When it comes to hunting, years of declining hunter participation numbers is now apparently being reversed. Popular programs such as Families Afield and the Trailblazer Adventure Program are definitely doing their share to recruit new hunters. While nearly all types of hunting are on the rise, bowhunting seems to be seeing big increases.
A recent survey by Archery Business magazine reveals that bowhunting license sales, for example, reached an all-time high in 2010—up to 3.6 million hunters. That number was an increase of more than 140,000 participants than the year before.
The growth is profound in some regions. Bowhunter numbers nearly tripled in Ohio from the 2000 through 2010 period with more than 300,000 licenses sold in 2010. Maryland saw a doubling of bowhunting license sales during the same period. Other states also drastic reported increases in bowhunters. Some of those increases, however, could be the result of some states changing their bowhunting license reporting systems. Previously bowhunters were counted only as hunters, or as big game hunters. When the cash registers stopped ringing up the license sales, more than 500,000 additional bowhunting licenses were sold across the U.S. in 2010 than in 2000.
It’s not all up, up, and up, however, since states like Kentucky lost about 80,000 hunting participants.
Overall, now is a good time to start bowhunting, or invite a wife, son or daughter to join you on your next bowhunting adventure. There are possibly more record-book bucks roaming America—and possibly more deer overall—than at any other period of history thanks to better deer management practices and hunter selection. Add in special hunts at some city and state parks and you’ll find more places to bowhunt.
The only real dilemma any new hunter will possibly face will be what bow model to choose. There are hundreds out there, and more on the way to a rack in a store near you.