Hunter recruitment

[MI_Bowhunter]

I think the problem with hunter recruitment in Michigan these days is specilization. Not many kids get the opportunity to small game hunt. I grew up snowshoe, pat, woodcock, cottontail, you name it, hunting in the UP and LP. Seems like most kids are only brought up to deer hunt. In the early stages of a hunters life this is extremely boring.

Walking the fields fuels the fire. More birds would help but I think youngsters should be small game hunters BEFORE hunting deer.

Thoughts?

[woodsrat]

I think the problem with hunter recruitment in Michigan these days is specilization. Not many kids get the opportunity to small game hunt. I grew up snowshoe, pat, woodcock, cottontail, you name it, hunting in the UP and LP. Seems like most kids are only brought up to deer hunt. In the early stages of a hunters life this is extremely boring.

Walking the fields fuels the fire. More birds would help but I think youngsters should be small game hunters BEFORE hunting deer.

Thoughts?
I agree with you. Kids don't seem to get the early exposure to small game hunting that they did when I was a kid. I grew up in the Allendale and Coopersville areas and things have changed there. Not far from Holland. With all the growth in that area there are many places I used to rabbit and pheasant hunt that are now housing developements, condos, strip malls or apartment complexes. We used to be able to literally walk out our back door and hunt pheasant, grouse, squirrels and rabbits (deer too). Now, in some of those areas if you took a gun out of your house you would have a SWAT team on your butt within thirty minutes.

I remember going over to Borculo to pheasant hunt in the 1970's. Those birds were plentiful and everybody got some shooting.

For a parent to take their kid small game hunting now, they might have to travel a little bit. Of course, the pheasant population is nothing like it used to be unless you hunt a preserve. The freedom and solitude I had as a kid, hunting small game helped keep me out of trouble and teach me what is truly important in life at an early age.

Another thing that has changed since I was a kid is that both parents in the household must work now to survive. Also, there is a much larger number of kids growing up in single parent homes (who have to work) and the kid suffers. Most of those single parent homes are kids living with mom. Not much exposure to hunting and fishing going on there.

Yes. Things have changed. I hope that I can expose my children to the wonderful times I had while hunting and fishing as a youth. It really helped mold and shape me into who I am today.

[Richie]

Seems like kids don't do much of anything like we did. I can remember the ball diamonds at school, you could not find blade one of grass because it was used so much. The fields were literally dirt. Between baseball and football we were never inside. To much playstation, computers and who reads a book anymore have diluted the imagination of many kids. They just don't seem to get much in the way of fresh air at all. Not all are like that. But many more from when I was a kid 40 years ago. started rabbit hunting when I was 8 years old. Didn't carry the gun but I was learning many valueable lessons. and it was not about killing small animals. Hopefully we can impact some and change this trend.

[Worm Dunker]

My son was told in school by his 5th grade teacher it was wrong to hunt. I was so mad the wife wouldn't allow me to speak to the teacher because when I'm pissed I swear some will more than some. I sat my boy down and explained to him but how many kids in the class with single mothers know it's not wrong? I have in the past tried to hoast women pheasants hunts for this same reason. Everybody want to take little Johnny hunting but if nobody shows Johnny's mom that it save, fun, and can put a good meal on the table what the chance Johnny will go hunting?

[Gobblerman]

I remember growing up and dad taking me rabbit, squirrel, quail and pheasant hunting before I ever went deer hunting. I think that really built up the excitement and really helped me appreciate the outdoors at a young age. I even remember morel mushroom hunting with my mom. Those are some of my foundest memories of her. Man she could find them.

[Munsterlndr]

Seems like kids don't do much of anything like we did. I can remember the ball diamonds at school, you could not find blade one of grass because it was used so much. The fields were literally dirt. Between baseball and football we were never inside. To much playstation, computers and who reads a book anymore have diluted the imagination of many kids. They just don't seem to get much in the way of fresh air at all. Not all are like that. But many more from when I was a kid 40 years ago. started rabbit hunting when I was 8 years old. Didn't carry the gun but I was learning many valueable lessons. and it was not about killing small animals. Hopefully we can impact some and change this trend.
It's not just the lack of fresh air, i.e. computer, playstations,etc, but the fact that too many kids are only involved in ORGANIZED activities. Almost all of my friends and relations kids are so involved in soccer, hockey, little league, pop warner football, etc, that they don't have time to go hunting. I see parents spending three weekends a month driving thier kids all over the state to some tournament or clinic or something.

I've also found that a lot of these kids, who have only played team sports since they were in 2nd or 3rd grade, have a hard time recreating if someone is not telling them what to do. I realize this is a gross generalization but it sure seems to me that organized sports reduce a kids initiative. My subdivision has a baseball diamond and a basketball court and I can't remember ever seeing a sandlot baseball game or a pick-up basketball game. About the only kids I see doing things out on their own are the skateboarders and they catch a lot of flack from people for just "wasting" time. I'm not saying that organized sports are all bad but I would advise moderation or don't be surprised if your kid has a hard time having fun by himself.

______________________________
Munsterlndr
Curmudgeon n Training

[Richie]

Munstrlandr,
Well taken and right on! I have nephews, nieces and friends that were very much into what you were talking about. It also takes a toll on adults as many of my friends don't have the time to get together anymore because of all the extra corricullar activity with their kids. Like everything, it's only good when done in moderation. What you said was well stated and on the money.

[djkillaz]

I have noticed as the years go on. the less parents are invloved w/ there kids in the out doors. I agree. we seem to be breeding deer hunters and thats all. dont get me wrong. I hunt deer w/ a passion. But I'm 36 yrs. old. When I was a kid. we used to do all kinds of out door activites. we used to go to Muneskung bay every year to fish for walleye,camp, muzzloader shoots, small game turkey and deer hunts. I remember how exciting it was when I was younger. Basically the whole family would stay at my uncle's. wake up in the morning. and go hunt or fish. I believe that us parents are part of the problem. I know because I'm a father of 2 sons. I try to get them to experience as much of the out doors as I can. And to keep them away from the couch potato electronics which I have seem to be getting more popular. I admot that I have had my moments on wanting to just chill out and relax. but its the kids future we are after. since our young days are over.

[Tom Morang]

FYI


New DNR position will focus on recruiting new hunters
Sunday, February 20, 2005

By Bob Gwizdz

LANSING -- State wildlife officials have created a new position to help recruit and retain hunters in the face of declining participation.

Tom Oliver, who joined the Department of Natural Resources in 1999 as a wildlife technician, has been appointed hunting heritage coordinator. A Michigan State University graduate, the 35-year-old Oliver joined the DNR after spending seven years working as a contract biologist for state wildlife agencies in Indiana, Idaho, Colorado and Kentucky.

Oliver's position was created after the DNR won a grant from the National Shooting Sports Foundation to study hunter recruitment and retention. The NSSF grant will pay Oliver's salary for the first year of what is expected to be at least a two-year program.

Oliver, an Upper Peninsula native who worked in Menominee County when he first joined the DNR, has begun a study of the state's Hunter Access Program, which leases private land for public use, mostly in southern Michigan. The program, which once provided access to some 180,000 acres, has shrunk to about 20,000 acres now.

In addition, Oliver will study whether the early youth hunting seasons enacted in recent years have recruited new youngsters into hunting who might not have otherwise have been exposed, or if it simply brought in youngsters who would have joined the hunting fraternity anyway. And, if the latter is the case, Oliver said, is there a way to shift the focus of the program?

Oliver, who says he was "raised in a hunting family in a hunting culture" in the U.P., says that one of the biggest changes in hunting in recent years is that beginners are more likely to start out hunting deer than small game. Because small game hunters often have higher success rates than deer hunters, he thinks small game hunting may be a key to recruiting and retaining hunters.

"If we can promote things such as small game hunting as a little more glamorous than people think, there'd be a lot of opportunities for people to build memories among families and friends," Oliver said. "When I think of the good memories I have from hunting as a youngster with my family, I want everybody to have the chance to have that kind of a feeling."

Recruiting and retaining hunters in the future is important because "the beginning of the conservation movement started with hunters," Oliver said. "That heritage needs to continue as hunters will be the ones to step forward again in the future if there is ever a time of crisis."

Oliver will sit on the task force recently created by DNR director Becky Humphries to study hunter recruitment and retention and identify any barriers that exist to would-be hunters.

"I'll tie in what they come up with to the mission of wildlife division," he said.

[SLIPBOBBER]

I agree your not going to take a 6 year old out bass fishing and expect him/her to cast for bass all day long. let face it kids need excitement and a 6 year old kid would sit on the front of a boat catching gills alot longer than fishing for bass.

Now different than fishing, kids need to be able to walk and talk when hunting. There are alot of times I'm out hunting and get bored or cold. Small game is like gill fishing there is usually more activity than just deer hunting. Small game hunting alows you walk and talk with your kids. It a great time to show him/her things about the woods like gun safety and the how's, when's, where's, and why's to hunting.

[jk hillsdale]

It's not just the lack of fresh air, i.e. computer, playstations,etc, but the fact that too many kids are only involved in ORGANIZED activities. Almost all of my friends and relations kids are so involved in soccer, hockey, little league, pop warner football, etc, that they don't have time to go hunting. I see parents spending three weekends a month driving thier kids all over the state to some tournament or clinic or something.

I've also found that a lot of these kids, who have only played team sports since they were in 2nd or 3rd grade, have a hard time recreating if someone is not telling them what to do. I realize this is a gross generalization but it sure seems to me that organized sports reduce a kids initiative. My subdivision has a baseball diamond and a basketball court and I can't remember ever seeing a sandlot baseball game or a pick-up basketball game. About the only kids I see doing things out on their own are the skateboarders and they catch a lot of flack from people for just "wasting" time. I'm not saying that organized sports are all bad but I would advise moderation or don't be surprised if your kid has a hard time having fun by himself.

______________________________
Munsterlndr
Curmudgeon n Training

Excellent point!!!

[djkillaz]

I agree to a point. my 13 yr. old son plays football, basketball and baseball. he still finds time to hunt and fish. and to be honest. he gets out quit a bit. Like it was said. We need to make the outdoors more exciting. I feel it is put into kids at a very young age too want to hunt and fish. We can use every excuse in the book on why the future kids dont hunt and fish. And it all goes back on the parents. If some one finds something they love. they will find a way to do it. And true that not every child will fall in love w/ the out doors. majority will. And its not all the parents fault too in some cases. some parents really dont have the time or schedule to do the things they want w/ there kids. Shoot my father hated the outdoors after he came back from NAM. if want for my uncle taking us kids every where> I would probably be one of those kids that could care less about the out doors. Thats just my opinion too!!! I'm no psychologist. Its just what I see going on.

[spk131]

I feel the main way to get more people involved in the outdoors is to hit several different aspects of hunting/fishing. If you limit your kids experience to just deer hunting or rabbit hunting or walleye fishing and nothing else then they are less likely to become interested in it. Try new activities in the outdoors. Take your kid deer, rabbit, pheasant, coyote, duck, geese hunting try trapping and try all kinds of fishing. As their interests peak into the outdoors they will become curious of other types of hunting/fishing and expirement with those.

[SteveS]

My son was told in school by his 5th grade teacher it was wrong to hunt. I was so mad the wife wouldn't allow me to speak to the teacher because when I'm pissed I swear some will more than some. I sat my boy down and explained to him but how many kids in the class with single mothers know it's not wrong? I have in the past tried to hoast women pheasants hunts for this same reason. Everybody want to take little Johnny hunting but if nobody shows Johnny's mom that it save, fun, and can put a good meal on the table what the chance Johnny will go hunting?


It is tto bad that your wife stopped you. It is perfectly ok for that teacher to have that opinion, but I don't see how it is relevant to 5th grade. I would have politely spoken to the teacher and also spoken to the principal. BTW, it is nice of you to host hunts. That is an excellent way to promote hunting.