Support For Hunting on the Decline…..Why? What Can We Do?

[woodsdog2]

In the Apr./May ‘25 Issue of Bowhunter Magazine’s “Know Hunting” Column by Dr. Dave Samuel, he references a recent study by Responsive Management for the Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports (CAHSS); which I’ve never heard of before, that suggests public support of hunting is in the decline. They reference several potential reasons.

I’m not an alarmist and overall support is still quite high for hunting…. Approximately 76% in 2024 compared to 81% in 2021. But the decline is real and imho at quite an accelerated rate (5% in 3-4 years). The article highlights some potential theories that experts are evaluating but I’m interested in what this group has to say….

I highly respect the members on this forum and am interested in your thoughts. Finally, what are things we can do to reverse the growing public sentiment? Is it even realistic?

The full study can be found at CAHSS.org (I have no affiliation)

 

[NMSbowhunter]

My very simplified view on this. Older hunters are falling off due to age, so we are losing the "silent" generation of hunters, those folks who don't post on the internet about it, and gaining "techno" hunters, lol.

One thing I see as a positive is it is far easier today for a prospective hunter to gain knowledge than ever before. 40 or 50 years ago, you either scrounged a little data from a few books or magazines and learned on your own or you had a mentor.

I suspect it is very regional also. I'm sure a lot of folks would say they haven't seen numbers decline, especially since Covid. I know from my own area it seems we have doubled turkey hunters since 2019.

Also, I would look at who wrote the article and who funded the research. Sometimes, they have a vested interest, such as if everything is going great, I might not get funding to study this next year, and also many studies are designed from the ground up to bias in favor of one outcome or another. Not saying that this is happening is this particular instance.

 

[woodsdog2]

The poll I made is rudimentary at best but I’m wondering what everyone’s thoughts and opinions are more than anything else. Also some ideas in reversing the trend….. the study referenced a low approval of trophy hunting (among other reasons) but Samuels points out the lack of understanding regarding trophy hunting…citing the positive aspects of selective harvests, QDM activities that benefit all game and species in the environment, trophy hunter positive economic impact (spending theoretically more time in an area to selectively harvest a trophy) etc.

 

[woodsdog2]

I’m also getting concerned because I’m seeing that YouTube is demonetizing many of the trapping channels which have been around for many years…… good trappers and ethical trappers’ educational and entertainment channels are being censured effectively. Not a good trend and counter intuitive to what I thought would happen after the recent election. Trapping is typically the first to go but is ironically one of, if not the most regulated forms of outdoor pursuits in which you can engage.

 

[Nutterbuster]

It's 100% habitat loss and degradation. No close seconds. People don't realize that we've lost virtually all of the habitat that native animals evolved to live in. 98% of longleaf savanna. 99% of Gulf Coast Prarie. 100% of old growth hardwoods.

The habitat that's left is subpar and increasingly fragmented, and usually managed solely for timber production. And the population is increasing. Overall hunter numbers are decreasing, but hunters per square mile of feasible habitat isn't.

Hunting land is getting more expensive and also less productive. You can read old accounts of hunting and fishing and that really drives it home.

As far as what to do? IMO, shift the primary focus from preserving the tradition to preserving the habitat. Hunters, at least in Alabama, are poor to lukewarm environmentalists. It's honestly infuriating to show up to town halls discussing issues that will jabe huge impacts on my local WMA and be the only outdoorsman in the room.

 

[euge]

It's 100% habitat loss and degradation. No close seconds. People don't realize that we've lost virtually all of the habitat that native animals evolved to live in. 98% of longleaf savanna. 99% of Gulf Coast Prarie. 100% of old growth hardwoods.

The habitat that's left is subpar and increasingly fragmented, and usually managed solely for timber production. And the population is increasing. Overall hunter numbers are decreasing, but hunters per square mile of feasible habitat isn't.

Hunting land is getting more expensive and also less productive. You can read old accounts of hunting and fishing and that really drives it home.

As far as what to do? IMO, shift the primary focus from preserving the tradition to preserving the habitat. Hunters, at least in Alabama, are poor to lukewarm environmentalists. It's honestly infuriating to show up to town halls discussing issues that will jabe huge impacts on my local WMA and be the only outdoorsman in the room.

Strong agreement. I worry about the public lands my children will be able to experience, I don't see us getting more ethical land management practices throughout the acres of this country, yes maybe pockets here or there will be preserved but the vast majority like you said? Already lost and what we do have left will be death by a thousand cuts from fragmentation and surrounding development.

Or maybe I'm just feeling particularly pessimistic today.

Sent from my SM-F946U1 using Tapatalk

 

[Nutterbuster]

Or maybe I'm just feeling particularly pessimistic today.

David Brower said that you never "saved" a wilderness, you just got it a stay of execution. I understand your feelings. I usually share them.

But if you don't stay riled up and fighting, the odds of losing it go from 95 to 100 percent. Or that's what I tell myself.

 

[Weldabeast]

We just voted to add it to our state constitution......granted the lions share of those normies that helped pass the amendment probably had fishing in mind more than hunting

 

[John 35]

Hunting will end largely because of the destruction of habitat and loss of access to private land for average hunters before anti hunters can end it.

 

[MattMan81]

It's like an onion. So many layers of reasons for the decline.
Bottom line is you need to change the hearts of people. Not their mind on one specific thing.

 

[Topdog]

Culture change. Hunting was once viewed as an accepted family activity where friends and family would gather in large groups to spend time afield for nothing more than the experience, gather at camps, etc… in our area this is now to coming to an end, social media and the modern approach to hunting in general has turned into one big Richard measuring contest forcing those who only half participated for the “fun” to stay home or watch sports on tv instead, that is what’s being lost, the uncle who used to half hunt and show up to camp but never loaded his rifle all weekend, who just participated to be a part of the group, now everyone is a lone wolf, looking to one up Facebook “friends”, I’m not sure how we ever change this mentality or if it will.

 

[Lucky13]

Population is definitely a factor.
Hunting lease prices are insane.
I’m not in the hunting will go away camp. I look at it like the number of hunters will balance itself out. Not everyone can hunt just like not everyone can drive an electric vehicle. It’s not sustainable. Unless I go into major population cities, I see hunting and the hunting community everywhere.
My kids hunt. The older I get I realize some of my favorite hunts are with kids. There’s well over 100 million more people in the United States today compared to the 1980’s. Some kids will be hunters, some won’t.
There will always be a minority that makes moves to make hunting a significant part of their life.
If you’re on the side of hunting is going away I feel like that’s a personal tunnel vision issue.

 

[huntin_addict]

Hunting will end largely because of the destruction of habitat and loss of access to private land for average hunters before anti hunters can end it.

I've said this for a LONG time. We as outdoorsman and women are killing hunting from the inside out.

Somewhat anecdotal, I was recently listening to a podcast between 2 younger hunters. Of course the guest was describing how he was hunting one of his "target" bucks this past season. He went on to describe how a strange pickup was parking along his road on the daily, so he confronted the guy. Turns out, new guy had gotten permission, but our hero in the story was butt hurt and didn't really want the competition (basically had a problem sharing because he didn't want someone else hunting his "number 1") on the same property he had permission for.

Fast forward a couple of weeks to a different area, and our hero obtains permission to hunt a new property, and that was perfectly OK. Nevermind that now he is "new guy". I want my cake and eat it too mentality.

We as a whole are slowly losing access nationwide, and we are doing it to ourselves from the inside out because of scenarios like the one I described above.

I've noticed a much more accelerated decline in access over the last 10 years vs. the 30 before that.

 

[thedutchtouch]

I agree with all of the above, but to me the underlying reason to all of it is culture change. It baffles me how many people I know and interact with (that eat meat) are anti hunting (and some are anti fishing) and think that it's more ethical to get a steak or a chicken wrapped up in plastic from the grocery store, or order a bacon cheeseburger when we're out. When the culture changes to have so much distance from our food and our daily interaction changes(devolves?) to the instant reaction/satisfaction/"anyone can say whatever they want online and it's true" type of social media we have now, polarizing opinions win, and people lose sight of what should be "normal".

 

[Swamp Fox__On The Run]

Considering the vast majority of Americans don't hunt and don't know anyone who does (Grandpa's glory days were before their time), I think this comes down to misperceptions and misunderstandings, mixed with misinformation often malevolently promoted by antis and their minions in the media.

And when a non-hunter does rub elbows with a hunter, chances are it's a less-than-positive impression that sticks. Hunters can be their own worst enemies by how they conduct themselves, whether they think they have an audience or not.

The way to slow the downward trend in approval --and possibly even reverse it--is for today's hunters to strive to become icons of their communities once again, something approaching the romantic hero-provider-protector straight arrow that all but the youngest Americans have a picture of in their heads when they think about this country's wild places and its history. Think La Longue Carabine.

So, if you're going to put yourself out there as a hunter, strive for the admiration of the non-hunters you encounter as hard as you strive for the admiration of your fellow hunters.

This can be simple, but it might take some work and some self-awareness.

 

[mschultz373]

Hunting won’t go away in states where it is enshrined constitutionally, at least not for a long time. I know we can’t talk politics, but I wager it will probably divide along red v blue state lines.

Habitat and access will get worse before it gets better but I remain hopeful that conservationists will actually add to their numbers. Again, not to be overtly political, but we are going thru a major realignment and I am hopeful young people will in fact learn to see the value of conservation and hunting. It will take hunters learning more to couch our pursuits in terms of connecting with nature, our heritage and stewarding lands well, as well as a very healthy and sustainable way to feed our families.

Some states will continue to poorly manage land and access. Out of state licenses probably won’t see relief any time soon. Those remain my biggest concerns

 

[Blacksmith]

Some good points and I agree w/everyone. It seems harder today to get anyone to commit to anything. From being the head of a security team, to the pres. of a gun club, to our archery club, folks don't seem to want to help w/anything, just come and enjoy it! It seems so many feel entitled and won't give anything of themselves. I think the best we can contribute in this area is to get new folks or kids involved but honestly doubt we'll ever turn it around. JMO.

 

[washxc]

Excellent points. For a long time I have thought about a National Land Trust specifically for public hunting, fishing, and trapping. Many of you are likely familiar with land trusts in your area. Some exist to protect land for specific ecosystems, some for recreation, and others to protect from development. But as far as I'm aware, none have it in their mission to protect public land for hunting, trapping, and fishing. It is true that some land trusts allow those activities on their property, but it is also true that some prohibit those activities, and the deciding factor is often the political leanings of the board of directors. Here's my pitch to you all. Would you donate to a non-profit National Land Trust for Public Hunting? As a previous director for a land trust, our membership levels existed from $25/year-to as much as a donor really or was able to give. We protected property by purchasing in fee, conservation easements, and donations. The mission would be to protect land in perpetuity that is open to public hunting, trapping, and fishing on a National scale.

 

[Swamp Fox__On The Run]

Some good points and I agree w/everyone. It seems harder today to get anyone to commit to anything. From being the head of a security team, to the pres. of a gun club, to our archery club, folks don't seem to want to help w/anything, just come and enjoy it! It seems so many feel entitled and won't give anything of themselves. I think the best we can contribute in this area is to get new folks or kids involved but honestly doubt we'll ever turn it around. JMO.

^^^^

This goes to a point I was trying to make, and it's important. (Kudos.)

Today's hunters need to be leaders.

Not all can be. Not all will be.

So it's up to us, homeys.

If it takes bringing in young blood because the old guard is incapable, so be it.

But I have long said: We don't need more hunters --We need better hunters.

 

[Phopkins]

I hope people who are on the fence don't watch any of today's hunting shows. I can't accept the way guys celebrate a kill shot. I know it can be emotional but the crying, cheering and the "I smoked em " forms of,really, disrespect turn me off. And I'm a die hard hunter.