Hunting in Your Area

[RLFD5415]

Not very scientific at all, but I have observed a serious drop in the numbers of hunters in the areas I frequent in upstate NY. I would think with the economy being the way it is that more hunters would be out looking to put a little extra in the freezer. Apparently I am wrong in my thinking. Have you observed any differences in numbers of hunters in your neck of the woods this year?

[B. Lahey]

My part of the midwest has been booming, no lack of hunters around here. Michigan has seen an increase also from what I hear.

[Sportdog]

From the amount of shooting and the numbers that I got from a local deer processer the numbers are up here in Southwestern Michigan. Around here there is almost no public hunting land and access is hard to come by. Most of the best farms are leased to wealthy hunters from Chicago and South Bend. There are a couple of large tracts of hunting land owned by professional athletes and one by a manufacturer of scent control clothing.

[Brian Pfleuger]

I'm in Central NY. Definitely less shooting around here. I think it has to do with the change in start dates and the change to allow Sunday hunting, at least in part. The season used to start on Monday and there was no Sunday hunting so the first Saturday and then Thanksgiving were always crazy. Now, with the start on Saturday and Sunday hunting allowed I think people spread out their hunting a little more, making it appear that there are fewer people. No one I know has stopped hunting so I'm not sure attrition is the problem.

[Deet]

I also think the number is up, but a few days this week there were only a few of us hunting Willow Slough in Indiana.

[cowboy1984]

In South Georgia there is no shortage of hunters. The problem here is that the local hunters can't pay $10-$15 an acre to hunt. We have a bunch of Flordia boys coming up and slaughtering anything that walks out. No quality deer make it to next year. Not everyone from Flordia slaughters deer, but most of the ones that hunt around here do.

[rem870hunter]

not too sure if the number increased or decreased here. i do recall seeing alot out on small game season opening a few saturdays ago. 6 day firearm for deer usually is quiet on opening day. but the last day,holy cow hooting and hollering and shooting from the local areas being beat up by gun clubs. makes me think there alot hunters still around. i've only seen 2 bowhunters while out squirrel hunting.

[Ricky]

Definatly less hunting here in N. Calif.

[hogdogs]

For the most part, sport hunters expect to pay far more than 20 bucks per pound for their meat. The gizmos, gadgets, bells and whistles, ammo, scents, new camo, calls and the sort they want new every year puts hunting into the luxury column. For me this season is one where I had to make a conscience decision to get back out there just to bring home the meat. I bought a box of slugs and a box of 00 cheap stuff. Then the license and wma permit will top the list. After one deer in the freezer I can start shifting food items back from the luxury column they had to be shifted into recently to the necessity column.
I am a 6 mile round trip drive from my spot.
Brent

[summerman]

For the last 20 years of so I hear less shots, see less hunters and know fewer and fewer whom hunt. I think part of less shots heard could be as stated above i.e. starting the season on a Saturday. Other than that I think it's more posted land, more development and younger kids being busier with computers, etc. and thuns more competition with hunting for fun. It's important to pass it on to your children or others so they can appreciate the great shooting, hunting, sporting tradition of our country. Enough speeches,, sorry.

[SmithMP]

We usually see at 50-75 at each drawing where i go at jasper pulaski but there is alot more every morning at the slough

[Swampghost]

I'm in almost the same box as hogdogs. I've also only had 6 weeks of work this year and the profits from previous years are going by fast. When you have to start counting your pennies, hunting gets to be expensive unless you can step out of your back door.

Have you ever thought that mabe this is one of the ways that the anti's will force us out? Just make the whole procedure too expensive for the average guy?

[trekkie951]

where in upstate are you? there is lots of hunting in my area, ive heard about 5 or 6 bucks being taken in the last week, and those are just by the young hunters like myself.

[shortwave]

Got an idea! How bout me sending you guys some hunters. There`s no lack of em here. Monday morning will be opening day of shotgun season. I`ll be out there before daylight. When the sun comes up I`m sure I`ll be running trespaser`s out so my guest can have a descent hunt. Living in the middle of the woods has its drawbacks but still beats the alternative.

[RLFD5415]

where in upstate are you? there is lots of hunting in my area, ive heard about 5 or 6 bucks being taken in the last week, and those are just by the young hunters like myself.

I hunt locations in Saratoga, Warren and Essex counties. Depends who I'm meeting that day. All my hunting buds have taken deer, but outside that, I've run into no other hunters, heard very few shots, and have not run off one trespasser this year.

[AMT8951]

Maybe not as many hunters as in the past, but there are still plenty of deer and turkey hunters in my neck of the woods. Small game, waterfowl, predator and upland bird hunting is way down. Thios is too bad, cause some places are over run with grouse, rabbit, and coyote.

[UniversalFrost]

the number of hunters is down here. of course it helps that most of the folks around post are deployed.

but anyway, most actually don't hunt here on post. and not too many folks hunt off post from what I have seen.

during this early november deer season I saw maybe a couple dozen folks checking in to hunt on post. I am hoping those numbers stay the same for my december hunt.