Hunting on the increase or decrease?

[blasted_saber]

me and my brother got into huntin last year. no one in my extended family has any history of hunting

Oh but they do.....

 

[bearkilr]

Bearkiller WTF does the below have to do with anything in this thread that I have said??? You hunt for the joy of wilderness and for the need to 'outsmart' some poor bambie I hunt to get meat no where is there any rottenness going on. If you are not in the process of attempting to kill something then you are not hunting so obviously killing is the end game. Just cause you enjoy sitting on a stump pre season enjoying a sunset while scouting does not change the purpose of hunting.

You misunderstand. Yes, of course killing is the ultimate objective, but it's not the reason why one should enjoy hunting. If that is in fact the sole reason you hunt, then Ruark's quote applies to you.
Needing the meat or subsistence hunting applies to so few people these days, we needn't discuss that, it's a moot point. I'd bet it doesn't apply to you, as it certainly doesn't apply to me. That does not mean I don't enjoy wild game, I pretty much eat no domestic meat,but I wouldn't starve without wild game.

"One does not hunt in order to kill, one kills in order to have hunted." If you don't follow that, you're not a hunter in my books. There's no reason to be ashamed of hunting and there are other reasons to give than "I do it for the meat".

Regardless, way off topic. The best way to get young hunters to enjoy the sport is to teach them to respect wildlife and view nature through open eyes. When I was young and started hunting, I wanted to shoot everything in sight as well. Over the years I learned to look at things a little differently.

There's no doubt hunter numbers are declining, and the average age is increasing. Many that do hunt have little time to do so. Now we're back at the "let's kill something quick and get back to work/wife/regular life" mentality. Few people really take the time to enjoy hunting.

 

[Mandown!]

Guys, what I mean by its not about killing, is that for me at least is that it's just as
Much about getting out as it is about Gettin the meat. I don't take any amount of pleasure on taking a life, but I realise it is a part of how the cycle works. Also considering the way our beef and chicken is processed these days with growth hormones and whatever else they put into them I would rather eat wild meat. I'm not the kind of guy who shoots things just for a trophy or whatever, I do it or a purpose.

 

[crazydave]

I noticed a big increase in hunting around here, but whether it is from new hunters or just hunters from a different area moving in i can't say for sure

 

[kjohn]

Compared to the 1960's and 1970's, hunting has taken a big drop around here. Hunting season in small town Saskatchewan was a time when things were quite hectic. Now, you might see one hunter a day. I see big trucks heading up north pulling big trailers loaded with quads and other stuff, so "hunting" seems to be alive and well up there.

I've hunted for over 50 years in my home area. My Dad instilled in me a deep appreciation for just being able to take up a rifle or shotgun and head out across a field or through a bush. Because of his subtle ways of teaching, or allowing me to learn, I can still enjoy just taking up my little old Savage .22/20 ga and heading out. I did just that this afternoon, with a good friend. We each headed off in opposite directions around a nice 1/4 section and met up at the other end. Never saw any game birds, but I did put a couple of nice moose. We manged to blast a skunk on our drive home. Heck of a good day!

 

[Gatehouse]

Lots of urbanites in BC are taking up hunting these days. The granola crunchers have decided they like eating meat, but they want healthy, organic, ethical meat. BC has seen over 10 000 new hunters in the last 3 or 4 years. nd the demographics include more women and people from "non traditional" hunting backgrounds.