The trend of declining numbers of hunters is dwarfed by the decline in participation in small game hunting.
This, more than any other single factor, might be the most significant reason we are failing to recruit youth hunters. Most of us who are more than 50 years old or so got our start in hunting by walking through the brush trying to kick up rabbits and walking through the woods scanning for squirrels. This kept us enthused because we often filled our game pouches.
I have talked with hunters in my age bracket who hunted as kids in places that are now part of bayfront development in Erie. Urban/suburban sprawl has destroyed some of the best places for hunting small game.
Of course, there was not nearly as much to do after school 45 years ago. There were no video games or skateboards, no soccer, and television had four channels. (And still I do not understand how so many kids think these things are better than hunting, fishing or just playing in the outdoors.)
Now, likely as not, a kid gets his or her first taste of hunting during deer season, and since deer density has declined considerably, it often takes a few years to get that first deer -- if the kid stays interested long enough. The Youth Mentor Program is helping somewhat, but it is not reaching nearly enough kids.
If we do not consider spring gobblers as small game, squirrels and rabbits have traditionally been the most popular small game in Pennsylvania.
In 1990, the Game Commission estimated that there were 369,848 squirrel hunters. By 2008 the number plunged to 171,786 squirrel hunters. And that was while squirrel populations have generally been high, probably the best since the beginning of the 20th century.
Looking further back, in 1983 we had 614,342 squirrel hunters, according to Game Commission figures.
Pennsylvania hunters harvested 2,259,320 squirrels in 1983, which amounted to about 3.7 squirrels per hunter. In 2008, this worked out to 4.1 squirrels per hunter. Though a seemingly small difference, it actually is a pretty good increase.
Back in 1983 squirrels were not the most popular small game. More hunters -- 738,970 -- pursued rabbits, which was 17 percent more than the number of squirrel hunters. The number of rabbit hunters has been in a steady decline since then; now at 135,956, it has dropped 81 percent and is now 20 percent below the number of squirrel hunters.
Already in 1983, though, the number of beagles and basset hounds that could be heard in the area fields and thickets was on a decline. Today, it is very unusual to hear the howls of a pack of rabbit dogs.
The same factor that helped squirrels increase caused the decline in rabbits: maturation of habitat. Today, we have many more mature nut-bearing trees and much less reverting farm land. The farms that still are active do not have as many wind rows, and they are not as thick.
Hunters pursuing other species of small game have disappeared similarly.
The number of grouse hunters has fallen to 102,139 from 471,640. The number of pheasant hunters has dropped from 274,957 in 1990, the first year for which figures are available, to 86,052.
Dove hunters have declined from 188,727 to 39,780. Probably the biggest reason for this decline is the loss of access to the better dove hunting areas, which are almost entirely on private lands. The squirrel harvest has declined 69 percent, the rabbit harvest 78 percent and the grouse harvest 78 percent from 1983 through 2008. The pheasant harvest from 1990 through 2008 dropped 69 percent.
Grouse numbers and pheasant numbers certainly have declined. Both squirrel and rabbit numbers dipped, but recovered. With relatively few hunters pursuing small game for several years, many hunters would be surprised by the opportunities.
By comparison, the total number of licensed hunters declined 33 percent, from 1,268,524 in 1983 to 853,674 in 2008. Seven-day tourist licenses are not included. Although this decline is discouraging, it is much less than the decline in small game hunting.
Rather than looking for something to blame for the decline in youth hunting, we should try new ideas to reverse it. One idea is to take kids hunting for small game. This likely will revitalize your enthusiasm for hunting.
