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Recruiting and retaining Young Hunters

This is the correct way to recruit our young to become hunters.. A special Thank You to Upnorth and his wife Carol, Owners of The Springstead Trading Post and 3D Archery Range for thinking of our 5 month old Granddaughter and giving her a bow. When it warms up we will have her at the Shop just to get her accustom to the sport and the hunting atmosphere. If any of you need a road trip this winter his 3D range is worth the drive. >>>---->

I don't have any kids or nieces/nephews to take hunting and fishing but I do as much as I can. I mentor hunters as part of our youth hunting program, teach hunter safety, and work with as many of my friend's kids as I can.

Unfortunately you are right, it takes parents or family members exposing them to the outdoors early and often to really get them hooked. So many hunters now days only hunt a few days a year and kids aren't learning about woodsmanship and the real wonders of the outdoors.

Some schools are starting shooting and fishing teams but most focus on the traditional sports and coaches and parents treat their kids like they are all star pro athletes. They push them year round for something they will play through high school if they are lucky.

There are so many electronic distractions and people in general are getting so removed from the land and nature. It's hard to imagine we'll have hunting left in a generation.

Kudos to you and upnorth for trying to carry on the tradition.

skookumjt - There are so many electronic distractions and people in general are getting so removed from the land and nature. It's hard to imagine we'll have hunting left in a generation. No truer words have been written.

I don't know, we have more kids wanting to hunt, than mentors,,,, our winter bow league is so busy, with kids, we added 3 more weeks to it,,,,,,, we also got 5 more guys to volunteer on Saturdays,,,,,,, I think we are okay,,,,,, I am not going to preach, but if you can take someone out, do it.

A simple squirrel hunt is fun for a lot of young hunters,,,,, My buddies are taking out kids this winter, for rabbits with their hounds, that should be fun,,,, all they need is HS and parents permission, ,,,,,,,,,,,

I mentor kids and introduce new hunters almost every season. But I will say retention is not what it use to be. There are many reasons. One huge one lately is lack of access to quality land. There are many things the state could do to up the quality of public land or even make hunting it a more quality hunt. They refuse to even though more and happy hunters would mean more money in the coffers.

I would say there are a lot of young hunters out there that have had the opportunity to hunt, but don't have a parent or guardian to teach them and take them hunting. I think we missed a generation somehow along the way and turned the corner. We have to keep doing our best. Yes, I know that means a lot less time in the woods hunting ourselves and yes, I miss that a lot. I see a lot of good ideas here, but unfortunately none of us have the "golden arrow" or the "golden bullet" to fix the problem. Keep plugging away, doing what we do and hope for the best. Don't get discouraged. I guess that's all we can do.

An important aspect to this equation is the fact hunting is seen badly in the eyes of many. Many think the grocery store is where all food originates. Some lanquish in the fact killing animals to eat is now cruel. The "dentist" didn't help matters.

Just today I saw a picture of a deer that was a purported wolf kill. "Just how it should be" wrote one. Yet when a hunter kills a deer, it is cruel. "Wolves don't have grocery stores". Yes, wolves kill to eat, not pleasant. But what these people don't understand is we are predators too.

All this weighs on young minds. Kids need to be mentored young to keep from propaganda. Very tough to keep kids engaged in outdoors. Hunting is one small segment of that. Sad. These kids will grow up dependent on grocery stores. No survival skills!

I have been guiding bear hunters for 40+ years. When my clients book with me they book the whole family for the whole year. I want and encourage the client to bring their wife and family or girlfriend baiting through out the summer. I run aprox. 20 baits with about 99.9% of them accessed by atv only. I also send out pix to there emails. The results from over the years is amazing. I have kids that call me when its time to apply to make sure the app. is right, kids that give me their email address for the pix, kids that are now asking to bring kids along. Several kids that baited with me at age 4 hunt with me now and it will be very soon that some will be bring their young ones. I've had wives that were deathly afraid of atv's for their kids and themselves now have their own. I do have several rules for the kids and parents at the camp. No texting except hunting related pix of the weekend, NO GAMES, If I ask for help around camp the kids help not the parents. ( washing dishes, preparing bait buckets, getting wood for the camp fire, etc. If a child wants something at camp and the parent asks me I tell the parent to have the youth ask me. I try to make the kids feel part of the group and an important part of the camp. Its amazing how kids come out of their shell in a day or so. Many on here and on TV are really hurting our young hunters. ( I'm just as guilty) All we talk about is how many we let go looking for the big one. What we are really doing is putting ourselves on a pedestal and hollering, look at me I'm the greatest hunter ever, rather then hunting hard, taking an average buck and showing our kids what putting your time in can get you and being happy with that success. No matter what the SIZE. Lead by example for what's best for them. I had a father this year that almost took over his 12 year old daughters hunt. All he talked about was her taking a 300 + bear. I could see she wasn't on the same plan. After a talk with him she killed a 200+ with a white V.. Happiest hunter in camp. Many on here know I'm not a supporter of the "continuous" youth hunts. One is enough. I've seen the abuse of fathers filling freezers and neighbor pitted against neighbor. If they can't get hooked on one kill why make it ez year after year. That's what's wrong with American. We make it to ez for our youth. Recruiting hunters is not always about the kill either. My daughter started out hunting but schooling took over. She is very educated. Now her job is in Mpls. She comes every year to bear camp to help and still shoots. But let me tell you don't let her hear you trashing hunters ,,,You'll get backed in a corner with words. In my opinion, although not actively hunting she is also a product of the recruitment and retention of hunters. We as hunters have forgotten that side of the recruitment. We need them and the Moms that atv or don't and welcome them in all camps for support. If we are going to be successful in recruiting and retaining of our young hunters we need to start looking at the WHOLE and Bigger picture.

All good points. The larger picture and detriment is an increasing liberal society and changing culture. Hunting and trapping simply are not looked at as a necessity and therefore are not socially in favor for the majority. There is no changing the larger picture as all types of global and social media largely control voter sentiment. Enjoy what we have today, it will not get easier or better. We will lose one step at a time, reality is being proven over and over,...... and has been for years.

Missouri - There was a survey done here in Wisconsin not too long ago that showed nearly 3/4 of people had a favorable view of trapping.

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Great post especially about making sure the kids help out. Gives them a real sense of ownership.

When I was young it was those sort of things that really helped.

I was speaking nationwide, not just Wisconsin. Thank you Tweed.

If trapping on public lands ever gets on the ballot in Wisconsin as it has in Montana, doubt it will pass 75% in favor, to 25 % not in favor. I do however think it would still be in favor, but only slightly.

There are so many different factors involved that it is hard to just point out a few. I agree with EVERYTHING said above. All you can do is try to make a difference when you can and hope you light the fire in someone you help. "we" here, are passonate about hunting , but not are, and thats ok. We are all different and have different goals. The main thing to me is to make sure my grandkids or any others I help,have the oppertuninty to make that decision based on, an experience of doing it, not what someone else tells them. Arrow... very good post. Mike F... your" plugging away" attitude is all we can and should do.

Good post xtroutx.

We had 7 kids in camp this year at various times. 3 of them bow hunt and another one will next year. The biggest challenges they face are other sporting activities. Seasons run into one another and there is a practice or game almost every day of the week throughout. There is such a competitiveness these days. Different than my day, when one season was done, the next one started. There wasn't such a thing as AAU or club ball. We weren't playing the same sport year round. Our kids also do various camp chores while there. Cutting and stacking wood, mowing the lawn, helping maintain things, build or remodel, hang stands, do food plots, pick rocks, run the tractor or utv, vacuum, sweep, dishes etc. They continue to come up when they can. Sure they have phones and electronics, but do all the aforementioned and roam around outside, and of course hunt! Life is good in our neck of the woods.

When is the last time you ever heard our DNR publicly and not in the hunting worlds safe circle promote hunting, trapping and fishing to the non-hunting , fishing and trapping population. Now I live in the north but I can't remember ever seeing one ad. We did at one time have hunter safety in the schools. living in a high gun ownership and hunter state, hunter and gun safety should be part of the curriculum. Now from what I understand most of the hunter safety course is done on line. Even if a child isn't going to hunt maybe they will have a better understanding of hunting and why hunting is important. And what to do if they find a gun. We may gain some non-hunter supporters and save some lives. Then we need to be careful of who is mentoring our kids or who they are watching. Look at the TV hunters that have been charged. Not to mention our leaders within our own state organizations. All for the success of the show and instant gratification . Teaching kids about the outdoors is like teaching them about a religious belief. You have to take them to church at birth and teach "brain wash " them faith. Same as the outdoors or hunting. You have to get them involved immediately not waiting till they show an interest or all of a sudden you decide at age 6,7,8, hey its time to start hunting. The outdoor community (hunters, trappers, fisherpersons ) need to be the peer pressure group..

Arrow1,,, When the DNR is a guest on WPR, they are always promoting hunting and fishing on that show, and lots of non hunters listen..... I know for a fact, that the DNR would like to be on more radio shows, if they were invited...... I think our DNR is very helpful to getting people interested,,,,,,

I have never heard a prohunting show on NPR. Not saying it hasn't happened. All I ever heard was how great and successful the wolf population is and the state should expand the population and territory . "" I think our DNR is very helpful to getting people interested"" I agree,,, within a safe circle of interest.

There is occasionally pro hunting on Larry's show, definitely one of the better shows on WPR.

I think one of the most important things to keeping kids involved is raising outdoorsmen/woodsmen. Make hunting and nature a year round activity. I have 2 6 year olds. We are in the woods all year. We are always looking for animal sign, learning about the different plants and trees, run cameras year round, pick shrooms and berries, walking pheasant fields, shoot our bows and guns whenever there isn't snow, tent camp, learn survival techniques, etc. Getting a new bird dog in the spring and they will be helping with the training of the dog and raising of the pigeons. So if all plans out, when a hunting season comes along, they will naturally be interested in it. There will always be other things kids are interested in, but making I feel that making hunting like activities a year round thing will help in the long run. Just my thought, I don't see how I can blame all the other things when I'm not doing my part.

David Drake, Bob Nack, Jamie Nack, Scott Craven, and several others are monthly guests on Larry Meiller's show and they all advocate for hunting and fishing. Unfortunately Larry is getting closer to retirement and I can't imagine we'll see someone like him again.

A friend of mine and his wife go to Canada fishing a couple of times a year. The cost is like $850 each for a week. If you bring the kids it gets knocked down to $500. The kids will be their next customers in 15-20 years. Traditions! From what I understand, this is a 4 or 5 generation camp that doesn't do any advertising. They depend on your children to keep coming to their next generations camp.

I agree with your statement completely, Inmyelement: "I think one of the most important things to keeping kids involved is raising outdoorsmen/woodsmen. Make hunting and nature a year round activity."

In my opinion, and it is just that, I see too many guys and gals who are brought into the woods sparingly and then taken to the range and heralded as a hunter. For many, they are never afforded the opportunities many of us had growing up as we learned about the various game and woods/swamps/fields from just constantly being involved in different activities there nearly year 'round. I don't know whether it is one thing to blame completely, but moreso a culmination of a variety of reasons extending to suburbia, electronics, broken families, parenting choices of how to allocate time, competitive sports' scene, etc.

The bottom line is there is not a magical "cure-all" available in one swift waive of the wand, but simply getting the youngsters out, involved, and interested as much as possible in a variety of outdoor activities.

I'm not shocked that the politically correct DNR doesn't do much to promote hunting. Hell the WBHA barely does anything to promote it.

The DNR (and equivalent in most states) are evolving to become more liberal. Public land is for multiple use all year long. The agencies are under pressure to have companion animals and nonhunting humans on public lands 365 days per year.... without the threat of being trapped or shot during game harvesting seasons. Unfortunately, this creates an ongoing dilemma for public lands and non hunting/trapping voters.

4 children. & 13 grandkids . Its all about the fun units . When I take them fishing we catch fish . Clean fish & eat fish .

Example: last spring I took the 8 year old twins Turkey hunting . I gave each of them a Airsoft pistol & told them Zombies were in the area . After 2 hours of serious hunting we decided that we were under a Zombie attack . We fought our way to the Jeep & decided that a victory trip to the Custard stand was earned .

Its about FUN units.

Maybe it's the liberal in me, but I would hope that any one, hunter or non hunter, could walk in the woods any day of the year without threat of getting shot. Thankfully my 6 year olds already have enough gun safety training to know you don't shoot another person......but that's just one liberals approach to gun safety. Your mileage may vary..........

"Maybe it's the liberal in me, but I would hope that any one, hunter or non hunter, could walk in the woods any day of the year without threat of getting shot." In theory, they can. In reality, some prudence is required. To satisfy the liberal in you completely, I'd imagine you hope a hunter or non-hunter could walk the inner city streets of any large city in the country?

Well why not set up, in your county, whatever group of hunters that are on here or that you know, a junior archery hunt on public land I know I have a few days I could spare every fall I also have a few extra bows and gear that kids could use

I do wish that people could walk in any area of our country, inner city or not, without fear of being killed. It is very unfortunate that many cannot. The hunting community is in sad shape if that is your comparison or justification of unsafe hunting.

Step ahead of you Chief. I have a friend who works with troubled youth in our county. He mentors them on my land. Glad to see we are on the same page.

"I do wish that people could walk in any area of our country, inner city or not, without fear of being killed. It is very unfortunate that many cannot. The hunting community is in sad shape if that is your comparison or justification of unsafe hunting."

That you put words in mouth confirms to me that you are liberal. I made no mention about justifying unsafe hunting. I guess it zoomed over your head but my point is there are no guarantees, in any part of our lives, regards safety. Why would you single out hunters?

You gave rationale to your opinion. That is justification.

Single out hunters? It's a hunting forum, and the original comment that you responded to was about hunting. It's not singling out hunters when it is just the topic at hand.

The original topic was about recruiting hunters. No matter, nothing worth arguing over.

"are evolving to become more liberal"

There is no evolution involved in becoming a liberal.

Departments do indeed evolve. Since they are made up of more than one member or entity, the more liberals in the department, the more liberal the agendas become. I think I know what you meant though, and agree with you.

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