ALABAMA HUNTING SURVEY
2011 - 2012 SEASON

DEER - GUN, ARCHERY AND MUZZLELOADER COMBINED


Season..... Hunters

1963-67..... 106,020
1968-69..... 115,368
1969-70..... 148,306
1970-71..... 146,952
1971-72..... 152,753



2002-03..... 188,700
2003-04..... 210,400
2004-05..... 236,300
2005-06..... 208,700
2006-07..... 207,500

2007-08..... 206,000
2008-09..... 201,600
2009-10..... 194,800
2010-11..... 197,100
2011-12..... 155,800

Is that licenses sold or just a SWAG of license holders, landowners, kids, etc hunting each year?

I'd be will to bet that 90% of the reduction last year was OOS hunters. I'm one that left last year because of costs.

Looks like Ivan and Katrina influenced the first drop, then the economy maybe in subsequent IMO.

Obama's second term and people realizing that they need to save money more than ever is doing that.

Let's see what we've got so far:

1. Out of state hunters can't afford to hunt here any more.

2. Ivan and Katrina caused it.

3. Obama's economic policies caused it.


... any other suggestions?

$$$$ and selfishness.

The selfishness drives people to spend money to keep others from hunting.

That is really all hunting leases do...... allow people to keep others off it.

It has finally reached the point where many have decided that they simply cannot afford it.

Increased lease prices from timber companys,
increased club prices due to trophy only clubs with small memberships.
Increased gas prices.
Increased ammo prices,
increased food prices.
Many people quit hunting due to the lack of places to run dogs. Small game hunters droping out becaouse of deer oriented clubs that will not allow small game hunting.

Just to name a few.

The list is growing:

1. Out of state hunters can't afford to hunt here any more.

2. Ivan and Katrina caused it.

3. Obama's economic policies caused it.

4. $$$$ and selfishness

5. Increased lease prices from timber companys,

6. increased club prices due to trophy only clubs with small memberships.

7. Increased gas prices.

8. Increased ammo prices,

9. increased food prices.

10. Many people quit hunting due to the lack of places to run dogs.

11. Small game hunters droping out because of deer oriented clubs that will not allow small game hunting.

Don't leave out the fact that many people simply do not buy hunting licenses due to NO fear of getting caught.

As in, I do not believe that to be an accurate number.

42,000 people in a years time is A LOT of people. There is no telling why it dropped so drastically.

I think that most of it is people simply not buying licenses.

Since they've used the same method for the survey for the last few years, does it matter whether it includes people who don't buy their license? There's still been a steady drop in the number of hunters they do know about, ... right??

I'll add that one to the list, though.


The list is growing:

1. Out of state hunters can't afford to hunt here any more.

2. Ivan and Katrina caused it.

3. Obama's economic policies caused it.

4. $$$$ and selfishness

5. Increased lease prices from timber companys,

6. increased club prices due to trophy only clubs with small memberships.

7. Increased gas prices.

8. Increased ammo prices,

9. increased food prices.

10. Many people quit hunting due to the lack of places to run dogs.

11. Small game hunters droping out because of deer oriented clubs that will not allow small game hunting.

12. People just quit buying license and still hunt.

I've coonhunted since I was 12, owned dogs 33 years. I got rid of my coon dogs last spring because trying to find a suitable place to hunt was getting almost impossible. If I found a good place with enough land It would cost $50 dollars in gas to hunt. If I competition hunted add another $50 for entry fee.

I got me a fiest and a cur, not to impressed with them yet, but I save on gas.

I still bought a licence even though I didn't have to have one to deer hunt.

Maybe it just has to do with the younger generation not interested, and the older generation going tits up. Hell, I dunno, could be Global Warming.

The list is growing:

1. Out of state hunters can't afford to hunt here any more.

2. Ivan and Katrina caused it.

3. Obama's economic policies caused it.

4. $$$$ and selfishness

5. Increased lease prices from timber companys,

6. increased club prices due to trophy only clubs with small memberships.

7. Increased gas prices.

8. Increased ammo prices,

9. increased food prices.

10. Many people quit hunting due to the lack of places to run dogs.

11. Small game hunters droping out because of deer oriented clubs that will not allow small game hunting.

12. People just quit buying license and still hunt.

13. Young people not interested, old people die.

14. Global warming.

15. Disney World instead of hunting.

16. Jobs take up hunting time.

17. Politicians are screwing us, (see no. 1 - Disney World ????).

why hunt when you can talk and argue about hunting on message forums all day????????????

I know!!! It's the damn internet!!

If the 42000 reduction in hunters is real, that's about a billion dollars in lost revenue for the state.