’s wrong with us as we can’t seem to come to terms with nature

Tags a rarely if ever set and sold based on biological management and nothing else. Certainly not in free range public land states. Maybe it's different in Delaware and Texas.

Many states try to sell as many tags as they can get away with. Hell Idaho sells whatever non resident tags they do not sell as second tags to anyone who will pay the non resident money, and believe me it ain't because we are awash in elk or anything else. It's about money to support their department employees. They would probably sell elephant tags if they could get some hunter to buy them.

Some how, I do not believe that ANY game department tries to end up with 50K left over license for major Big Game species!

More so, in states that have gone to Draw Only for their major game species such as Elk!

Texas, really does not figure into this, as 90+% of Texas is Private Land and every piece of Private Land that has deer on it is leased out for X number of thousands of dollars per gun.

I looked at the list in Colorado and a lot of those tags are not Private Land Only.

quote:

I looked at the list in Colorado and a lot of those tags are not Private Land Only.

Try looking at it with your glasses ON, they are mostly private land only tags by far. A good portion of the tags that aren't are in units that ARE 100% Private land .

quote:

Originally posted by boarkiller:
One of the things here is number of game being historically high despite big predators and hunters.
Much of it might be easy winters and plenty of moisture in Springs.
Lots of burned woods provides excellent forage throughout much of a year

And then numbers will crash and circle will begin again
Nothing is constant in nature and of course man always wants to control everything
Sometimes I wonder what’s wrong with us as we can’t seem to come to terms with nature

Agree with your last comment. Partly because we are the problem, not nature. We are in uncharted territory with our efforts to balance nature. We changed the habitat and balance of predators and the available land for wild things. We are on an irreversible path for sure. We just don’t know where we are going.

quote:

Try looking at it with your glasses ON,

I did look with my glasses on, and yes a lot of the tags are Private Land Only.

Funny but the last 5 cow elk I killed were all killed on Private Land using tags I received in the drawing.

Regardless of the excuses, 50K left over tags point to problems other than just access issues.

quote:

Texas, really does not figure into this, as 90+% of Texas is Private Land and every piece of Private Land that has deer on it is leased out for X number of thousands of dollars per gun.

That's not an accurate statement. Not all Private land in Texas is leased to hunters. Some is not hunted at all. Some is hunted by family and friends. But it is not open to the public if that is the point you are trying to make.

I also know of a number of ranches that allow TP&W to access their properties through the Texas Youth Hunting Program that allows kids and their parents to come out for a long weekend and hunt management animals for free to introduce the families to hunting. Really a cool program and I tip my hat to the landowners that do so...

You can also find fairly inexpensive doe and management deer packages by contacting the Chamber of Commerce in towns throughout the Hill country and google searches will turn them up too.

My turn off for western hunting on public lands in Colorado was the snowballing of app. fees and waiting to be drawn for a bull or buck tag for years and years. It's not just difficult for us non-residents either. Western states are complicated. My Brother lives in Montana and doesn't get tags for bulls or even buck pronghorns most of the time. So, I don't apply there either. I do not want to drag the process out & get points every year to build myself up to increase my chance of a draw. Had it been a simple process of first in to apply, first out to get a tag, I would have already been hunting there and in other western states too like Wyoming.
Are others tiring of this same issue? It's speculation.

CHC made a good point. However, a tally of leftover tags per year for several years might be the best proof of his theory. Sure seems to be on track. Many other posters also.
Always another angle out there. Aye?

The only way to sidestep the waiting could be to hire an outfitter. If I'm not mistaken, they have an allotment of tags already reserved.
I could be mistaken. Can't recall the specifics with regard to which state, etc. It has been several years since I last did the research. But, then if it is true, then it IS ALSO about the money.
Many times it is these days.

Again the article did open up my eyes. To fully cover the subject a couple pages is not enough.
Happy hunting to all.

CB

I was referring to the chances the average person in Texas has of finding a place to hunt.

My opinion/comments are based completely on what I have witnessed and experienced personally during my life time.

Yes, there are exceptions, that is a fact of life in all things, but in general, statewide hunting opportunities for the average person in Texas have been declining for the past 4 decades.

To claim they haven't is to stick ones head in the sand.

I am well acquainted with TP&W's efforts to provide hunting opportunities, probably better than most as I have been drawn at least once over the years, in EVERY hunt category I have put in for, except Exotics and Yes I got drawn and did the Pronghorn hunt on the Rita Blanca.

Point is for the average person that has been pushed out of hunting due to increasing lease prices and that includes Day Doe hunts, reduced availability of pl;aces to hunt due to land owners leasing their properties year round/all hunting to one group, and that reduces the ability for people to find places to hunt or places to take their kids hunting.

Even doe hunts on many properties are getting higher priced and how can anyone expect to get a kid hooked on hunting when all they do is get up early, go somewhere and climb into a stand and when the sun comes up and the feeder goes off, someone tells the kid to "Pick One and Shoot It"!

How many kids will get hooked on hunting doing that????

It is not just the loss of hunting opportunities that are reducing our numbers, it is the loss of the Total Experience.

Everyone is entitled to think or believe as they choose, but PERSONALLY I do not see a Rosy Futute for hunting, PERIOD.

Society and its attitudes toward hunting have changed so much, especially during the last 30 years that I simply do not see things changing, and I HONESTLY hope I am wrong.

That's not what you said at all. PERIOD.

You know dude, you can never say anything slightly positive or admit you might be a little wrong on any statement you make. Your world must be pretty dark.

And you might be surprised how and what others are involved in. And what we know or don't. You assume we don't know it all, right back at you.

To say Huntmasters on the TYHP hunts say "pick one out and shoot it" shows a lack of what really goes on during their youth hunts. TO be honest, it doesn't change every kid's view of hunting but most leave very excited about the opportunity.

Sorry you are so jaundiced that your opinions are the only ones that count to you...

quote:

Originally posted by custombolt:
My turn off for western hunting on public lands in Colorado was the snowballing of app. fees and waiting to be drawn for a bull or buck tag for years and years. It's not just difficult for us non-residents either. Western states are complicated. My Brother lives in Montana and doesn't get tags for bulls or even buck pronghorns most of the time. So, I don't apply there either. I do not want to drag the process out & get points every year to build myself up to increase my chance of a draw. Had it been a simple process of first in to apply, first out to get a tag, I would have already been hunting there and in other western states too like Wyoming.
Are others tiring of this same issue? It's speculation.

CHC made a good point. However, a tally of leftover tags per year for several years might be the best proof of his theory. Sure seems to be on track. Many other posters also.
Always another angle out there. Aye?

The only way to sidestep the waiting could be to hire an outfitter. If I'm not mistaken, they have an allotment of tags already reserved.
I could be mistaken. Can't recall the specifics with regard to which state, etc. It has been several years since I last did the research. But, then if it is true, then it IS ALSO about the money.
Many times it is these days.

Again the article did open up my eyes. To fully cover the subject a couple pages is not enough.
Happy hunting to all.

CB

Your brother must be applying for hard to get special areas for antelope
And for bulls?
Shit, most of the state is over the counter with exceptions in few areas that are managed for trophies only.
Sorry, but your brother is feeding you BS and don’t take it personally, just telling you how it is

quote:

That's not what you said at all. PERIOD.

You know dude, you can never say anything slightly positive or admit you might be a little wrong on any statement you make. Your world must be pretty dark.

And you might be surprised how and what others are involved in. And what we know or don't. You assume we don't know it all, right back at you.

To say Huntmasters on the TYHP hunts say "pick one out and shoot it" shows a lack of what really goes on during their youth hunts. TO be honest, it doesn't change every kid's view of hunting but most leave very excited about the opportunity.

Sorry you are so jaundiced that your opinions are the only ones that count to you...

Okay, I admit that I was wrong with this comment:

quote:

Texas, really does not figure into this, as 90+% of Texas is Private Land and every piece of Private Land that has deer on it is leased out for X number of thousands of dollars per gun.

Not every place is leased out, many are used for family and friends ONLY!

My world revolves in REALITY. I do not care what you or anyone else is involved in, nor do I assume anything concerning what you or any one else knows or does not know!

As far as ASSUMING something goes, you are voicing assumptions about me that you have NO basis in fact about!

I did not say one word about Huntmasters or the TYHP, go back and PROVE that I did! You can't because I Did Not!!!

Hetre, I will save you the effort:

quote:

Even doe hunts on many properties are getting higher priced and how can anyone expect to get a kid hooked on hunting when all they do is get up early, go somewhere and climb into a stand and when the sun comes up and the feeder goes off, someone tells the kid to "Pick One and Shoot It"!

Please point out where I mentioned the TYHP hunts, In ANY MANNER! You CAN NOT because I didn't!!!!!

I have NEVER claimed I know it all, but I DO KNOW what I have PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED!

So, are you claiming that I have never experienced anything I am talking about??????

It's not BS, he hasn't drawn a bull elk tag in years, only cow elk. Where in Montana exactly? I don't know. Calling ones brother a liar is a bit over the top. Don't you think?
He's never lied to me before.

quote:

Originally posted by boarkiller:

quote:

Originally posted by custombolt:
My turn off for western hunting on public lands in Colorado was the snowballing of app. fees and waiting to be drawn for a bull or buck tag for years and years. It's not just difficult for us non-residents either. Western states are complicated. My Brother lives in Montana and doesn't get tags for bulls or even buck pronghorns most of the time. So, I don't apply there either. I do not want to drag the process out & get points every year to build myself up to increase my chance of a draw. Had it been a simple process of first in to apply, first out to get a tag, I would have already been hunting there and in other western states too like Wyoming.
Are others tiring of this same issue? It's speculation.

CHC made a good point. However, a tally of leftover tags per year for several years might be the best proof of his theory. Sure seems to be on track. Many other posters also.
Always another angle out there. Aye?

The only way to sidestep the waiting could be to hire an outfitter. If I'm not mistaken, they have an allotment of tags already reserved.
I could be mistaken. Can't recall the specifics with regard to which state, etc. It has been several years since I last did the research. But, then if it is true, then it IS ALSO about the money.
Many times it is these days.

Again the article did open up my eyes. To fully cover the subject a couple pages is not enough.
Happy hunting to all.

CB

Your brother must be applying for hard to get special areas for antelope
And for bulls?
Shit, most of the state is over the counter with exceptions in few areas that are managed for trophies only.
Sorry, but your brother is feeding you BS and don’t take it personally, just telling you how it is

This is turning from a discussion into an arguement that really is not accomplishing anything for anyone.

Each of us have our own experiences and viewpoints on this subject and our own individual beliefs concerning the future of hunting in America.

None of us know positively what will happen, some of us are optomists and some of us are pessimists, but that is just life.

Why can't we all simply agree to disagree on this issue.

I honestly hope that I am wrong concerning the Future of hunting in America, but from what I have personally witnessed over the past 30 years, I do not see a bright future for hunting in America, if for no other reasons, think how many of us on here will be dead in the next 2 or 3 decades or physically unable to hunt.

We are three generations removed from the farm and people continue to move to the cities. There are not as many small farmers or ranchers like it was ten years ago. The middle class is declining in rural America.

Take where I grew up. We had a gas station, liquor store and a grocery stores when I was a kid. We also had a private school that supported three local farm towns that had over 350 kids. All of this is closed now. With modern equipment one farmer can tend 3,000 acres of land with two men. Look at your ONEX or tax map and see how many big corporations own land in your hunting area.

Twenty years ago a man could farm 500 acres and average around 120 to 150k a year. Now it takes 2500 acres to do that. I know that every area is different but this is what I have seen.

People come from the cities to my area to hunt but the average age of most hunters are over 35. I know there are many other contributing factors but most kids that grow up in cities do not hunt.

I was taking with my brother about this over the weekend. We where talking about the point system for Big Horn. I told him that I was not that concerned because in ten to fifteen years the mass amount of people that sheep hunt will either be dead or not physically able to hunt. This is also why I do not think there is much of a future for my son to be an Outfitter. Where is the business going to come from? My generation does not have the money that Baby Boomers have and I can not figure out the Millennials. Seems like I get forwarded emails every week that are Obituaries from past clients. We are living towards the end of the Golden Age of Outfitting.

quote:

Originally posted by Crazyhorseconsulting:
This is turning from a discussion into an arguement that really is not accomplishing anything for anyone.

Coincidence that once again you are involved?


Thanks for ruining this thread as well.

So you are saying that only certain members should be allowed to express their opinions?

Why don't you be sure and take that up with the PTB's on here.

I sort of feel like that since I have been buying hunting and fishing license here in Texas since the late 1960's, taught Hunter Ed for TP&W for 4 years or so in the early to mid 1990's, I have just as much right to express my opinion on this topic or any other topic as anyone else.

quote:

Originally posted by Crazyhorseconsulting:
Found this informastion last night and found it interesting.

This is from the Colorado Game and Parks website and the data is current for 2018.

The official leftover big game limited licenses list for deer, elk, bear and pronghorn is now available on the CPW website.

These remaining limited licenses provide hunting access on specific Game Management Units (GMUs) and offer Colorado big-game hunters some great opportunities this big game hunting season.

The leftover licenses go on sale Tuesday, August 7 at 9:00 a.m (MDT). NOTE: at 9:00 a.m. licenses will be available for purchase online (CPWshop.com), by phone at 1-800-244-5613 , in person at CPW offices and at license retailers (sporting goods stores, hunting and fishing supply stores, etc.).

There are more than 50,000 big game hunting licenses available on the leftover list this year.

Bear – more than 4,900 limited licenses available

Deer – more than 8,400 limited licenses available

Elk – more than 29,100 limited licenses available

Pronghorn – more than 7,400 limited licenses available

Personally I find it difficult to understand how there can be that many license left over if so many folks are supposed to be hunting there.

My guess, without looking at the specifics tags, is that many are private land only or in areas that have little accessible public land.

Yeah I tried to explain that to him Rob but he's not listening, I posted the information above for him to no affect.
He also mistakenly has stated that elk in Colorado are draw only but I won't try to disagree he thinks he knows best.
You'll find that Crazy will argue about everything, please don't bring up the color of the sky because he will argue about that as well. It very well may be different in his world.

I would not hunt Florida public lands in gun season. Too many idiots with guns. Many are not hunters but looking for open space to shoot their black rifles.

At least in Florida the gun culture is separating from the hunting culture. Majority of gun owners have little interest in hunting. I don’t think that holds out west or elsewhere.

Hunting historically has been a wealthy landed gentry activity. Only North America and Australia/New Zealand is it an egalitarian activity on state owned land. Maybe we are going back to world in which property ownership (or $$$) gives the right to hunt. There will be pockets of public land hunting.

Hunters as percentage of population will decline. I don’t know how to change that as large segments of population in urban and suburban areas grow disconnected from how protein shows up on their plate.

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by custombolt:
It's not BS, he hasn't drawn a bull elk tag in years, only cow elk. Where in Montana exactly? I don't know. Calling ones brother a liar is a bit over the top. Don't you think?
He's never lied to me before.

quote:

Originally posted by boarkiller:

quote:

Originally posted by custombolt:
My turn off for western hunting on public lands in Colorado was the snowballing of app. fees and waiting to be drawn for a bull or buck tag for years and years. It's not just difficult for us non-residents either. Western states are complicated. My Brother lives in Montana and doesn't get tags for bulls or even buck pronghorns most of the time. So, I don't apply there either. I do not want to drag the process out & get points every year to build myself up to increase my chance of a draw. Had it been a simple process of first in to apply, first out to get a tag, I would have already been hunting there and in other western states too like Wyoming.
Are others tiring of this same issue? It's speculation.

CHC made a good point. However, a tally of leftover tags per year for several years might be the best proof of his theory. Sure seems to be on track. Many other posters also.
Always another angle out there. Aye?

The only way to sidestep the waiting could be to hire an outfitter. If I'm not mistaken, they have an allotment of tags already reserved.
I could be mistaken. Can't recall the specifics with regard to which state, etc. It has been several years since I last did the research. But, then if it is true, then it IS ALSO about the money.
Many times it is these days.

Again the article did open up my eyes. To fully cover the subject a couple pages is not enough.
Happy hunting to all.

CB

Your brother must be applying for hard to get special areas for antelope
And for bulls?
Shit, most of the state is over the counter with exceptions in few areas that are managed for trophies only.
Sorry, but your brother is feeding you BS and don’t take it personally, just telling you how it is

Well, like I said, dont take it personally , nobody is calling your brother liar, just calling on his BS
Go to Montana FWP website and do research

quote:

Yeah I tried to explain that to him Rob but he's not listening, I posted the information above for him to no affect.
He also mistakenly has stated that elk in Colorado are draw only but I won't try to disagree he thinks he knows best.
You'll find that Crazy will argue about everything, please don't bring up the color of the sky because he will argue about that as well. It very well may be different in his world.

You are correct, I did not mention that not all the hunts in Colorado are Draw Only, there are OTC license available in several units, but when I started hunting in Unit 421 in 1992 I believe that across the whole state license were all OTC.

As far as my arguing is concerned pon the various topics, I thought each person had the right to their own opinion/views/beliefs on any issue and no one else is under any obligation or duress to agree with anyone.

Maybe Saeed or Don can clarify that.

quote:

I would not hunt Florida public lands in gun season. Too many idiots with guns. Many are not hunters but looking for open space to shoot their black rifles.

At least in Florida the gun culture is separating from the hunting culture. Majority of gun owners have little interest in hunting. I don’t think that holds out west or elsewhere.

Hunting historically has been a wealthy landed gentry activity. Only North America and Australia/New Zealand is it an egalitarian activity on state owned land. Maybe we are going back to world in which property ownership (or $$$) gives the right to hunt. There will be pockets of public land hunting.

Hunters as percentage of population will decline. I don’t know how to change that as large segments of population in urban and suburban areas grow disconnected from how protein shows up on their plate.

Things are not all that different here in Texas. As I have said and as bwanamrm pointed out Texas Parks & Wildlife does the best it can to promote hunting and attract young hunters, but they have limitations on what they can accomplish.

As far as what limited amounts of actual Public Land there is in Texas, I have tried it a couple of times and it is crazy.

I have been accused of never saying anything positive and for the most part that is true. I have been a pessimist most of my life and it has served me quite well and from my perspective.

I feel the statements in the quoted response hit the nail on the head all the way around. America and the World is evolving and not really for the good and I just happen to believe that hunting as we have known it and many of us have grown up enjoying is something that is going to be lost and I feel things have already changed too much to revive hunting.

I do not think hunting will completely disappear in the future but it will be under very controlled and limited situations, such as it has been in parts of Europe and England where the commoners/ordinary citizens are not part of the equation.