Has the internet created MORE hunters?

[Newtosavage]

Thinking about how rare OTC tags are these days, and the trend toward everything (it seems) going to a draw, AND the draws (it seems) getting harder and harder, it had me wondering - would we have as many hunters without the internet?

What I mean is this - back in the day, learning to hunt, learning where to hunt, learning the rules and regulations, etc. took quite a bit of work. And you didn't know what you didn't know. So there were places that didn't get much pressure simply because not many people knew about them.

Nowdays, there are no secrets left. Any possible locations, draws, special regs, etc. can be found online, somewhere. Add to that countless online shows, tutorials, tech tips, etc. and it has to be easier than ever for someone to get started hunting, or if they already hunt, to find new places or learn new ways to hunt.

I just wonder how many people we'd have out there hunting today if not for the internet. I'm guessing not as many? I wonder how hunter numbers have tracked compared to the US population as a whole.

Not saying that's it's a good or bad thing (I think it's both) but I feel like the internet has had a HUGE impact on hunting.

 

[Btaylor]

I dont think I would single out the internet as much as technology in general. The internet, phones, apps, weapons, clothing, etc. all has lowered the barrier of entry if you will to the beginner and greatly expanded opportunities for seasoned hunters. I agree with it being both a good and bad thing.

 

[TBHasler]

No doubt. But it isn’t just hunting. All things that would be considered “off grid” or “way way back” just a few hrs ago (10) are now much more trafficked. We’ve hiked/camped remote areas in multiple states and always astonished that we run into folks.
Not just only out west either - AZ, NM, MO, AR, TX

The internet and social media (how the internet is used by most) has changed much and will continue to shape our experiences into the future - for better and worse

 

[awasome]

100% that the internet created more hunters. I am one of those internet hunters. Coming from immigrant parents that did not have firearms or hunt, or family friends that hunted I had no clue where to start.

Getting into hunting has a lot of barriers to entry. The internet has made the information more open and available. It has also been help connect new hunters with mentors.

 

[IH8Cali]

I'm all for unplugging the internet for approximately 3 years.

 

[Vandy321]

Online/GPS maps have.

I'd be willing to be willing to bet, a decent portion of hunters, including on this forum, couldn't land nav off a map and compass to save their lives, both figuratively and literally

Online/GPS maps have given those without that knowledge the ability to venture further into the woods in pursuit of game.

 

[Rob5589]

Yes

 

[K2e2vin]

I think it depends....I grew up around Raleigh, NC(directly affected by IT) and it's definitely more crowded than when I was little....so not much people hunt there anymore unless you move into the next county or something. Expanding city limits means less hunting areas.

Seems like the internet provides info to get into hunting easier....but hunting is also no longer necessary when you can just order some deer or bison meat if you wanted to. I saw an article not too long ago that said hunting(using permits/license to measure) was on the decline until the pandemic started.

 

[landman650]

Whether you personally like it or not, having more hunters is better for our hobby. The more people there are, the higher the threshold will be for politicians and activists to put more limits on us. With people comes power. We don't want only a few of us.

 

[Glockster26]

Whether you personally like it or not, having more hunters is better for our hobby. The more people there are, the higher the threshold will be for politicians and activists to put more limits on us. With people comes power. We don't want only a few of us.

More is not always better. I could see 100% less of the Insta hunters taking pictures with ducks in their mouth, cuddling with the deer they just killed, drinking or chugging beer out of deer carcasses, or the endless supply of stupid shit that they do. That is not helping anyone and to say it is, is horseshit.
Game and land to hunt is a limited

 

[Vandy321]

Waterfowling, absolutely. I'm a guilty party in the respect, dabbled (pun intended) growing up in the NW, but didn't get heavy into it until about 2014/15 seasons when I was middle aged...the internet was at fault, I'll admit.

That seems to have slowed down though as both DU and Delta both report hunter numbers declining and are doing their best to do hunter outreach.

Maybe alot of them migrated to big game whe they figured out ducks taste like sh*t?

 

[RockinRam96]

It’s not just hunters the internet has grown all hobbies/ outdoor activities. There is more access to knowledge, gear and destinations. Hunting has been no different.

It has helped me out. Years ago when I was fresh out of high school I wanted to go out west to hunt elk. Only way to do so was get a guide to whichever state you wanted to hunt and call. Now it’s all in the interwebs. All pretty easy process. Yes we have to wait through crashing websites and such, but still easier than calling it mailing everything in.


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[idig4au]

I think the internet and social media have definitely had an impact on hunting….negatively. I also think companies like Sitka, Kuiu, etc have made it cool to be a “back country” hunter with their marketing strategies. And why does everyone need a “sheep gun” now? Admittedly, I have Sitka and kuiu and a couple sheep guns (I actually sheep hunt more than other other big game hunting) but I was backpack hunting way back in the day before this started. Now It’s hard to to get away from people when I used to have the mountains to myself in my old stomping grounds.

 

[Mtnboy]

It’s not just hunters the internet has grown all hobbies/ outdoor activities. There is more access to knowledge, gear and destinations. Hunting has been no different.

It has helped me out. Years ago when I was fresh out of high school I wanted to go out west to hunt elk. Only way to do so was get a guide to whichever state you wanted to hunt and call. Now it’s all in the interwebs. All pretty easy process. Yes we have to wait through crashing websites and such, but still easier than calling it mailing everything in.


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Uhhhh...... OTC tags have been available LONG before the internet. Hiring a guide was not the only way to go Elk hunting.....

 

[awasome]

What I have learned on Rokslide.

Hunters and hipsters are one in the same. "I was a hunter back in the day before it was cool!"

 

[kylegreulich]

I think hunting in general is down (pretty significantly) over the past X amount of years. But, I think it has changed the type of hunter with access of information, especially out of state/backcountry information. I think that has created the lack of OTC opportunity. Very similar things have happened in other activities as well. For example skiing/snowboarding overall numbers are down, but backcountry interest has never been higher.

 

[houghton_hunter]

I think hunting in general is down (pretty significantly) over the past X amount of years. But, I think it has changed the type of hunter with access of information, especially out of state/backcountry information. I think that has created the lack of OTC opportunity. Very similar things have happened in other activities as well. For example skiing/snowboarding overall numbers are down, but backcountry interest has never been higher.

I agree with kylegreulich here, objectively hunter numbers as well as the proportion of the US population that hunts is down compared to historical numbers.

Of course statistics are tricky, and as you break down the numbers, western hunters are on the increase, while eastern hunters are on the decrease, more people live in the east, therefor overall numbers go down, while locally (e.g out west) it seems there are more hunters than ever. But in the US as a whole, hunter numbers are dropping.

Couple this with the fact that there are less places to hunt in the east as more private land is essentially off limits, and you have more eastern hunters venturing west in search of better opportunities, armed with the knowledge (provided by the internet) and relative security provided by technology (GPS).

Like all things it is highly nuanced. End of the day, objectively no, the internet did not make more hunters as a whole in the US.

But are hunter numbers, in the west specifically, rising? Yes. Did the internet and technology enable more people to venture out west? Yes.

So if your question is did the internet make more western hunters...the answer might be a "maybe".

 

[def90]

Not sure it has created more hunters per say but I think it has definitely encouraged more guys that were otherwise the local whitetail hunter to travel west.

 

[Bighorner]

I was backpack hunting way back in the day before this started. Now It’s hard to to get away from people when I used to have the mountains to myself in my old stomping grounds.

...Back when a tarp was literally a blue poly tarp for the hardware store.

 

[crich]

The internet is one of the greatest and worst advances in the history of mankind... dont get me started on social media....

Oh and yes 100% more hunters traveling west