Character building
Wisconsin
It's amazing how well hunting & fishing builds character in kids & adults . Hunting teaching them good Judgement & responsibility. Fishing teaching them patience & slows them down . I had a problem grandchild, hyper , no patience , wouldn't listen to anyone . Handed him a bow & 6 arrows 15 years ago . He was hooked on archery . Took him to the woods & he thought he was in heaven . Changed to a different person .
He's now a successful custom floor installer in AZ & spends hours in the desert. My point ? Hunting & fishing licenses continue to drop across the country. Not a good sign .
I don't think anything is going to help with recruitment, and I feel like there's a few things up against recruiting kids today, and in the future.
For one, we are much better off financially than our fathers and grandfathers were. There hasn't been a long lasting recession that makes people so poor, they hunt for their next meal. We hunted in the past to eat. Today, there's more money spent on the stuff to do it, than the return you get, even if you're lucky. You'd be better off spending that dough on chickens and feed.
The next point in recruitment, is our unwillingness to share. Truthfully, most people want less pressure, therefore less hunters sharing the game we hunt. Private lands are now off limits to anyone outside of family, and even then, there's great division when two relatives don't hunt the same, or one has more kids than the other. Add the trophy theme to the picture, which takes patience to do, and incorporate that mentality towards the youth, and their patience is not the same, and they don't get the same opportunity to develop as a hunter, and go through those phases many of us were lucky enough to.
Instant gratification comes on a hand held computer with uber data, and with social media and the endless videos about nothing, kids are entertained much easier than sitting in the cold and waiting on a big buck, because that's all dad shoots. Video games and cell phones, have created some withdrawn and antisocial people.
Public land is a tough hunt. Those deer camps are fading. Kids are being taught that hunting is bad. Private land is nearly inaccessible. Mentors are few. Kids aren't as interested. We don't like to share. It won't be long, and the people on this site formerly known as Bowsite, likely replaced by some other name, because bows are obsolete, will be complaining about the new house or cell tower that went up where they once hunted, or their lease is now 20k a year, or their brother shot their trophy buck named zinger at age 5, a year earlier than he should have, and now there's a lawsuit about to take place.
Yeah, hunting is changing, and I only know how to do me, which is adapting with the times. I get it. It doesn't make it right, but we don't have anyone in our corner at this time, and I just refuse to be upset 24/7. It kills people before their time.
My friend and I moved a stand at my place yesterday. Did some pruning with the new cordless pole saw. We heard turkeys gobbling, and my season is next week. I bought a new release for my bow, and I'm looking forward to sitting in a blind in the rain. Good on you Glenn for trying to leave a bit of you behind. We sure could use more people like you.
Yes indeed. Very good hobbies to get them interested in at a young age.
The hunting industry and all the fan boys of it are doing a great job of helping make sure your kids and grandkids will have no place to hunt. Much less all the antis... The real question is where are your grandkids going to hunt?
I disagree that we are financially better off than our fathers and grandfathers to a point. Back in the day the wife was able to stay home and they had a house, car, and other goods all on the husbands earnings. Now days that’s not a common picture.
Except no one's wife is staying home today (generalizing). The actual common picture is replaced with two incomes. Whether it's because women wanted to pursue their own careers or that single income wasn't enough to pay for all the modern conveniences that we are all engaged in, there are at least two cars in the driveway, and kids take care of themselves lol. Again, things have changed Will. Who do you know that gets a return on their investment in the form of sustenance? I can't name a person who hunts for their food because it's the cheaper version of grocery shopping.
Right on Drop Tine nowadays buy each kid a I pad a cell phone and never step outside with them it was tough but my wife never worked until they started 8th grade it was tough going but the best investment I ever made
Will - I agree with you. My wife stayed at home to bring up the kids as we didn't want anyone else raising our children. I worked two jobs most of my life so I could enjoy hunting and fishing.
Were more materialistic today and hence the need for more money/income for the second "seasonal" homes, two cars/trucks ,boats ,atv's etc.
It is sad to see so many people choosing a dual income and sending kids off to the care of others when they could afford otherwise if different choices were made. I see two reasons for it, one is the fact that American society is too materialistic today, as was said above. The other is due to the reduction of Christian values and God in the household. Actually the two likely go hand-in-hand. When both parents truly must work to make ends meet, that is absolutely understandable but that is not really the majority of the cases in the people I see.
Pete and company…lots of opinions on the state of today’s hunting situation. I agree with most of them. Pete, you are right on how things have changed. But,But, But……Pete you can now name me as one person who hunts and fishes for food because it is cheaper than groceries. Ok, that’s only part of the reason. I grew up on wild game because of financial situations within our family. My kids grew up on anything I could catch, shoot, or trap because of the same. Today, I still do the same. I love “living off the land” so to speak. We can afford the groceries and God knows how much money I spend on hunting and fishing, but it’s a part of me that I hope never leaves. I don’t think I’m alone. Great thread boys!!
Greg, I didn't grow up with much. 8 siblings a mom who was a homemaker. A disconnected dad who only knew work. That makes me a thrifty person. I have a good job, I work a lot of voluntary overtime, I have a good side gig with poker (yes, I'm a winner amongst a lot of losers lol). All said, I'm still cheap. You and I have shared garden photos. I start from seeds like you, and I could afford potted plants, and I can afford groceries as well, but I love to grow, gather, fish, hunt, collect, and even hoard lol. At times I probably even convince myself I'm saving money by doing all the hard work, but truth is, it's just paying money and working hard to enjoy my hobbies. I think about it every time I have a fish fry. 25 bluegills, and what it really cost to have that meal? Gas in the truck and boat. Registration of the boat, license fees, bait and tackle, the time it takes to clean the fish, the cost of oil, the batter, and beers lol. 25 bluegills. A great meal where everyone admires that there's no bones, and it tastes better than cod. The cost is far greater than footing the bill at the Friday fish fry, but the reward I get catching those fish, and the happiness it brings my guests, tells me I'm doing it for the joy, and not the sustenance lol. So there's where I'm trying to make the point, that in years past, our forefathers absolutely hunted and fished to feed their hungry family. Today not so much. I believe we pay the highest luxury tax to do what we (here) live to do, and I hope to hell we eat what we kill, but I don't necessarily hunt to feed my family. I could spend my hard earned money on groceries instead, and even at these outrageous prices, still save money, but what joy would that bring us? Can't wait to send some garden tours. I have 40 tomatoes and 95 peppers under the grow lights doing very well.
Other interests, overloading athletic sports for young kids, media and teachers interpretation of hunting/fishing/shooting is killing the outdoor life. My kids went big into hockey. That took up every weekend and most weekdays and it went year round. Baseball was the same. I heard that basketball was close to this. There was no time to go with your kids to do anything else but bring them to practice, game or a tournament. My kids hunt and fish, but not a lot. If they do go it is because of me.
Excellent post guys . A friend read this thread while I was repairing his bow .
He said , " don't forget fishing & hunting teach Teamwork . " Very true .
Did a survey . 9 homes in our neighborhood. Total of 13 kids . 4 of them hunt . That's 28 % . I wonder what the average was 20 years ago .
The clock is ticking.
Lots of research in the medical field right now studying the effects of social media on our children. One of the findings is a significantly decrease in the attention spans of the average kid. This doesn't bode well for activities where patience is paramount. Hunting and fishing being two of them.
"One of the findings is a significantly decrease in the attention spans of the average kid." I'm guessing the instant gratification of killing a deer with an easier tool also helps contribute to and is used due to the decreased attention spans. If you are not helping, you are part of the problem.
"I'm guessing the instant gratification of killing a deer with an easier tool also helps contribute to and is used due to the decreased attention spans. If you are not helping, you are part of the problem."
You couldn't help shooting yourself in the foot, lol. If it were instant, kids would be falling over themselves to hunt with a crossbow or a rifle............ I will make a guess as well. That you will shoot yourself in the foot again. As far as being part of the solution. Just two weeks ago I was shooting a recurve with a neighbor kid of mine. His dad doesn't hunt but he wanted to learn archery. They got him a youth recurve and we were shooting. He liked my longbow but couldn't draw it back. I hope he stays interested.
X3 Capt
"Lots of research in the medical field right now studying the effects of social media on our children. One of the findings is a significantly decrease in the attention spans of the average kid"
Yea... we really need to waste money on researching that!! Even a physical therapist could see what's going on in today's world. Thank you for your brilliance DP
At least he was interested in a bow for shooting archery and not a gun for not archery shooting.
Live - he more than likely made story up to appease bow hunters. I don't have proof he made story up but maybe he has proof of the shooting?
"Yea... we really need to waste money on researching that!! Even a physical therapist could see what's going on in today's world. Thank you for your brilliance DP"
You are welcome!
"Live - he more than likely made story up to appease bow hunters. I don't have proof he made story up but maybe he has proof of the shooting?"
Someone here put up a picture of my dad several years ago when he had nothing to do with the conversation and doesn't even hunt? Might have been Live, but I don't recall. I don't think I am going to put a picture up of myself shooting with kids when you have nothing but bad intentions anytime you discuss anything with me. The last thing I want is a kid being dragged into the BS.
Shooting a bow with kids is nothing more than window dressing and blowviating. Especially when that same person works diligently to introduce and increase the use of a superior, shoulder fired weapon in a primitive weapon season.
"Shooting a bow with kids is nothing more than window dressing and blowviating. Especially when that same person works diligently to introduce and increase the use of a superior, shoulder fired weapon in a primitive weapon season."
I work diligently to increase hunter numbers and participation in many areas. Its quite funny to see some here lamenting the fact that archery is dying and that kids are not interested in hunting, but when we get kids hunting or shooting with bows, you still find something to complain about, lol............
What he meant to write:
I work and get paid to increase hunter numbers and participation in the crossbow world. Its quite funny to see archery is dying. Kids are not interested in hunting, but my goal is to get kids shooting with crossbows. And you still legitimately do have something to complain about, lol............
"What he meant to write:"
Actually, I meant what I wrote. Nothing warms my heart more than seeing kids, women and men enjoying the outdoors and shooting sports however they wish too.
PMS, you write in circles. I don’t think you believe what you write so I’d never expect anyone else to believe what you write.
Is it not I that lies.................
Teach your kid how to hunt and you won’t have to hunt for your kid!
