Whitetail stats via Pope And Young

[Schultzy]

There were 5559 entires In the last recording period (2009 through 2010).

Shot distance

Top 3
36% were shot between 10 to 19 yards.
33% were shot between 20 to 29 yards.
12% were shot between 30 to 39 yards.

Age of hunter

Top 3
29% were between the ages of 40 to 49 years old.
26% were between the ages of 30 to 39 years old.
14% were between the ages of 50 to 59 years old.

Years of experience

Top 3
33% have 25+ years of whitetail hunting experience.
14% have 20 to 24 years of whitetail hunting experience.
11% have 15 to 19 years of whitetail hunting experience.

Style of hunting

Top 3
80% from a tree stand.
2% from a ground blind.
1% calling.

[cornfedkiller]

Interesting stats!

[DevinJD2007]

Cool information thanks for sharing!

[Indianahunter]

That is very cool info thanks!

[Wrinkleneck]

WOW very interesting!!

[JRM6868]

There were 5559 entires In the last recording period (2009 through 2010).

Shot distance

Top 3
36% were shot between 10 to 19 yards.

Age of hunter

Top 3
29% were between the ages of 40 to 49 years old.

Years of experience

Top 3
33% have 25+ years of whitetail hunting experience.


Style of hunting

Top 3
80% from a tree stand.

What's interesting is the top statistics. It would seem that hunters are peaking in their hunting skill in their 40's whether it's through knowledge or having more time on their hands because of family growing up or work settled in where they can spend more time scouting and in the woods.
Years of experience fall into this age group also.
The yards shot are also close range which would lead to the fact that hunters are doing their homework to get close which supports the first 2.

It would be interesting to see a poll sent to the hunters who entered to see what in their life has changed to allow their success. Whether it's knowledge gained over the years, more time on their hands being freed up from family and work, how much time spent on stand or how many knew of the buck or was it a one time sighting.

[goldtip5575]

To answer your question it is money.The older you are the more extra cash to either buy or lease quality deer area.Thats why a decline in younger and gain in older hunters now.It all becoming a money thing sad to say.

[JRM6868]

To answer your question it is money.The older you are the more extra cash to either buy or lease quality deer area.Thats why a decline in younger and gain in older hunters now.It all becoming a money thing sad to say.

So in your thinking the 50-59 year olds stop spending the cash to save for retirement? Because you would think they would have more cash than the rest with kids getting through college tuition and homes almost being paid off and income getting higher.

[Schultzy]

I don't think It's money at all but rather that good old thing called experience. To be honest I had much more time to hunt and money to waste when I was younger.

[goldtip5575]

Dont know your age but like me im guessing your over 40.When we were younger even if we didnt have the money we were able to get access to alot of private prop. hunting areas.Its not like that anymore in MOST places .We can hunt maybe 10% of the places we did 25 years ago for all kinds of different reasons.But some is because the farms sold off or leased out therefore no more hunting.In fact in WI hunters age over 40 are increaseing and youth are declineing.Id bet that most of the property we lost wasnt bought by 20 year olds but by over 40s.I wonder what the % say for entries on public vs.private/leased.But sure you are correct that lessons learned over the years is also a reason.

[goldtip5575]

Plus a 30to50are better fit than a 50-59 to go where it takes to kill such deer.

[DEERSLAYER]

I think you guy's are overlooking something. People in their 40's make up the largest percentage of hunters by age class.

[JRM6868]

I think you guy's are overlooking something. People in their 40's make up the largest percentage of hunters by age class.

Good point.

It would also be interesting to see how many of them are multiple entrants over the years. I would suspect the experience thing is the larger factor in the harvesting of P&Y bucks. But would also be interested in seeing the public vs. private harvest as Goldtip said.

[Stuart]

cool

[Schultzy]

I think you guy's are overlooking something. People in their 40's make up the largest percentage of hunters by age class.

Agree and also the fact that the younger generation doesn't have as much Interest In the P&Y club so In turn they won't enter any animals In there. When I went to the P&Y convention In Minnesota this year the avg age of the people I saw walking around was up there. Hardly did I see anyone under 30 years old there and there was an estimated 1500 people there.