Declining number of hunters (article link)

[Pinchy]

"Number of Hunters Falls, Worrying Some"
Sunday, September 02, 2007

By DAVID CRARY, AP National Writer

"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 _ from 14 million to about 12.5 million. The drop was most acute in New England, the Rocky Mountains, and the Pacific states, which lost 400,000 hunters in that span."

http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007Sep02/0,4670,FewerHunters,00.html

[Seanile]

This is the first year in many that our goose gang has missed opening day, we won't head out 'til tomorrow AM. Various reasons, but the absence of birds for the last 3 weeks of last season didn't help. Several of the farms we hunted have now leased land to guides, can't say that I blame 'em  - $2500 talks louder than the ham we used to give 'em. 

[ChrisS]

Seanile,
That's one of the reason many are getting out of it....loosing spots and people can not afford it. The resident Canada goose season has become a market in itself, especially late into February.

[tattoo]

goodluck tomorrow.

[horsefly]

Last year I felt the presure and almost decided to quit hunting period because around here most farmers no longer let "just anyone" hunt their land. It has become how much you want  to grease their palms or they lease to big paying hunt clubs. Shiz we do those guys a favor by killing the crop destroying deer etc. On that same note, they would turn around and just kill the animal for eating their crop and leave it to rot. They can do this all year because it's "their" property. Since price tag of hunting is so high, IE; as for hunting clubs or leased land, we (my sons and I) choose now to hunt NC Game lands. There is one across the river from me that is about 50,000 acres and includes waterfowl. There is plenty of deer back there, and checking out their patterns before hand, gives you a good idea where to go. We put yellow ribbon on entrance ways . (yes we take them off at end of season) Hopefully we will do good again and fill the freezers.