Overheard numbers of hunters is down???
06-30-2008, 10:15 PM
#21
Typical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Panhandle of Texas
Posts: 596
RE: Overheard numbers of hunters is down???
For years, I have heard hunting numbers are down. I've asked the same question as hasalready been asked. Is it a reduction in raw numbers or a reduction in percentage of population.
I don't doubt the reduction in percentage at all.
But raw numbers? If you consistently apply for public tags in western states for mule deer and elk and know the difficulty in obtaining one, it is hard to imagine how we could handle any more hunters.
The same goes in Texas,where virtually all of the land is private,when looking at what hunting leases go for and what the trend has been for the last 20 years. Based on this, it appears to be more demand than supply.
And while I don't have any way to validate this, I am going to go out on a limb and say that Texas has MORE huntable acres for Whitetails today as compared to 20 years ago. Yes, there has been some acres lost to urban sprawl, but at the same time and there is a vast amount of west texas that holds lots of deer today and is leased out that didn't have enough deer to substantiate hunting them 20-25 years ago.FWIW
I don't doubt the reduction in percentage at all.
But raw numbers? If you consistently apply for public tags in western states for mule deer and elk and know the difficulty in obtaining one, it is hard to imagine how we could handle any more hunters.
The same goes in Texas,where virtually all of the land is private,when looking at what hunting leases go for and what the trend has been for the last 20 years. Based on this, it appears to be more demand than supply.
And while I don't have any way to validate this, I am going to go out on a limb and say that Texas has MORE huntable acres for Whitetails today as compared to 20 years ago. Yes, there has been some acres lost to urban sprawl, but at the same time and there is a vast amount of west texas that holds lots of deer today and is leased out that didn't have enough deer to substantiate hunting them 20-25 years ago.FWIW
