Joined
·
9,928 Posts
Due to the recent questions Ive heard regarding our numbers and the possible decline, I looked into New Jerseys license sales, and this is what I came up with. Please read.
Is bow-hunting on a downward spiral in New Jersey?
According to license sales over the past 20 plus years, yes it is. Garden State hunters taking to the woods with bow and arrow in hand, have been steadily declining since the mid nineties. In 1993 50,804 archers purchased hunting licenses, while in 2003, that number plummeted to only 35,923*. *(youth license sales were not given, so I added 1000 to this number, as an average from years past)
This shows a 29.2% decrease from 1993 to 2003. Though there was a booming rise in the mid eighties to mid ninties, where bow and arrow hunting gained popularity in the garden state. One could say that this rise causes the decrease to seem more drastic than it is. However, from 1983 to 2003, the amount of archery licenses sold still decreased by 16.8%.
What happened to those hunters who caused the rise in popularity? Its hard to say, perhaps they wanted an extra tag and took up bowhunting for it. Soon realizing the difficulty of hunting with stick and string, and giving it up. Perhaps game management, cost of equipment and such have caused them to leave the sport. Maybe the boom itself detered some, taking to the fields when numbers were at an all time high, and finding it too crowded. Whatever the reason, bowhunting licenses have slowly dipped across the board.
Does this spell disaster for bowhunting in New Jersey? I certainly hope not, I have been carrying a bow through the New Jersey woods for fifteen years, and I hope to carry it with me for about fifty more. To ensure the future of this wonderful disipline, we have to let our voices be heard, and recruit youth into our ranks. Standing up for what we believe in and know is necessary. Regain strength in our numbers by taking young people under our wing, and showing them, teaching them, nurturing them. Allowing them to become a part of the family and rich traditions that only bowhunters know.
The children really are our future. Of all the numbers, youths are the most important. They are the future of this sport, without them, bowhunting will simply fade away. Unfortunately, youth numbers have been on a gradual decline since 1994. Decreasing by 9% from 1993 to 2003. While this number isnt quite as alarming as the other percentages. It is when you take into consideration; Not only are we not replacing the amount of hunters we are losing, but we are losing the number of replacements gradually as well. This only has one outcome, dwindling numbers. Dwindling numbers can only mean less political clout, and eventually the doom of our disipline.
So what are we supposed to do? Well for starters, recruit youth into the sport. Introduce it to your children and their friends if allowed. Approach your local public school about incorporating an archery program for the children. Such as NASP, heres a link; http://www.nasparchery.com/activea.asp
Youth arent the only ones, introduce anyone you know that would represent us in a positive light to the outdoors. Your neighbor, a co-worker, or one of your in-laws, if they are the type person you want representing us, than why not invite them along sometime. If they arent accustomed to the outdoors at all, start off slow, with fishing, or shed antler hunting, or even archery. Focus on the fun, and brotherhood aspects. Not concentrating on how many or how big the catch. Show them that happiness doesnt come from the results, but from the path leading there, and the friendships formed along the way. Teach them about the nature, and how hunting is vital to keeping all wildlife populations in balance, and how harvesting certain animals can help to restore habitat.
If you dont know how to begin introducing someone to the sport, you can also help by simply being kind to your fellow bowhunters! We dont want to drive people out. As our numbers decrease, we must meld closer together, and form a bond so close that nothing could break it apart.
So take a child, or other newcomer with you next time you visit the outdoors, you never can tell, you may be planting the seed for our future generation of outdoorsmen and women!
Have a good one---Matt
Is bow-hunting on a downward spiral in New Jersey?
According to license sales over the past 20 plus years, yes it is. Garden State hunters taking to the woods with bow and arrow in hand, have been steadily declining since the mid nineties. In 1993 50,804 archers purchased hunting licenses, while in 2003, that number plummeted to only 35,923*. *(youth license sales were not given, so I added 1000 to this number, as an average from years past)
This shows a 29.2% decrease from 1993 to 2003. Though there was a booming rise in the mid eighties to mid ninties, where bow and arrow hunting gained popularity in the garden state. One could say that this rise causes the decrease to seem more drastic than it is. However, from 1983 to 2003, the amount of archery licenses sold still decreased by 16.8%.
What happened to those hunters who caused the rise in popularity? Its hard to say, perhaps they wanted an extra tag and took up bowhunting for it. Soon realizing the difficulty of hunting with stick and string, and giving it up. Perhaps game management, cost of equipment and such have caused them to leave the sport. Maybe the boom itself detered some, taking to the fields when numbers were at an all time high, and finding it too crowded. Whatever the reason, bowhunting licenses have slowly dipped across the board.
Does this spell disaster for bowhunting in New Jersey? I certainly hope not, I have been carrying a bow through the New Jersey woods for fifteen years, and I hope to carry it with me for about fifty more. To ensure the future of this wonderful disipline, we have to let our voices be heard, and recruit youth into our ranks. Standing up for what we believe in and know is necessary. Regain strength in our numbers by taking young people under our wing, and showing them, teaching them, nurturing them. Allowing them to become a part of the family and rich traditions that only bowhunters know.
The children really are our future. Of all the numbers, youths are the most important. They are the future of this sport, without them, bowhunting will simply fade away. Unfortunately, youth numbers have been on a gradual decline since 1994. Decreasing by 9% from 1993 to 2003. While this number isnt quite as alarming as the other percentages. It is when you take into consideration; Not only are we not replacing the amount of hunters we are losing, but we are losing the number of replacements gradually as well. This only has one outcome, dwindling numbers. Dwindling numbers can only mean less political clout, and eventually the doom of our disipline.
So what are we supposed to do? Well for starters, recruit youth into the sport. Introduce it to your children and their friends if allowed. Approach your local public school about incorporating an archery program for the children. Such as NASP, heres a link; http://www.nasparchery.com/activea.asp
Youth arent the only ones, introduce anyone you know that would represent us in a positive light to the outdoors. Your neighbor, a co-worker, or one of your in-laws, if they are the type person you want representing us, than why not invite them along sometime. If they arent accustomed to the outdoors at all, start off slow, with fishing, or shed antler hunting, or even archery. Focus on the fun, and brotherhood aspects. Not concentrating on how many or how big the catch. Show them that happiness doesnt come from the results, but from the path leading there, and the friendships formed along the way. Teach them about the nature, and how hunting is vital to keeping all wildlife populations in balance, and how harvesting certain animals can help to restore habitat.
If you dont know how to begin introducing someone to the sport, you can also help by simply being kind to your fellow bowhunters! We dont want to drive people out. As our numbers decrease, we must meld closer together, and form a bond so close that nothing could break it apart.
So take a child, or other newcomer with you next time you visit the outdoors, you never can tell, you may be planting the seed for our future generation of outdoorsmen and women!
Have a good one---Matt
