Interesting study......Declining WI Gun Deer Hunter Numbers

[Dewey]

http://hnwdev.lsc.wisc.edu/wp-content/u ... 11_web.pdf

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[Crazinamatese]

I think land access is one of the biggest factors in low gun hunter numbers. For myself, Im on that fine line of abandoning gun/deer season all together. I will gun hunt only if I can get my 60 year old Mother to hunt with me now. I really want to be able to get her out in the woods more before she is at that point where she can't be able to physically do it. Other than that, I get way more satisfaction out of bowhunting.

[Black Squirrel]

I'm ready to give up gun hunting too.

[tim]

I cant imagine ever giving up on gun season. ive been doing it since I was 12 and I will be 39 this year. it just never gets old. even though my son isn't interested and my dad cant walk the bluffs like he used too theres something about gun season that has been branded in me that I don't ever want to miss.

[Bowhunting Brian]

I didn't buy a gun tag last year and probably won't this year either.

[ozzz]

Good, more deer alive.

[Chris Conroy]

Last year I hunted with the muzzleloader only. I only hunted twice during the 9 days and even then I wasn't excited. I have 3 kids hunting this year, so I am looking forward to that. I can see myself abandoning the regular gun season or changing the area/way that I hunt. Now, archery season is a whole different story, I'm excited every day for that. 115 days to go!

[ Post made via Android ]

[mibowhunter]

I gave up gun hunting 12 years ago and haven't looked back.

[mag1]

I'm in the same boat, I gave up gun hunting after my 1st daughter was born back in 02. To many crazies on the public, I'll bow hunt it, but not gun. Love my bow.

[headgear]

That has to be happening all over the place. I still gun hunt with the fam but I could easily see myself as a bow only guy. Also half the guys/friends I know who gun hunted when I was a kid are either old timers who have passed or a bunch of them just plain don't hunt anymore.

[hunter_mike]

I agree that one of the biggest reasons for this would be amount of hunting pressure. I myself have begun to feel somewhat of a sickening feeling when gun season comes around because i always end up seeing more hunters than deer. Might plan a trip way up north to try and fix that

[ Post made via Android ]

[Bucky]

I'm with Tim... branded into me. Access is an issue, but there is good stuff out there, a guy just needs to put in the work!

If you have really lost the excitement take a kid hunting! That will help u remember the excitement/anticipation of the darkness coming to life on opening day!

[ Post made via Android ]

[Brad]

I will never get tired of gun hunting, there is always that buzz in the air about the excitement leading up to gun season. I enjoy bow hunting more but I am always glad to squeeze the trigger on the 30-06 any chance I can too.

[ Post made via Android ]

[Dewey]

I still get excited about opening day of the gun season but after that.....no so much anymore. Been heading up north for the last 20 years but if I had to hunt down south I would have quit years ago.

Bowhunting is all I really care about and where I focus all of my energy. Gun hunting is more for getting together with the guys and relaxing after some really intense rut hunting that usually has me pretty drained by this time. Gun season is spent in my Summit climber kicking back, reflecting on my season so far and just enjoying whatever happens.

Last year I shot a buck opening morning and was done for the season. I was totally fine with that and gave me more time to rest up for the late bow season.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[Bigb]

I'm a bigger bow hunter now than ever and would rather shoot a deer with a bow over a gun any day. That being said though, I don't think I could ever give up gun hunting.

Growing up living in Illinois, the only place we had to hunt was Northern Michigan. It was the one trip my Dad and I had to get away together. I lived for November 14th, the day we would drive up to Michigan for the gun season opener. I grew up in a town just north of Chicago where no one hunted at all. I had no one to talk about it with other than my dad. When we would hit the road on the 14th at 4 AM is was one of the greatest days of the year. Once we would hit mid Michigan the interstate was lined with trucks heading to deer camps. When we would hit I75 there were 7 trucks to every car and everyone in those trucks had dreams of a big buck on their mind. I was in heaven. Pulling into our buddies house and catching up after a year while hearing about the bucks that were running around. I couldn't have been happier.

Opening morning of gun season is like Christmas to me. I sneak out to my stand as quiet as can be, sit down in the dark and smile. It is hear. Seconds are feeling like minutes at this point. Daylight can't come soon enough. I hear the woods coming alive but still don't know if its a raccoon or a 150 inch buck. Its driving me crazy. Then as the sun just starts to come up, I hear the first shot in the distance and a smile always comes to my face. Opening day is here, its a tradition like none other. I'm with hundreds or thousands of people in the woods chasing a dream.

It's been 20 plus years since my first opening day of gun season. My dad now would rather sit in a little pop up blind in a nice office chair at a small spot he hunts close to my parents house than hit the woods of Michigan but now, It's a tradition for me, SInce I was 20 I've hunted Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin and Kansas opening day. Some public land, some private. I've had great opening days, I've had bad opening days, Ive had good weather, I've had bad weather but I have been in the woods. Each one of those opening days I feel like that 12 year old kid again experiencing the woods for my first opening day. When that sun comes up and I hear that first shot in the distance, a smile always comes to my face. Deer Season is here. If that smile ever goes away, I'll quit gun hunting.

I really hope that smile never goes away.....