Hunting numbers down?

[Goodtimekiller]

Certain things are up but overall it is down.


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[mikejd]

Where I hunt turkey hunters have become non existant for a while now. There used to be guys everywhere.
Turkey numbers are also way down and its not uncommon to go days or even a week without even hearing a gobble. A few days of hunting like that guys leave and never come back.

[1iagobblergetter]

Year's ago farmers only had a couple hundred acres and welcomed hunters to rid land of crop eating animals. Now small farmers are not the norm. We have farmers that own several thousand acres and some don't want to lose it over a hunting accident or frivolous lawsuit. Others give permission to a couple lucky relatives or friends that instead of years ago tied up a couple hundred acres is now tying up several thousand..

[Boykin Hollow]

Article in U.S. News and World Reports

Turkey hunter numbers in wildlife management areas in Georgia increased 47% this year from 2019, while turkeys killed during the first 23 days of the season rose 26%, despite no recent increase in bird numbers, the ecologists, respectively with the University of Georgia and Louisiana State University, wrote in a report, citing state department of natural resources preliminary data.

Not all states have reported an increase in hunting license applications, with both California and Florida seeing declines.

Still, big game such as deer could see similar pressure in the autumn as hunters have more time to max out "bag limits," which in the case of Georgia is 12 animals, the ecologists said.

[Greg Massey]

Lot more people were hunting in my area this year because of virus and being off work.  A lot of these guys are mostly deer hunters , but decided to try turkey hunting to just get out of the house. couple of these guys i loaned them some pot calls and couple box calls ..  Turkeys in my area got a lot more pressure this year, than any years pass ...

[Tom007]

X2.....

[Crghss]

Access of land is the problem. In PA from the 80's to Y2K I never hunted state land. Had access to hundreds of private acres. Since then development(mostly) and land ownership turnover all that access is gone. If you want quality hunting you'll need to buy the land.

In 10 to 20 years you'll see less and less Hunting access to state & federal lands. As hunters become a smaller % of society and animal lovers become a larger % of society. Most people use to be ambivalent to hunting. Now they hate it 1. More people turning against Guns 2. People don't know where or how meat gets in to stores

They'll be a few states that hold out because the will be to much money to make. Already started in WY, you use to get free preference points if you missed out on a drawing. Last year they started charging for pp, Antelope $31, Elk $50. Prices will just keep going up. Access down.

How long do you think SD rules & prices will stay the same as more and more people go to hunt there because hunting sux where they live?

[bigriverbum]

back in the old days people hunted where ever they wanted. just be respectful and nobody cared.  starting in the 70s and 80s city folk started buying up properties and posted the boundaries.

my trout fishing buddy said locals put up signs that said "If Your Land is Posted, Stay OFF of Mine"

[Chordeiles]

It fluctuates from year to year, but overall numbers are up.
Some states are declining, while some are rising.

This is interesting: https://www.fws.gov/wsfrprograms/subpages/licenseinfo/Hunting.htm

[fallhnt]

Year's ago farmers only had a couple hundred acres and welcomed hunters to rid land of crop eating animals. Now small farmers are not the norm. We have farmers that own several thousand acres and some don't want to lose it over a hunting accident or frivolous lawsuit. Others give permission to a couple lucky relatives or friends that instead of years ago tied up a couple hundred acres is now tying up several thousand..

IL is a Democratic  hole, but there is a law on the books....landowners cannot be sued by persons trespassing or not.

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[mspaci]

I havent run in to another turkey hunter in about 3 yrs in my area of NY. Matter of fact last yr I never heard another hunter even shoot. Mike

[Dtrkyman]

I hunted public in three states, Indiana, Missouri and Michigan.

Only one day in Missouri cuz I got a bird right off, but I went into a piece with access that was a long hike, nobody there.

Indy was busy but I again easily got away from others by hiking in about 1.75 miles, birds were obviously pushed back there but very reluctant to work!

Michigan I had a small piece of private to hunt and it had no birds so I went to some public, took a couple days to find some good sign and the first nice morning there were several birds gobbling in there, made my way in and 2 guys were already there. Made a move and killed a bird a mile or so from there.

[mikejd]

I havent run in to another turkey hunter in about 3 yrs in my area of NY. Matter of fact last yr I never heard another hunter even shoot. Mike

Same here. What part of NY. And how are the bird numbers by you.

[Rick Howard]

I havent run in to another turkey hunter in about 3 yrs in my area of NY. Matter of fact last yr I never heard another hunter even shoot. Mike

Same here. What part of NY. And how are the bird numbers by you.

lol don't answer that

[drake799]

I wish half the people in my area would quit lol.  I can't hardly believe hunter numbers are down.  My gosh everyone turkey hunts now