I’ve heard 2 things for 30 years in variations….
The first I hear way more often:
-“Hunting is becoming a rich man’s sport”
& the second I hear far less frequently but here variations of this:
-“$ is ruining hunting”
Here’s my quick thought of the day….
1) the first, “it’s a rich man’s sport”. I agree there’s some merit to that. Especially if someone seeks “high quality hunting” But it’s always been that way. I promise you, 30 years ago, this feeling was just as strong. ***correction- IN MICHIGAN it’s been bad for 30 years+***
Out of state hunts, leasing, outfitting, high end gear has always been expensive, high cost tags, etc: IMO- it was pretty similar back then in many regards. The feelings & reality haven’t changed. Some merit but here’s where I disagree with SOME of that sentiment:
-resident tags for kids have always been reasonable. -as much as it may suck- public land is all over in other states & free. -used gear or entry level gear isn’t that bad. -it’s cheaper than most kids spend in most sports now days. $ is an issue here but 2nd is far bigger deal IMO….
2) “MONEY RUINING HUNTING!!!! “ That’s the bigger issue of my “thought of the day”….. I do think this is true to a larger extent than #1 and has far more merit. But it’s not from tag costs or “expensive gear”. It really does boil down to the the BS we are seeing here with special interests and wealthy businesses wanting to get wealthier. Ruining what they exploit in the process. The $ + Politicians + Special Interests are the HEAD OF THE SNAKE or the ROOT CAUSE for 90% of this!!! Follow me here…. $ is the driver. No regard for any outcome past that to the resource or hunters. Here’s how it manifests & here’s some results:
-states, politicians only care about REVENUE over the resource. Look at Illinois. Commercialized to the max. Open flood gates to everyone (with high cost tags on top of it). Advertised as a premier hunting state. Every drop of that land got leased up. Leases are $30-100 an acre. Outfitting exploded & every Jim Bob is a professional guide. Residents can’t compete with NR’s. Ground prices got crazy. A crazed drive to shoot that buck “you paid a lot of $ to hunt” & most guys willing to shoot a young stud by the end of the hunt. That’s a downward spiral we see & saw. Same all over really.
-all these companies that want $…. Velocity, inc with their Ravin crossbows (& they may be the air bow company? They own crossman & Benjamin air rifles). They are in NY & only want to sell more weapons. Period. $. They care less what the ramifications are to hunting in the state they lobby in. Zero care or concern. Resource & hunters are hurt badly but they make $!!!! Now THAT is an example of $ ruining hunting if u could ever come up with a gem of an example!!!!! Next example: insurance companies run the math & say “we can save .05% on our car damage claims if we were to clean the deer out”…. They lobby to kill all they can. They want to add a small bit to the bottom line. All about $. No care for hunters or the resource…. They want to see the resource dead to make a bit more $. THAT is how $ ruins hunting.
On & on. “We want more tags for outfitters”. Any special interest lobbying group that’s behind any of this stuff …, it’s all $. & THIS is the REAL ISSUE when folks start talking about $ & hunting. These are also the things that drive folks to lease or buy up land. That’s the focus of how $ is a threat, period. IMO. My early am rambling thoughts of the day before the farm work starts
The first I hear way more often:
-“Hunting is becoming a rich man’s sport”
& the second I hear far less frequently but here variations of this:
-“$ is ruining hunting”
Here’s my quick thought of the day….
1) the first, “it’s a rich man’s sport”. I agree there’s some merit to that. Especially if someone seeks “high quality hunting” But it’s always been that way. I promise you, 30 years ago, this feeling was just as strong. ***correction- IN MICHIGAN it’s been bad for 30 years+***
Out of state hunts, leasing, outfitting, high end gear has always been expensive, high cost tags, etc: IMO- it was pretty similar back then in many regards. The feelings & reality haven’t changed. Some merit but here’s where I disagree with SOME of that sentiment:
-resident tags for kids have always been reasonable. -as much as it may suck- public land is all over in other states & free. -used gear or entry level gear isn’t that bad. -it’s cheaper than most kids spend in most sports now days. $ is an issue here but 2nd is far bigger deal IMO….
2) “MONEY RUINING HUNTING!!!! “ That’s the bigger issue of my “thought of the day”….. I do think this is true to a larger extent than #1 and has far more merit. But it’s not from tag costs or “expensive gear”. It really does boil down to the the BS we are seeing here with special interests and wealthy businesses wanting to get wealthier. Ruining what they exploit in the process. The $ + Politicians + Special Interests are the HEAD OF THE SNAKE or the ROOT CAUSE for 90% of this!!! Follow me here…. $ is the driver. No regard for any outcome past that to the resource or hunters. Here’s how it manifests & here’s some results:
-states, politicians only care about REVENUE over the resource. Look at Illinois. Commercialized to the max. Open flood gates to everyone (with high cost tags on top of it). Advertised as a premier hunting state. Every drop of that land got leased up. Leases are $30-100 an acre. Outfitting exploded & every Jim Bob is a professional guide. Residents can’t compete with NR’s. Ground prices got crazy. A crazed drive to shoot that buck “you paid a lot of $ to hunt” & most guys willing to shoot a young stud by the end of the hunt. That’s a downward spiral we see & saw. Same all over really.
-all these companies that want $…. Velocity, inc with their Ravin crossbows (& they may be the air bow company? They own crossman & Benjamin air rifles). They are in NY & only want to sell more weapons. Period. $. They care less what the ramifications are to hunting in the state they lobby in. Zero care or concern. Resource & hunters are hurt badly but they make $!!!! Now THAT is an example of $ ruining hunting if u could ever come up with a gem of an example!!!!! Next example: insurance companies run the math & say “we can save .05% on our car damage claims if we were to clean the deer out”…. They lobby to kill all they can. They want to add a small bit to the bottom line. All about $. No care for hunters or the resource…. They want to see the resource dead to make a bit more $. THAT is how $ ruins hunting.
On & on. “We want more tags for outfitters”. Any special interest lobbying group that’s behind any of this stuff …, it’s all $. & THIS is the REAL ISSUE when folks start talking about $ & hunting. These are also the things that drive folks to lease or buy up land. That’s the focus of how $ is a threat, period. IMO. My early am rambling thoughts of the day before the farm work starts
