License Increase?

Check out the same "stats" across the board for the entire USA and you will see it is like that everywhere.. some states have an even larger decline than Pa does.

With our aging population some of that decline is understandable

HOWEVER ---

Getting youth interested in hunting and fishing should be one of everyone's
goals. The youth hunts, mentored youth program, etc are working - but more folks need to get involved and get those young ones out into the woods...

Teach them about the woods... wildlife habits... the habitat itself and its importance to all creatures... DON'T make it all about seeing game or harvesting game..

Most folks my age learned to hunt when the conditions were much like they are today. I never saw deer ever time out... rarely saw a turkey... did not even know any turkey hunters.. but thanks to my Dad and an Uncle I learn to appreciate our woods, nature and wildlife as a whole...

IMHO this is what is stopping youth from getting/staying involved.. too much importance is place on see and harvesting game...

After a hunt many of today's youth are totally disappointed if they did not see the number of game that their mentor did during the "hay day" of deer, rabbit, pheasants, squirrels everywhere...

Does anyone even hunt squirrels anymore ???

I know I have several youths that I'll be taking out this squrriel season.. they have been hounding me since trout season was basically over... :)

Today's mentor should explain the importance of a balanced deer herd.. both in age structure and in balance with the habitat they are hunting in..  explain why there are less rabbits and pheasants than in earlier times.. expalin the need for all of God's creatures to be present in our forests, wetlands, and woodlands .. explain how development and different farming practices have changed the habitat for small game..  how various wildlife inter-act with each other...and tell them the importance of the need to CREATE better habitat for wildlife today...

it has been my experience lately that that is NOT being taught in general...

It's the blame game..complaining about the number of deer etc... and over looking the importance of good deer/wildlife management for the good of the forest/habitat and for future generations to have game to hunt..


Contrary to Jeremy.. most folks I know who have "hung it up" for hunting AND fishing was not because of lack of game/fish.....

Here's my list of reasons for folks I know --

1. Age/Health.. "just can't get around like before"

2. Family.. family and kids have too  many other obligations. ..no time for hunting/fishing anymore

3. Financial.... Many have to work 6 days to keep my job or to make ends meet.
Check out how many companies have stopped giving the first day of buck as a holiday or allowing folks to "call off" with out punishment...  check out how many have MANDATORY OVER TIME... you'll be surprsed !!!

Time to get off the old soap box   

TIL LATER..

The bottom line is guys, you can preach the "success doesn't matter, it is about the experience," all you want, but answer me this question, how many of you played a sport you were terrible at in high school, just for the experience?  If they want to sell licenses there is an easy solution.
 
Success is important, especially for youth, because there are too many other things they will do that they will be successful at.  A large part of our problems here in america stem from those who do not see success as important.
 
If you are going to do something, do it well. 

In reponse to Dr. Trout....
 
That has got to be the most dead-on, educated, and factual post Ive read in a long time!
You hit the nail right on the head!
 
 

AMEN !!!!
 
   

Are you saying the states that permit Sunday hunting are showing an increase in licensce sales?
 
PT2

ORIGINAL: Dr. Trout

I was just agreeing on the issue of Sunday hunting...

to my knowledge it has not improved sales in states that allow it..

 
And both Jerry Feaser and Carl Roe have stated publicly because of Pa. high hunter numbers and the pressure on high harvest days(Saturdays) turkey and or deer season length would be scrutinized.
 
Take spring turkey as an example.  4 weeks with 5 Saturdays right now.  The heaviest harvest is on the first Saturday followed by every Saturday after that.  Sundays would add another 4 High harvest days for a total of 9 high harvest days.
 
Mary Jo C., the PGC turkey biologist has expressed concerns for the resource with Sunday hunting.  She has already reduced fall hunting in certain WMU because of lower turkey populations.
 
That extra hunting that some yearn for may just not happen with Sunday hunting for some species.

My feelings on a few things:
 
Sunday hunting.  Will it increase hunter participation?  Maybe some at first.  Will it stop the decrease in license sales?  Nope.  Will it shorten seasons?  With our current number of hunters and deer.. yepper.   Would you archers give up the last two weeks, for four weeks of hunting with Sunday?  Rifle season, would you give up the last week for a two Sundays?  Careful what you wish for.
 
Reasons for decrease in license sales: 
 
A few of frustrated with lack of deer.  If there were more deer, would it stabilize or increase overall sales?  Maybe at first, but in the long run, no.  This just gives a few an excuse to quit.  I said if before and I'll say it again.  In 2006, I spent 120 hours in a tree during archery and saw a total of 18 deer.   If I didn't care for hunting much, it'd be a good reason to quit.   Lack of deer isn't the underlying reason.  It's desire, lack there of.  Success to many is defined as harvest.  I guess that means non-harvest means failure.  If you look at it like this, you're in the woods for the wrong reason.  Hunting is not shooting and shooting is not hunting.  Same with killing. 
 
License Increase.  Quitting because of a license increase?  Very few TRUELY affected by this.  Lack of desire is the dominate issue, not money.  Another excuse to quit however.
 
The baby boomers are gettin' old (S-10, ya old fart).   They make up the majority of hunters, and they've influenced the others.   Say Dad dies, camp just isn't going to be the same.  Kids go their separate ways.  I've seen it.    I'm going to see it at a Dad's camp this year. 
 
The way of life.  This has got to the biggest.  Children got too much to do.  Too much technology, too fast-paced life style.  As technology moves forward at lightning speed, this will continue to be the reason for less and less hunters.  As a child, I was addicted to video games.  It most certainly took time away from my hunting time.  Boy, it sure was a memory "beating" that game.     I used to spend too much time on the internet at home.  Solution?  I got rid of it.   It's kinda nice!!  I actually get less bored because I go "do something."
 
Times are changing.  I think the PGC is facing the inevitable.  Hunting in the future will have a perception as a management tool, no longer recreation.  PGC will not survive this.

ive been hunting since i was nine i started out as the dog rabbit hunting lol ive only shot one 4 point when i was 16 im now 20 n i still go i love being in the woods even if i dont shoot anything its great being outta the city

Silver--ole buddy, I can guarantee you that I didn't get up at five oclock, am going to walk half a mile, risk my health climbing a slippery tree, and spend several hours sitting on a limb to watch the leaves fall. I can do that driving around in my car after the sun comes up. Well- time to go. 

Silver, I'd gladly give up the first 2 weeks of archery hunting if they added in Sundays for the remainder of the season.  Overall though, archery hunting's affect on the overall harvest is still small compared to the rifle hunter so I don't think it would need to be that drastic.  Maybe give up the first week of archery.  The rifle only guys still will not go for it most likely.  Rifle season could still be the same I would think by adjusting the amount of antlerless tags available or maybe say, Sundays are buck only.  In doing this, make the entire state 4 to a side so the bucks don't get hammered down like days of old across the rest of the state. 
 

As for the license increase, I will agree with it only after the Game Comm. utilizes it's assets on state game lands first. Our license fees pay for alot of the gamelands, so why shouldn't mature trees be harvested off of "our" land? Not clearcut, but logged managably. There is also natural gas under "our" gamelands. If the Game Comm. chooses to not utilize "our" assets, why should we agree to a license increase? Why is it our resposibility to make up for their mismanagement of the deer herd & non-utilization of "our" assets? Why? Because sh*t rolls downhill & the average"peon" is at the bottom.

I agree with the license increase. It is unreasonable to think with the prices of nearly everything going up, that the PGC expenses wouldn't as well. If they need the money, us sportsmen should be willing to give it to them. An underfunded game commission could be a very bad problem.
 
As far as i'm concerned, I don't want to give up the first 2 weeks of archery season to allow Sunday hunting, if that would be the case. I enjoy the early season.

ORIGINAL: rollcaster




Did you just say underfunded game commission , wow!!!!!

ORIGINAL: henhouse

And the church going  people may not think its such a good idea either.

 
Then let them stay in church.

I wouldn't say they are underfunded either, but they will need a license increase eventually to avoid it. If we keep the current license price, and don't increase it eventually, then they will become underfunded considering costs going up, and license sales going down.