Anticipated impacts of COVID-19 on hunting this year?

[Kevin Dill]

One thing that will happen as a result of the economic damage is the closure of many small businesses. Most of them depend on cash flow and are not financially equipped to survive a serious shutdown followed by a longer period of economic anemia as people slowly begin spending money on discretionary things. Think of this like a tsunami. The wave and flood does the initial damage. After that comes the secondary effects which take years to overcome.

I think there will be a number of hunting and fishing endeavors (meaning businesses) which will be dealing with severe economic pain in the coming 1-2 years. Some may close and some may go through chapter 11 to survive. I personally would be careful about assurances of future hunts. I'm NOT saying an outfitter isn't honest or that they have bad intentions. I am saying the financial effects of the pandemic haven't fully hit us yet and there will be unforeseen long term damage....trips will undoubtedly be lost. This is no fault of the outfitter.

I don't have a deposit down on anything, nor do I have any commercial flights booked. Right now I'm 100% focused on family health and managing my business. I'm still finding time to get outdoors and enjoy life. Until this pandemic subsides I won't be doing any adventures which require much travel, deposits, etc. I really hope all the guys who have hunts planned are able to make them happen...but I think the tsunami-effect is coming. Brace.

 

[Grundy53]

Here in northern Mo, the Corps. Of Engineers has closed all of the public boat ramps and access points to Mark Twain Lake, including campgrounds around the lake. Private ramps are still open but they are few and far between. I never dreamed they would start closing unmanned boat ramps due to this virus so who knows how the feds will deal with national forest trail heads and entry points.
I am doubtful that they could close national forest or BLM but I've seen the government do crazier things.

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They've already shut down NF trailheads, campgrounds, and improved sites here in Washington state.

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[EastMT]

Well I just moved from Alaska to Texas, gulp. Have the points to draw a couple tags in Montana
and could use come home to hunt. As of now I decided not to put in this year. My truck, car hauler full of everything we own is at an RV storage facility in AK. I was supposed to fly up May 1 and drive it back. Now there’s a mandatory 14 day quarantine, plus the drive down. I’d have to use 3+ weeks to get it down here.

So I’ll be hunting the family farm in Missouri in Nov instead, got a line on some free Nilgai, Uncle in law has an over population of black buck. Doing some talking about West Auodad. Think I’ll have some good times, but planning things I can cancel with no loss just in case.

 

[SoDaky]

Haven't read all this except the last couple pages.Clearly new ground for everyone here and clearly long term affects but there are,as Marble stated a page or so ago,significant differences between say 2008.Now there are,for instance,huge markets ongoing around online sales and it's ancillary business's.A huge difference and hopefully a cushion of sorts and a starting ramp to facilitate recovery.There are huge 'social media' markets that are in fact doing well.There are new 'markets' and business opportunities emerging.A new emerging digital world of business.I hope and to an extent believe all this can contribute to recovery.
Was talking to a Mn broker yesterday that talked about 'pent up demand'.As he said,imagine the 'boom' if this ended tomorrow.Long lines in restaurants,coffee shops,gas stations and travel bureaus.The stimulus will help a great deal.I feel the longer this drags,the longer the recovery but recovery will be sooner than many think.Half full,not half empty.

 

[Kevin Dill]

Was talking to a Mn broker yesterday that talked about 'pent up demand'.As he said,imagine the 'boom' if this ended tomorrow.

I've given that plenty of thought recently and here's some things to consider:

Just today it was revealed that 6.6 million Americans filed for unemployment last week. That number is likely to increase over the next 2-4 weeks. That's all money not being earned to spend. The rehires won't happen instantly, and will take time. People's individual economies will need time to recover, and quite possibly it takes many months or years.

There absolutely will be pent up demand, but those who can act on it will be fewer and likelier to have been less affected economically. And some of these will be reluctant to spend. In any event, this assuredly won't end in a quick way with a V shaped recovery despite the optimistic politicians and soothsayers. We're already in an undeclared recession with a real possibility of it lasting longer than we hope.

I feel optimistic about the long term, mainly because I believe in the strength of our society. We can and hopefully will rebuild the economy....in time....and strongly.

 

[Bulldawg]

Nebraska sent out a memo saying non-residents are not allowed to turkey hunt this spring.

One thing that all this could lead to is a BANNER hunting season in 2021, nothings gonna get killed!

 

[bmf0713]

I'm still in for tags in Colorado this fall. But the county I was planning to hunt this fall but a ban on NR's. Hoping this will pass before fall season. If not I can get a refund on the tags i draw. I'm currently still working and my wife is working from home while the kids are out of school. So I am not using any time off and we're actually saving money (other than the tens of thousands of dollars lost in the market) by not having to pay daycare. Seems like the majority of people around me that are out of work at the moment are teachers, bartenders and waiters/waitresses and I don't see hunting as a very popular hobby in those groups of people.

 

[Erno86]

Governor Hogan of Maryland...has put a partial lockdown on our state.

Baltimore City, in Maryland...has banned public access to three surrounding reservoir properties, including boat ramps; due to the covid19 outbreak --- So no archery turkey hunting or fishing for me there for awhile.

But I'm "good to go public land turkey hunting" elsewhere, here in Maryland (April 18 - May 23) --- As long as we observe the 6' social distancing rule.

One reason being...I'm going to the great big outdoor grocery store --- since I'm subsistence huntin' wild turkey for food.

quote: Maryland DNR officer

 

[alvardoeddie]

To early to tell.

 

[hutty]

I work in public health at Johns Hopkins. I am not a doctor but oversee research studies mainly in infectious diseases. Obviously most of my work has pivoted to covid 19. I imagine that non-residents license sales are going to take a hit. I just don't see people feeling confident with their job, health, finances to lay out that kind of money. I'm not saying all, but I would be surprised to see numbers compared to the last few years, regardless of the price of gas. Regardless hope everyone stays healthy and happy in the new norm.

This was from eastman's blog today for what its worth.

"Where an insider to the system has told me that nonresident applications for deer and elk hunts for the current big game draw with a looming deadline, could be down as much as 37% at this point. Needless to say, a 37% decline in applicants would be a major hit financially to the states, but could bode well for the applicants inside the system who do accept the risk and actually apply for the tags"

 

[FLAK]

Looks like its gonna last longer than I thought. Who knows what tomorrow will bring.

 

[HDwild]

WA Spring Turkey and possibly Spring bear are either canceled or postponed! We can't even fish or access state lands right now. I'm worried that it'll bleed into Fall bear and early archery season as well.

 

[alvardoeddie]

WA Spring Turkey and possibly Spring bear are either canceled or postponed! We can't even fish or access state lands right now. I'm worried that it'll bleed into Fall bear and early archery season as well.

Out west in Oregon and Washington will be different this year for sure!

 

[Doc Holliday]

New Mexico is allowing applicants to delete their applications.

 

[oklahunter]

I think it’s time for every state’s Wildlife departments to make a statement about what they are going to do concerning tags and refunds of money and points if federal lands are closed this fall. Local counties in Colorado are shutting down access of federal lands to non residents now. Are these states going to refund everything or are they going to cop out and say tough luck it’s an act of god? Be nice to see an official statement from them.

 

[Doc Holliday]

I think it’s time for every state’s Wildlife departments to make a statement about what they are going to do concerning tags and refunds of money and points if federal lands are closed this fall. Local counties in Colorado are shutting down access of federal lands to non residents now. Are these states going to refund everything or are they going to cop out and say tough luck it’s an act of god? Be nice to see an official statement from them.

Its only the beginning of April. No way this is all still going on 4+ months from now.

If hunting season were starting in June, that would be a different story

 

[fatlander]

Its only the beginning of April. No way this is all still going on 4+ months from now.

If hunting season were starting in June, that would be a different story

If we’re still under nationwide lock downs in September the economy will be so f’ed that most people won’t care if its hunting season or not. And guys damn sure won’t be starting threads asking if he needs another year.


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[rodney482]

Ive canceled already. Will just buy points

 

[jmez]

If we are still locked down in Sept it won't even be the economy making people care. That ship will have sailed. The concern will be which side you fight on in the civil war.

 

[blackdawg]

Its only the beginning of April. No way this is all still going on 4+ months from now.

If hunting season were starting in June, that would be a different story

What's slowing this down, they keep pushing the peak out every week. weeks turn into months very quickly. Looking at the worldometer, I don't see this virus slowing it's spread down in any foreign countries around the world. Then the time frame to readjust/restart our lives/businesses needs to be taken into account.