Fewer young hunters raise worries about hunting's future

Wisconsin State Journal ^ | 25 nov 07 | RON SEELY

[Hot Tabasco]

You have to travel hundreds of miles anymore to find a place to hunt, often out-of-state, and states charge non-residents far more than residents.

I grew up grouse hunting in northern Michigan but its impossible now to go up there because I don't have the friends up there anymore and I wouldn't know where to hunt. Plus the travel time, motel fees, etc........

I love to pheasant hunt but the only successful hunting is out west and I can't afford it anymore. While there is limited public hunting in the Michigan thumb area, you have to compete with the masses..........

[SWAMPSNIPER]

Once upon a time I would go to a few big land owners around here and ask permission to hunt on their land. I was only expected to act as though I had good sense. As time went on, more and more sections of land were only opened to the highest bidder, and I lost out.
Today, when I am too old and feeble to even think about dragging a deer out of the woods, I can’t even think about just going in, with a camera, and taking pictures. No way can I afford it.
If I was a teenage, wannabe hunter, I couldn’t even hope.

[linn37]

My thirteen year old is going out with his dad in the morning. We have state game lands just a short walk from the house.

[attiladhun2]

Unless you wear bright colors which advertises your presense to both the game and knuckleheaded hunters, you are taking a chance of being "bagged" yourself hunting on public land.

I have to go to the range twice a year to keep my exposed carry permit for both the 9mm and .38. When you have to shoot as a professional requirement, it is a chore with not much enjoyment in it and something I do not look forward to having to do.

[attiladhun2]

It used to be that ranchers would let you hunt on their land up in the Sierra foothills as long as you asked permission. Lawsuits and chuckleheads have put a halt to that.

[attiladhun2]

Yeah, but can you pop off any of this game? The hills around So. Cal are loaded with deer, black bear, cougar, racoons, opossum, pheasant, quail, dove, cottontail, etc. However, there are housing tracts everywhere now and there only a few areas where you can legally discharge a firearm.

[taxed2death]

“Yeah, but can you pop off any of this game?”

Yesssireeeeeeee!

Also... every cop in my town goes through my back yard as they poach deer with a bow.

I don’t have the patience for bow hunting. I just BLAM em.