More Hunters These Days then back In The Day...

[Salty]

Its funny, I hear a lot of people thinking back fondly to the good old days. I think as humans we tend to remember the positive events more than the other way.

In the hunting season of 1981 I was 21 and living in Prince George. It went something like this... come about September 1 you'd start to see a buzz of activity at the gun counter at Northern Hardware on 3rd avenue. Guys from the mills eyeing up new shoot'n irons and buying ammo. There was a line up behind a busy lady pumping out hand written hunting licences one after the other through the day.

By about the 10th of Sept it seemed that most, I'm not exaggerating... most pick ups had a rifle or two hanging in the rack across the back window. Speaking of which anyone that had a pick up without a gun rack was clearly from out of town we figured. And of course lots with a gun rack were too. Most of the hotels and motels had hunter's welcome and hunter specials signs out. Now I will say most of the locals weren't hard core hunters but most did have a licence every year and they were packing all through the season. Moose learned to say clear of the roads. LOL. Back then we mainly just grouse hunted. We new of places off the beaten track with over grown old roads that held a lot of grouse. You could tell from the greasy interior gumbo if a truck had been in on a road that day.... if they had... we went some place else. It wasn't a good environment to let your dog lope along ahead of the truck looking for chickens with hunters nearby. Some with pretty itchy trigger fingers in those days. The Blackwater road parade would start an hour before sun up and finish an hour after. Other busy spots were Nation lakes, Bowron or any other gravel road off the highway really..

Personally I prefer how things happen today. Less hunters, more of them serious about it by percentage- but still a lot of road hunters. I'm glad to see that hunting numbers are in the up swing again. There's lots of room for more hunters today especially with a lot more knowledge in place around long term game managment.

[GoatGuy]

There wouldn't be enough crown land for a 172K hunters now. There are fewer hunters now than when I started hunting over 40 years ago but the illusion is there is more as there is less hunting area all the time. More restrictions and closed areas, more 4 wheel drives and ATV's, not to mention less road access in many areas.

Please support your argument so we can all understand.

[Sofa King]

Good to see hunter numbers rising again and groups working towards promoting and recruiting more hunters for sure!!!

why do you think it's good?
more hunters means less animals.
there's areas that have seen drastic decreases in game populations.
how is more hunters a good thing for that?
and nothing ensures that new hunters are good, ethical hunters.
50 new hunters next year could just as well be 50 more poachers.
I'm assuming you think more hunters means more support for the past-time.
it doesn't necessarily though.

[thehammer]

Wasn't an argument, my own observation. The word "illusion" would be the give away.

[Salty]

why do you think it's good?
more hunters means less animals.
there's areas that have seen drastic decreases in game populations.
how is more hunters a good thing for that?
and nothing ensures that new hunters are good, ethical hunters.
50 new hunters next year could just as well be 50 more poachers.
I'm assuming you think more hunters means more support for the past-time.
it doesn't necessarily though.

Jesus Christ dually that is the most selfish, backwards uneducated thing I've heard you post. WTF pays for conservation? Hunters. Who puts value on game so industry doesn't just push it aside? Hunters. The more hunters we have the better of game will be in this province. All for me and screw everyone else attitude not withstanding. Sheesh, I think you mean well reading your stuff here and there but you've got some messed up theories. Oh, and best of the season to you here's hoping the bigger picture will come clear to you in 2014.

[boxhitch]

more hunters means less animals.
there's areas that have seen drastic decreases in game populations.
how is more hunters a good thing for that?

You still think hunters are the cause of reduced populations ? Do you ever read up on the science posted here ?

50 new hunters next year could just as well be 50 more poachers.

Tough outlook , I hope things look up for you next year.

[hunter1947]

why do you think it's good?
more hunters means less animals.
there's areas that have seen drastic decreases in game populations.
how is more hunters a good thing for that?
and nothing ensures that new hunters are good, ethical hunters.
50 new hunters next year could just as well be 50 more poachers.
I'm assuming you think more hunters means more support for the past-time.
it doesn't necessarily though.

The way I see it is more hunters more money to towns and more revenue for the management..

[GoatGuy]

Ok, just so we don't head down the rabbit hole here. BC compared to 2 of our neighbours:

Jurisdiction	Hunters	Size	Hunters/km
Montana	486,000	381,000km2	1.28
Washington	188,000	184,827km2	1.02
BC	100,000	945,000km2	0.11

BC has one of the lowest hunter densities in North America. BC is one of the most diverse in terms of number of species available as well as the highest % of crown land south of AK, YT, NWT, particularly in proximity to cities.

It's funny when 'we' complain about too many hunters and not enough land. We have the best of both.

[Sofa King]

Jesus Christ dually that is the most selfish, backwards uneducated thing I've heard you post. WTF pays for conservation? Hunters. Who puts value on game so industry doesn't just push it aside? Hunters. The more hunters we have the better of game will be in this province. All for me and screw everyone else attitude not withstanding. Sheesh, I think you mean well reading your stuff here and there but you've got some messed up theories. Oh, and best of the season to you here's hoping the bigger picture will come clear to you in 2014.

don't misread it.
I didn't say that "I" think it's a bad thing.
I was asking why "he" thought it was a good thing.
why do people read things that are asked and assume that's that person's views?
I made a couple points and asked some questions, that's all.
I never said I'm against hunter #'s increasing.
don't read your own thoughts into a post and assume it's all negative.

[Sofa King]

The way I see it is more hunters more money to towns and more revenue for the management..

that's 100% true.
and the more hunters applying for LEH's increases the $$ being raised as well.