Number of Hunters in the U.S. on the Decline
The number of registered hunters is diminishing dramatically and wildlife agencies are worried about the loss of needed license-fee revenue to sustain hunting in the U.S.
New figures from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service show that the number of hunters 16 and older declined by 10 percent between 1996 and 2006. This is a change of 14 million hunters to about 12.5 million. The drop is most dramatic in the New England, Rocky Mountains, and Pacific states – around 400,000 hunters lower in these areas.
The reason for the decline has been attributed to both the loss of hunting land to urbanization and the growing perception that hunting is a timely and costly activity. Hunting has long been a traditional activity, passed down from father/mother to daughter/son. When hunting stops being household tradition, it is hard to put that experience back on the list. Rarely to non-hunting families just “pick up” the sport.
The number of American fishermen has also dropped which creates an even greater concern for the Fish and Wildlife Department. Fishermen numbers have dropped 15 percent, from 35.2 million in 1996 to 30 million in 2006. The problem is that most states rely on hunting and fishing license fees for the majority of their revenue – very little comes from the state’s general fund.
Not everyone is worried however. Many wildlife activists see this as a positive trend that coincides with a 13 percent increase in wildlife watching started in 1996.
So what’s the solution? In the past, increased fees have been met with much negative backlash in a few states. Conservation of hunting lands by the government can also maintain hunting grounds and rebuild the sport. There are certainly a few presidential candidates out their displaying their sportsman leanings – Bill Richardson and Mitt Romney are two that come to mind. Other states are sponsoring youth hunting weekends and lower-cost youth licenses to help rebuild a new generation of hunters and fishermen. In either case, the new figures have definitely put a fire under a number of sportsmen organizations and groups to help find remedies to the shrinking numbers and ensure the sport is around for future generations.
You can find the full report at http://federalasst.fws.gov/surveys/surveys.html.
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