Looking for hunting land

[SmokinCrow]

But we are told all of the time the number of hunters is dropping like a rock and the youngsters aren't hunting?

There are fewer hunters all the time. But we also have to realize people are losing access to lands they traditionally hunted all the time as well. So they look for new places and often that's public land. Also with apps and products like onxmaps people can find access to places that were often overlooked. So so secret honey holes are found by non resident hunters and other new to the area.

Some places recruitment for hunting is increasing. It's not a bad thing. The key is for good management on herds to support hunting. Some management strategies lead towards Big Bucks and Bulls. Those tend not support a lot of opportunities for people. So people try to go to places with more opportunities as well. Which increases pressure in those areas.

 

[Deleted member 115360]

There are fewer hunters all the time. But we also have to realize people are losing access to lands they traditionally hunted all the time as well. So they look for new places and often that's public land. Also with apps and products like onxmaps people can find access to places that were often overlooked. So so secret honey holes are found by non resident hunters and other new to the area.

Some places recruitment for hunting is increasing. It's not a bad thing. The key is for good management on herds to support hunting. Some management strategies lead towards Big Bucks and Bulls. Those tend not support a lot of opportunities for people. So people try to go to places with more opportunities as well. Which increases pressure in those areas.

I don't think it's true that there are less hunters.

I think there are less hunters by percentage of the population each year, but there are more hunters each year, and it won't be getting better anytime soon.

 

[yobuck]

Consider it as a gift.
There are oportunities waiting for you to discover that will alter your life.

 

[Pinoniper]

Consider it as a gift.
There are oportunities waiting for you to discover that will alter your life.

Please say more.

 

[mfran615]

I haven't read all 4 pages of replies, but there is likely plenty of public land that is available, so you do likely have many places to hunt.

 

[Len729]

I don't think it's true that there are less hunters.

I think there are less hunters by percentage of the population each year, but there are more hunters each year, and it won't be getting better anytime soon.

Here's a state by state breakdown of registered hunters.

States with the most registered hunters

Stacker analyzed data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to determine which states have the most registered hunters. Read on to see how your state ranks on Stacker’s list.

stacker.com

 

[yobuck]

I don't think it's true that there are less hunters.

I think there are less hunters by percentage of the population each year, but there are more hunters each year, and it won't be getting better anytime soon.

Ride around in the NC area of Pa next year on the first day of the rifle buck season and you might change your opinion a bit.
There will be lots of unoccupied hunting camps.
And those that are will have fewer hunters than past years for the most part.
Also check out the hotels and motels and see how they stack up with years past as for occupancy during deer season.
When i was young the schools were closed statewide for 3 days due to many teachers who hunted. Today only a few close for just opening day.
There has been a shift from rifle to archery since cross bows have been legalized, and that no doubt contributes as well to less hunters seen during the rifle season.
But thats not the only thing for sure.

 

[Deleted member 115360]

Ride around in the NC area of Pa next year on the first day of the rifle buck season and you might change your opinion a bit.
There will be lots of unoccupied hunting camps.
And those that are will have fewer hunters than past years for the most part.
Also check out the hotels and motels and see how they stack up with years past as for occupancy during deer season.
When i was young the schools were closed statewide for 3 days due to many teachers who hunted. Today only a few close for just opening day.
There has been a shift from rifle to archery since cross bows have been legalized, and that no doubt contributes as well to less hunters seen during the rifle season.
But thats not the only thing for sure.

Won't argue that, but look at nonresident license purchases in the rocky mountain range. Those states are literally changing their laws because they are seeing 300%+ increases in out of state hunters. Trailheads that used to be unknown will now have 50 trucks parked at them during opening days. Many folks are changing the way they hunt, but I have a hard time believing that there are actually less hunters out there.

 

[birddog 68]

Ride around in the NC area of Pa next year on the first day of the rifle buck season and you might change your opinion a bit.
There will be lots of unoccupied hunting camps.
And those that are will have fewer hunters than past years for the most part.
Also check out the hotels and motels and see how they stack up with years past as for occupancy during deer season.
When i was young the schools were closed statewide for 3 days due to many teachers who hunted. Today only a few close for just opening day.
There has been a shift from rifle to archery since cross bows have been legalized, and that no doubt contributes as well to less hunters seen during the rifle season.
But thats not the only thing for sure.

I agree that the mountainous areas of pa have way less hunters nowadays and yes the growth of archery is part of it but when I was much younger that's where all the deer were. Seems like there's more deer in the foothills and farmland of Pa and there's no need to go to the mountains for deer.

 

[SmokinCrow]

I don't think it's true that there are less hunters.

I think there are less hunters by percentage of the population each year, but there are more hunters each year, and it won't be getting better anytime soon.

People are being pushed out of hunting. It's getting to be a rich man's sport. Access can be difficult or out of peoples price if they have to lease. Some places are getting more hunters, but overall that's not the case. It seems like more hunters are out because access is being limited and people are pushed to accessible lands. That's general tag areas with public lands.

Plus you have the baby boomer generation starting to stop hunting and youth in general are less interested in

Won't argue that, but look at nonresident license purchases in the rocky mountain range. Those states are literally changing their laws because they are seeing 300%+ increases in out of state hunters. Trailheads that used to be unknown will now have 50 trucks parked at them during opening days. Many folks are changing the way they hunt, but I have a hard time believing that there are actually less hunters out there.

I have a hard time believing there are people who think Joe Biden is doing a good job as President. Yet they are there.

What you believe doesn't necessarily reflect reality. Yes there are now 50 parked at trail heads that not all that long ago were empty. 20 years ago there was no simple app on a phone that showed you easy to access public land. People have ways to find out of the way public land that 20 years ago were secret honey holes. That draws people, especially non residents to those areas.

 

[Carolinadx]

And South Mountain State Park, which is in his back yard. However, I do understand the unwillingness to hunt on public lands...sometimes it sucks.

Or.... Hike up Carpenters Knob without your EDC at sundown.... And hang out with Knobby

 

[M1A1ABRAMS]

More hunters, less habitat.
It's like a vise.

Not according to the fish & game sales of hunting licenses.

 

[Len729]

Not according to the fish & game sales of hunting licenses.

It's more like MORE hunters on public land because all the private land is leased … definitely a Rich man's game

 

[yobuck]

It's more like MORE hunters on public land because all the private land is leased … definitely a Rich man's game

Are you aware of how many millions of acres of public hunting land is available in PA. Len?
My first year deer hunting was in 1947, and we drove a full day from where we lived to get to the NC part of the state.
Today that same trip is about 4.1/2 hours due to much better roads that bypass the towns.
We always had people asking why we traveled that far when the Pocono's were so close to home.
Even Bucks County where we lived was largely undeveloped with lots of game at that time.
But what happened to the Pocono's ?
Same as what happened to Bucks Co. and many of the other areas near the population hubs.
Where there is a will, there is usually always a way to do things.
The problem quite often comes down to mindset.
Meanwhile the hotels and motels in the areas having most of the public land are empty, or near empty, even on opening day.