Sales of fishing and hunting licenses down

[SexPistol]

In my environmental law class yesterday (I'm not a hippie or liberal, just need to take that class for my Solar PV certificate) the professor was talking about how the sale of hunting/fishing licenses have been rapidly declining in California the last few years. I found this to be very upsetting and could see how it's true as a lot of my friends think I'm a "red neck" because I shoot, fish, hunt, and love the outdoors and I don't just sit on my *** all day playing video games or do stuff in the city like a lot of my other friends do. Just the other weekend I took a girl out spur of the moment to my buddies ranch in San Juan Botista to shoot because she has never shot guns before and "hated them" but come the end of the day she was having a damn good time and can't wait to go again. I'm only 22 (almost 23) but even I can see the difference in people being outdoors compared to when I was a child.

Opinions. Go.

[motobean95]

it cost so damn much to get there that I think people are pullin back. Not to mention have you seen how many people there are on public land? Geez everyone and their brothers from another country are out there. Maybe less is better last couple years not many deer but man there are people!

[wilafur]

i have yet to purchase a fishing license this year due to the stupid f**k MLPA's.

[IVC]

Here's one angle. Compare hunters to gardeners in city parks. If you eliminate funding and thus eliminate maintenance, you will get just what you asked for. What a lack of funding will do to a *city* park is what the lack of funding will do to the wildlife surrounding us. Reverting to the natural self-management might not be such a good idea after they see some of the abandoned yards in a city.

But hey, if they insist, get rid of all of those gardeners so no plants get hurt.

[CZ97B]

A big part of the problem in California is the deer herd has been steadily decreasing over the past 10 years. Part of the problem is probably due to drought. We recently had some wet years, but before that there were several drought years. This affects the animals and they have a hard time getting nutrition and so they don't have as many offspring.

Part of the problem is that with more mountain lions out in the Sierra than ever, they are taking a big share of the herd.

The result is that a lot of California hunters are going to Oregon, Wash State, Idaho, and Colorado to hunt instead.

Arizona and Utah are having similar problems as California, so it's not just California.

My sources for these data are anecdotal, based on my hunting buddies, in archery and with rifles.

[taperxz]

A big part of the problem in California is the deer herd has been steadily decreasing over the past 10 years. Part of the problem is probably due to drought. We recently had some wet years, but before that there were several drought years. This affects the animals and they have a hard time getting nutrition and so they don't have as many offspring.

Part of the problem is that with more mountain lions out in the Sierra than ever, they are taking a big share of the herd.

The result is that a lot of California hunters are going to Oregon, Wash State, Idaho, and Colorado to hunt instead.

Arizona and Utah are having similar problems as California, so it's not just California.

My sources for these data are anecdotal, based on my hunting buddies, in archery and with rifles.

Perhaps your "buddies" are not very good at stalking and learning how to find deer during the season?. I see very few deer at my place during the season and when the season ends there are all kinds of bucks showing up. There are plenty of deer in this state. They just don't hand out in places to be shot randomly during the season.

[CZ97B]

Perhaps your "buddies" are not very good at stalking and learning how to find deer during the season?. I see very few deer at my place during the season and when the season ends there are all kinds of bucks showing up. There are plenty of deer in this state. They just don't hand out in places to be shot randomly during the season.

Actually we have spots that we go hunting in California where there used to be dozens of bucks. Now only maybe one or two.

And we sure don't have any problem finding them in Oregon or Colorado so that tells me its not about us.

[taperxz]

Actually we have spots that we go hunting where there used to be dozens of bucks. Now only maybe one or two.

OK, and you don't think that constant pressure moves them out?

[mif_slim]

lol, CA deer are just smarter. Because hunting pressure they do break-ins into Rangers stations and take Rules & Reg books. Thats how their gone when opening season opens and back when its closed.

But on a serious note, I think its because the price is just redicolus. By the time I get all my stamps, tags and license its well over a hundred bucks. With todays economy, not much people have the luxury of...luxury time if you know what i mean.

[em9sredbeam]

Have you seen how much all the liscences cost now? That should say it all.

[CZ97B]

OK, and you don't think that constant pressure moves them out?

When I hunt in California, I'm backpacking. I get way up into the ridgelines where road hunters and ATV/OHV hunters cannot go. My assessment is that the deer in California on public land are sparse.

You yourself may be lucky in that on your private land, you have food plots, and you water them, and therefore you are growing a nice herd for yourself.

That's just not generally true of public land.

In Oregon and Colorado you can road hunt public land and still find tons of deer easily.

[taperxz]

When I hunt in California, I'm backpacking. I get way up into the ridgelines where road hunters and ATV/OHV hunters cannot go. My assessment is that the deer in California on public land are sparse.

You yourself may be lucky in that on your private land, you have food plots, and you water them, and therefore you are growing a nice herd for yourself.

That's just not generally true of public land.

In Oregon and Colorado you can road hunt public land and still find tons of deer easily.

I don't hunt my place. I hunt the BLM behind me. All brush, oaks and grass. Deer enjoy low lying areas not the tops of mountains. Water flows down hill, not uphill, Most of CA deer hunting is in the heat of the year. If you can find cover, water and food, the deer will be there. No matter where you hunt! Backpacking, road hunting, or whatever.

[Bearclaw]

Have you seen how much all the liscences cost now? That should say it all.

Yeah...I spend $300-$400 annually just on tags, reservations, etc.

[mif_slim]

I backpack in too but our area is abundant with deer and bears. You just have to be in the right spot to see them. I use to hunt D-8/9 but now that place, no matter how far we hike out we still see nothing, but during off season when we go camping, we see them grazing and hanging out laughing at us.

When I hunt in California, I'm backpacking. I get way up into the ridgelines where road hunters and ATV/OHV hunters cannot go. My assessment is that the deer in California on public land are sparse.

You yourself may be lucky in that on your private land, you have food plots, and you water them, and therefore you are growing a nice herd for yourself.

That's just not generally true of public land.

In Oregon and Colorado you can road hunt public land and still find tons of deer easily.

[odysseus]

All valid points here, but another consideration too I read awhile ago in, if I recall right in Field and Stream, is about the macro trend of people not getting into this on a generational basis. Less and less people are not as active in this sport, not all for the right reasons. A rapid decline though certainly would indicate a drop because of the general cost of an outing like that, which is only getting more expensive too.