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greybark
06-04-2005, 10:36 PM
:wink: The following numbers are from the "Off The Shelf" magazine a Traditional Bowhunters of BC publication.
-- Province of BC - Year 90/91 to 02/03
-- Basic Resident hunting Licenses ----- 110,000 -- 70,000 (a 36% decline)
-- Bowhunters "Checked Boxes" -------- 2,500 -- 9,000 (a 360% increase)
:roll: Now lets see - The BCWF is looking hard for new members - Bowhunters are not (WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION) "pun intended"and can easily be found.
:grin: Be sure to check those boxes.

REMEMBER -- Keep Your Fingertab On --

Fred
06-05-2005, 09:11 AM
I suspect that if the numbers were broken down into years(as in 96,97,98) to date the info might be a bit more enlightening. I do not like the direction the Govts. have taken with regards to the anti-gun laws and have protested by emailing and not buying licences(as in just not hunting). Fred

greybark
06-05-2005, 10:17 AM
:wink: Hey Fred , I am working off a graph so bear with me.
_Basic Resident Licenses_ _ Bowhunter Checked Boxes_ Year -90/91 110,000 2,500
-91/92 110,000 3,000
-92/93 112,000 4,000
-93/94 102,000 5,000
-94/95 100,000 5,500
-95/96 98,000 6,500
-96/97 92,000 6,300
-97/98 90,000 6,500
-98/99 88,000 7,700
-99/00 82,000 7,800
-00/01 80,000 7,600
-01/02 72,000 8,800
-02/03 72,000 9,000

There are reasons for the Bowhunter check boxes being unchecked , such as issurer not knowing and personnel choice not to do so. This could result in further increases in the Bowhunter numbers.

REMEMBER -- Keep Your Fingertab On --

Fred
06-05-2005, 04:08 PM
That sort of answers my question and it looks to me like licence sales have been dropping since roughly C68 and since 95 or 97 the Bowhunters have been gaining ground. Possibly due to similar reasons? It was nice of you to break it down for us GB. Fred

greybark
06-05-2005, 06:17 PM
;) Hey Fred , You may be right. It is interesting that during the three year period 96-98 bowhunter numbers actualy dropped and did`t increase. Some food for thought.

REMEMBER -- Keep Your Fngertab On --

416
06-05-2005, 07:30 PM
Enough bow hunters check the appropriate box (l assume the box refers to the one on our hunting license) and the gov't being what they are, may decide sufficient #'s exist to warrent a seperate bow license....or a registry!! In fact my first pal had an endoresment for crossbow, my renewal didn't.....
l won't check the box for the reason mentioned above, even though l bowhunt. l can't see it being of any use to no one except gov't types, who imho already get in to my private life too much!!
l have heard of people switching to bowhunting and alternate means of hunting besides firearms, because they don't have registration requirements to deal with. This could account for part of increase in bowhunters, plus l think the sport is growing......http://huntingbc.ca/forum/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif

Walksalot
06-05-2005, 07:34 PM
Interesting stats, though the numbers of bowhunters seem to be increasing the participation at the 3D shoots seems be waning.

willyqbc
06-05-2005, 08:27 PM
Walksalot, I too have noticed the trend of attendance at 3D shoots being down this year...well for the last couple years actually. there has been much discussion about this at the last few shoots we have been to and the general consensus is that the price of gas has a whole lot to do with this. If you haul your trailer you generally guzzle a whole lot more .98 cent gas...or you end up in a hotel at $70 a night. through no fault of their own the shoots are getting too expensive for people to travel to more than a select few each year. At least the numbers above show a positive trend for one segment of the archery population in this province.

Keep checking off those boxes folks!!:grin:
Chris

greybark
06-05-2005, 10:30 PM
:roll: Hey Walksalot , You are right the 3-d attendance numbers have dropped. I think we bowhunters/archers just saturated the province because of the allure of these events . The total attendance for the year is slightly less then the past only spread out more with the increase in shoots. I feel the 3-d thing is just going through a correction phase.
:mad: Particularly with "modern" and to a lesser extent with "traditional' archery I see a lot of new and excited archers spend in the thousands of dollars only to be bettered by an archer with a newer high priced latest high tech bow. Human nature being what it is allows these newbys to give up or become backyard shooters. :grin: The annual TBBC Championships this year matched past years numbers with over 100 Traditional archers. I have noticed a slow and steady increase in the numbers of Tradional archers at the 3-D events . In fact at the very succesfull Sagittarious indoor shoot the second largest class was "Traditional Woods" and the forth largest class was "Traditional Other".
:-D The future of 3-D archery is a rosy one and will continue to expand if Clubs use their imagination when setting up courses.

REMEMBER -- Keep Your Fingertab On --

Fred
06-06-2005, 08:14 AM
I agree with the fuel cost and the registration angles (which was my original thought). I would have loved to be at the Penticton and the Summerland 3D shoots this year but my business has dropped off horribly and I am struggling to pay the monthly bills, never mind indulging this archery bug! :? Ah well, we shall endeavour to perservere! :roll: Fred

oldtimer
06-07-2005, 04:49 PM
Greybark your comment about keeping the courses interesting is bang on !! Most of us that go to these shoots gor for the sport with no expectations of winning anything except maybe a door prize. If the clubs don't cater to this group and only set up the course or the categories for the top shooters then the decline will happen. To date this year I haven't seen evidence of this except may a reduction in categories so as willy says it may just be economics.8-)
courses have to be set up so they are not a torture test for anybody except a sherpa guide. With the growing number of kids I see at these shoots plus us seniors the walk should be invigorating and pleasant. My 2 cents:wink: MIKE

J_T
06-09-2005, 08:47 AM
Pullling this discussion back onto Bowhunting..... I'm not so sure that 3D numbers reflect hunting trends. While all hunters "should" practise with our chosen weapon and a 3D does that, many hunters don't want to "compete" with the weapon, don't have the time (at this time of year) and certainly the economics of filling the tank are factors.

As Greybark pointed out there is a decline in overall hunter numbers. All hunting organizations should aim to turn this around. IMHO while there are many reasons for declining numbers, there are four primary contributing factors in the decline of hunter numbers,
1) poor (or unsuccessful) hunter recruitment by all hunting organizations,
2) lack of government initiatives supporting hunter recruitment and LEH has to be the primary one,
3) increased public/societal ambibalence to hunting
4) gun registration

Comparatively, bowhunting provides a relatively regulation free access to the hunting world where one learns the appreciation of the experience of being outdoors and in pursuit of animal rather than the thrill of the kill (no disrespect to the successful hunter, just an accurate depiction of the effort required when using a bow).

It is important for bowhunters to convince government that bowhunting is, a legitimate activity - and not at the expense of the rifle - that can provide new and creative hunting opportunities. It is important for rifle enthusiasts (my roots) to understand that the bow may be the vehicle upon which hunting can continue. However the ongoing, protectionist attitudes of so many rifle enthusiasts, stymies any opportunity for new and exciting hunting opportunity.

JT

mainland hunter
06-17-2005, 02:16 PM
i've been thinking of getting a bow for a while now mainly for the 3d shoots. i was wondering how many shoots would be held roughly throughout the summer weekends in the lowermainland and surrounding areas. is there enough of them going on here locally to make it worth it or is it more of a rare event

LOC
06-17-2005, 02:57 PM
I have a similar question as MH. Is there an active archery club anywhere near Langley (on the east side of the Fraser prefered)? I know the Langley had a range and short walk-through course, but it was in very bad shape last time I shot there.

Thanks!

greybark
06-17-2005, 03:33 PM
:-) Hey mainland hunter and LOC , Your best bet is Abbotsford, Ridgedale and Chilliwack . I suggest you scout them all as there are pros and cons to each. :-) I belong to Chilliwack F & G and we have learner outfits along with instruction at no additional cost that ensures that you will like archery/bowhunting before buying your own bow. Archery is each thursday , 5:00 to 8:00 .

REMEMBER -- Keep You Fingertab On --

greybark
06-17-2005, 03:41 PM
:roll: Mainland hunter ,Sorry I didn`t answer you question on the number of 3-d shoots on the lower mainland . Counting Burnaby and Custer USA there are 25 3-d events of which 6 are 2 day shoots.

REMEMBER -- Keep Your Fingertab On --

3kills
06-18-2005, 04:52 AM
here is a link to a site that has a schedule for 3d shoots in bc..

http://www.angelfire.com/bc/canuck2/3D.html

greybark
06-18-2005, 02:25 PM
:wink: Another extensive 3-d event list can be found at

www.kics.bc.ca/tbbc (http://www.kics.bc.ca/tbbc)

REMEMBER Keep Your Fingertab On --

mainland hunter
06-18-2005, 04:11 PM
thanks for the info guys. i bit the bullet and went out and bought my first bow today. A Fred Bear Reaper 70# draw weight and 29" draw length. i'll still be mainly hunting with rifle but i'm pretty eager to start practicing with this thing, doing some 3d shoots and possibly hunt with it a bit come fall

3kills
06-18-2005, 08:19 PM
i really wanna get one soon too..as soon as i can afford it...

greybark
06-18-2005, 09:49 PM
;) Well done mainland hunter , Your idea of hunting now with a rifle and then hunting with a bow later is good and common sence . You will know when it is time to change over . You are in for a unique and exiting adventure.

;) Check out the Rendell Ck Dinner during the late Whitetail season at Rock Ck on the TBBC website . www.kics.bc.ca/tbbc (http://www.kics.bc.ca/tbbc) That would be quite a goal for you.

REMEMBER -- Keep your Fingertab On --

mainland hunter
06-19-2005, 03:52 AM
couldn't find anything on the rendell ck dinner at that website

greybark
06-19-2005, 03:05 PM
:wink: Hey mainland hunter ,Try page 7 of Forums - Campfire . This is last years dinner.

Nails
06-20-2005, 04:47 AM
Grebark, we got the cabin booked holidays booked, what do we bring for dinner. Forget the hunting we're comming for the dinner. Looking forward to head up there.
Mainland Hunter welcome to bowhunting, You may find you will take your guns out less while taking your bow on more walks with you over the next few years.

mainland hunter
06-20-2005, 10:02 AM
maybe, but i still love the boom of my rifle

oldtimer
06-20-2005, 03:39 PM
Mainland Hunter
WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF THE ENLIGHTENED ONES !!!!!! SOON ALL NATURES GLORY WILL BE OPEN TO YOU ( freezer might not be as full tho )
Seriously - i think you will really enjoy the hunting and if you want practice there is nothing better than a good 3D shoot. Mike

greybark
06-20-2005, 06:28 PM
[QUOTE=Nails]Grebark, we got the cabin booked holidays booked, what do we bring for dinner. Forget the hunting we're comming for the dinner. Looking forward to head up there.
Mainland Hunter welcome to bowhunting, You may find you will take your guns out less while taking your bow on more walks with you over the next few years/QUOTE]

Hey Nails , The Rendell Ck Dinner will be "baby backed ribs" . A call for Appitizers and desserts will happen during the planning phase.

Nails
06-21-2005, 02:16 AM
MH the smell of burnt gunpowder still gives me memories hunting with my rifle. It really doesn't matter what were packing, as long as we are hunting, eh :).

Greybark, I will be in touch as the date draws closer.