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The Future of Hunting ...

OK folks, I'm interested in starting a discussion about the Future of this thing we all love so much. I'm referring to Hunting, which of course is a bit broader than Bowhunting, but obviously very much related.

Judging by attendance at a Bow Certification class 3 weeks ago (52 graduates), and a Firearms Class (59) the Last 2 weeks, Hunter Recruitment is doing pretty well.

Lots of kids, a good number of women, and even a handfuls of "I used to hunt" types.

The weird thing is that statistics show that Nationwide only about half the people who take a Hunter Safety Class actually go on to buy a Hunting License. The numbers here in CT are higher (about 70% if memory serves) but clearly they could be higher. The numbers of people who are still buying Hunting Licenses 5 or 10 years later are even worse.

A lot of people mention that difficulty 'Finding A Place To Hunt' is what makes them quit. In crowded states like CT, there is always a shortage of Public Land and we share it with a lot of other recreational users. Opening more places to hunting is one good way to both increase Hunting Opportunities, as well as help control Deer over population. Despite what some here have claimed it's blatantly obvious that Hunters can and do reduce deer to levels considered appropriate to people who aren't trying to reach unrealistic and unnecessarily low goals.

What things do you think can be done to improve things?

One of the ideas we are working on as Instructors is a "Hunting 201" series of seminars. These will offer something beyond the required Hunter Safety class.The idea came out of our students who completed the 16 hour Firearms class or 8 hour Bow class and found themselves saying "Now What?". The state says they can go and buy a license, but they don't know how to get started, and even if they push through that, they quite often aren't very successful.

Some of the Senior Instructors have been putting on Turkey Hunting Seminars geared to helping new hunters get some ideas of how to Hunt Turkeys in the Spring. They offer advice on calling, setting up, gear and even a chance to pattern your shotgun/choke/load combination. These seminars are offered throughout the state and are FREE.

We are now working on a Deer Hunting version and have discussed other ideas like Small Game Hunting, Muzzle Loader Hunting, Reloading, Cooking what you Kill, etc.

I think a lot of us started with a Mentor, often a father or relative. I think if someone is introducing their own kids, they will stick with Hunting if they enjoy it. I believe that those who don't have someone to show them the ropes, are much less likely to continue hunting. So there's one suggestion, BE A HUNTING MENTOR to someone who doesn't have one.

The state has done some great work with the creation and recent expansion of Youth Hunting.

I think that these Seminars for the new (and somewhat experienced) Hunters can go a long way to helping people get experience faster than they might on their own. The hope is that they will be safer and enjoy it more than if they were flying blind.

If you have any ideas of what else can be offered I'm all ears, or eyes in this case.

I agree places to hunt is true but I think for new hunters its BS. There is state property and they can at least try there. New hunters don't want to committhe time and effort to be successful. Preseason scouting; getting up early; diligent scent controlled: hours/days of unsccesful hunting. Tons of time practicing is more the issue. To be fair its most people are not willing to commit the time to anything to be sucessful. If people simply go door to door and ask they would get permission. 10% of the time. But who. Is willing to knock on 10 doors and talk to people? I speak to people who say " I got my liscense. I went out twice last year but didn't get anything" wtf what do you expect. Look at my father he says he wants to hunt this season. But he has not practiced at all and says he wants to sit on his deck and use his crossbow. I dread the call I get from him if he gets a gut shot then wants me to help him track it. Its o e thing to have a poor shot. Another to have a bad shot because you are lazy and don't want to put in the time.

While I'm thinking of it, and maybe I should start a whole new thread on this: Politics!

DAN MALLOY HAS TO GO! We really need to replace him. The Republicans are having a Primary soon to pick either Joe Foley or John McKinney as Malloy's opponnent in November.

I plan to vote for Foley, he is far better that McKinney on the Gun issue, (McKinney is a second generation gun hater). I have long been a registered Independent but I just switched to Republican so I could vote in this primary.

It looks like Foley has a good chance to beat McKinney, but the race in November could be quite close.

Malloy of course gave us the worst Gun Bill in the nation (Yes, I understand that DC, NY, CA and even IL have worked hard to make theirs worse).

I also firmly believe that despite saying he supported Sunday Hunting, Dan Malloy did not fight FOR Sunday Hunting. I refuse to believe that if the Governor personally asked that the leaders of the CT House and Senate call the bill for a vote, that they would have defied him. We need a Governor who backs sportsmen, not one who pays us lip service and tolerates us.

My opinion - in general deer hunting is promoted too much and hunting in general too little. As bow hunters we are maybe the most guilty of this.

When people claim there isn't enough good land availabe they are clearly talking about deer hunting. You can find any number of empty state forests to have a quality squirrel hunt.

The idea of going deer hunting without a lot of small game hunting experience under your belt was pretty unheard when I was growing up. With all the emphasis on getting kids out big game hunting (special youth seasons and such) we have lost much of what likely drew a lot of us into hunting in the first place.

"time and effort" = Two of the biggest deterrents.

The economy has robbed many, would be, hunters of a two day weekend and a forty-hour workweek. Also, equipment cost have skyrocketed, while marketers insist you need the latest and greatest to suceed.

I agree that knowing an experienced hunter is probably the greatest help to any newbie. Only one of the last three guys I've taught to hunt, still does so. Remember this, hunting is a "recreational activity", not a necessity in this day and age.

Obamalloy is going to win the next Connecticut election, because Republicans do not have a plan to return to conservative values. And, as in the last election, the votes of the dead and corrupt will appear, to win the day. How I wish that wasn't so.

Toonces, those are all great points, and I agree completely. Deer (and to a slightly lessor extent Turkeys) have become the glamor species around here. Starting there is much more likely to lead to un-punched tags, and disappointment.

When I started my kids fishing they were just as happy with sunfish as they would have been with bass or trout. If I'd started them off going after trout they might have gone several trips without catching a fish, what fun is that for a kid? Digging worms and Fishing off our dock, and catching a mess of bluegills was about as much fun as a boy could have. The fish fry we had afterwards was icing on the cake.

Small game hunting in CT is certainly doable, with just a bit of planning. Grab a kid or two, a youth size .22, a youth size 20 GA, and hit a state forest. You will probably see a few squirrels, maybe a rabbit, and who knows, you might even find that last grouse rumored to still live in CT. You're pretty much certain to have a good time, and I bet the kids will love it.

I'll commit to taking a couple of kids squirrel hunting this year, anyone else want to sign up?

A lot of clubs have Youth Pheasant 'hunts' and it's pretty easy to find a place to take a kid for what amounts to (almost) guaranteed) shots at birds over (hopefully) well trained dogs. No, it's not "real" hunting, but the smiles on the kids faces are real for sure.

I'll second the small game nature of getting kids involved in the sport. But it's different for an adult to justify going after chipmunks, squirrels, etc....if they are just getting into hunting.

When I was a kid I carried a slingshot and killed everything. Then I moved up to a pellet gun, then a recurve from a tag sale, then a compound. I learned alot about animals, nature and killing. So my drive to be hunter was innate.

If people/neighbors see kids today with a BB gun or sling shot in their own yard...they get paranoid and likely a confrontation will occur. So kids just don't do it any longer. It's a different world.

If there was a future to hunting in CT...it has to start with a mentor (my dad was mine)...and now I'm my son's. Someone to share success and failure with....someone to push to get out of bed in the mornings...someone to cook their kills....someone to teach the ethics of woodsmanship.

One of the best points made on this thread was the mentioning of a mentor. I wanted to start hunting, got my bow and license, but didn't know where to go from there. Luckily, I had a friend who had been hunting for years to "show me the ropes" which instantly made hunting a passion of mine. I was fortunate enough to shoot a doe from my tree stand the first morning I ever went hunting and he was a phone call away to help me dress it. It's people like him that are going to keep hunting alive. He passed down his knowledge and skills to me which is what I plan to do someday for someone who is what I once was. Politicians may always get in the way and make some bone-head decisions but the bottom line is this: hunting will always be there no matter what they choose to do. Hunting is not an easy thing to do. Patience and persistence are key to enjoying the sport because when you finally get that deer you been waiting for, it makes those hours of waiting not seem that bad

Bloodtrail,

Why is it different for an adult to justify it? I don't understand what you mean.

I have been hunting for 30 years and I still love going squirrel hunting, even more so than deer if am being honest.

Also small game has some of the tastiest meat you can get.

Toonces, sorry if I didn't elaborate. When I was a kid I would grab my bike and take my slingshot or pellet gun and go all afternoon in search of my "big game". I stalked and killed birds, rats, squirrels, mice, possums, rabbits, frogs, toads, turtles, chipmunks, woodchucks, fish, etc. I couldn't see an adult doing that in the "woods behind the house."

I can definitely see any new hunter going after pheasants and squirrels. I tagged along behind my dad on all of these hunts and it was a special day when he leaned over to me and said, "Now you take the gun and carry it." I evolved into deer hunting when pheasants and squirrels lost their luster.

That was a long time ago....I no longer gun hunt because I love the challenge of archery. If anyone wants to start camps in CT (similar to what Ted Nugent runs), I would be all in to volunteer my time.

The first time hunters probably watched some of the shows we were discussing in a previous thread, and thought that when you went into the woods the deer would be parading around your stand, and you just needed to pick the one you liked.

Land to hunt - I think there's plenty to go around. I've been to places in the NW corner without seeing another hunter in the woods, sometimes not another car in the parking lot or along side the road and it's been that way for years.

Love of the outdoors is more important than a hunter safety course. I don't care if I shoot a deer or not, been there done that. I still love going out, sitting in the stand all day, in the cold, dead tired, without shooting one thing. If the new hunters don't have that same excitement about the woods, then they will be lost.

2 years with a bow license and I haven't been in a deer stand yet. I'm perfectly content shooting squirrels in my back yard, and they do taste great. Managed to arrow a turkey last fall, but no luck this spring. I really think small game and turkey hunting is important, and it shouldn't be all about trophy deer. Just being outside is great, no matter what I'm after

Unless a new CT hunter has a good mentor or support system of hunting buddies/family, I can understand how it could be discouraging and for a first year, first generation hunter to lose interest if he or she are not seeing game. It's a sport not for all; patience, persistence and passion are some of the main ingredients. I can only think the new generation of hunter is wired differently and expect immediate results without putting in dedication, time & effort. Not all, but majority will give up and move on to a different sport or new Xbox game.

It took me 3 yrs to get a deer when I started hunting (late bloomer at age 38). If I was younger, or didn't have the friends that helped me along in the learning curve, I might have just quit.But I was never a quitter growing up, so... who knows.

7 years into it, I know I'm still a rookie but have been consistently getting deer since my first one. Just by learning each time you go out, and by putting time in stand.

I share the meat with anyone who wants some (have turned many co-workers into venison lovers), and my 2 nephews love venison in any form - steaks, burgers, chili, jerky, meat sticks. So much, that the older one (13) just took his bow course and passed, and will be doing the gun course over the next 2 weeks. The younger guy (9) wants to squirrel hunt with a .22.

So - hoping to be able to mentor 2 new hunters, along with the help of some of my hunting partners.They understand the whole outdoor thing, as they love going fishing as well...

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