Young, urban hunters

To the list:

One of the issues that has been bothering me (the other is chronic wasting disease) is the declining number and increasing age of hunters. Who is going to carry on the tradition? anyway this was in the NY Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/25/dining/25hunt.html

Kind of interesting. They had some recipes, too. The story didn't really cover issues like fair chase, the hunter's responsibility to make a clean kill and follow up wounded game. And it shows a deer hunter in camo, not a trace of blaze orange on him! I think I'll send a letter to the editor.

The story notes that hunting skills used to passed down father to son, but that hasn't been happening as much as it used to. So these young men and women are taking classes or doing workshops. Well, I wish I had someone to show me all the tricks to dressing out a deer when I was a kid.

Anyway, I'm glad to see young men getting into the hunt, and especially hunting to eat. Let's see if they stick with it. Or will this be just another fad, like men's drum circles? (remember those?)

jn

In my part of the country the hunters are actually starting to hunt much earlier. The state game and fish commission started a 15 and under youth hunt early in the season, and the local newspaper posts pictures of the young hunters and their deer. An adult must accompany the young hunters, which is done primarily from a stand. When I started hunting the deer were much more scarce in my part of the state, and there was almost a competition among the adults to see who could get a deer, and this left the young hunters out.
The gun stores do a large business in rifles made to fit young hunters, so around here there is a lot of interest shown by the young hunters.

Hi Jon,

most of our hunters wish they were in the States. It is so much easier and cheaper to go hunting. Over here you have to make an expensive course with an examination ( between $ 3000 and $4000 ). Than you have the governments license to hunt. But you have no place to do that! Than you have to look for a hunting spot, that`s the next expensive thing. And if you are lucky and got one, you have a lot of rules to look after. Why dont you have the nice thing like in TV: "Beam me up , Scotti" ?

Best Regards

Gunner

Jon,
Those "urban" hunters are the main reason I stopped hunting deer. I've usually found that someone who has grown up around guns and hunting has fostered a respect for firearms and can selectively choose whether or not to take game based on size, age, or other factors. I have seen too many inexperienced hunters buy a gun and outfit and stomp around the mountain shooting at anything that moves. I made it through a war and I don't want to get shot by an "urban cowboy".

Interesting though that the New York Times would be featuring a story on hunting with "guns"!

P-14,

I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. I'm kind of an urban hunter, actually - Pocatello being the westernmost limit of the rust belt. Talk about down 'n out. Anyway, I just hope they are learning to respect the animals, follow the unwritten rules of the field, and hunt safe.

At least they're not out chasing horns.

jn