Some good news: Interest in hunting fading

[arissa]

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-the-fading-hunt,0,7832682,print.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines

Studies: Interest in Hunting Fading




By ANGIE WAGNER
Associated Press Writer

March 10, 2005, 2:19 PM EST

As a teenager, Bryan Dinkins and his grandfather would go out before dawn on many a winter morning to hunt duck. They would quietly discuss school and life while waiting for the birds.

Dinkins, now 40, hasn't been hunting in six years. He's too busy, he says, and anyway it would take six hours to drive somewhere to hunt ducks in California.

It's a common lament in the new century, a time when urbanization and hectic lives can get in the way of hunting traditions. Hunting now is not just about when to go, but where to go? How much will it cost? And, more than ever, who will go?

(snip)

Across the country, the number of hunters declined from 14.06 million to 13.03 million, or 7.3 percent, from 1991 to 2001, according to the Census Bureau and the Fish and Wildlife Service. The drop was greater in the West -- 9.6 percent, from 2.46 million to 2.22 million.

(snip)

[Warpy]

1. I live in an incredibly poor state, New Mexico

and a lot of these rural hunters count on an elk or a deer in the freezer to supply their families with meat for an entire year. They're having to think twice about it, though, since the prevalence of an equivalent of mad cow disease is spreading in wild game animals out west.

This may be one reason for a decline. Wild game animals, including water birds, are starting to carry some really scary diseases.

I have a lot of sympathy for subsistence hunters. However, as disease becomes more and more of a problem, many of them will consider the more healthful alternative presented by the bulk pintos, rice, posole and chile offered by every supermarket in the area.

[RebelOne]

2. That's chronic wasting disease (CWD)

and it is spreading throughout all the U.S. deer herds.

[Warpy]

3. It's especially bad here in the Rockies.

Subsistence hunters are noticing, too.

[Catchawave]

4. The fish are diseased too :(

Our environment just gets sicker and sicker, so sad.

[flvegan]

5. A former boss of mine is hunting right now.

He tried to not enlighten me as to what he was doing. Camping he called it, with a dash of exploring. He told another coworker (we're all still pals, sort of) who then let me in on it. I give him a hard time about it, but I don't tell him what to do.

[SiouxJ]

6. I believe this is true

for the first time I can ever remember, I'm seeing local commercials promoting hunting. A local gun shop is airing them. They look like they are produced by the NRA or some big group though as they don't have a local feel. I think they just tag the end with the name of the local store. I can't ever remember seeing a commercial promoting hunting in my life until now. Of course, I've only lived in a rural area for about 9 years. In any case, it does look a little desperate, resorting to commercials to promote a "tradition."

[RebelOne]

7. Probably sponsored by the DNR or federal

fish and wildlife agencies. They need hunters for population control. And they are always trying to recruit kids into hunting by sponsoring youth hunts.