Gun Dog Forum

My bro-in-law and I just got back from a trip to ND pheasant hunting. He is 29 years old and I am 28 years old. We stayed in a motel that was full of bird hunters and spent four days hunting. I do not remember seeing ANYONE even close to our age...Most of the people staying in the motel were 40 or older, not that being over 40 is a bad thing However, we conversed about it several times and made mention that it is somewhat worrisome that there seems to be very few people hunting in the 20-40 age group. I know that many people our age are either still in diapers drinking their heads off every weekend or they have begun a career and are working very hard to get ahead. I fall somewhere in the middle of that...I have a career and like to have fun and go on hunting trips. Obviously, some of the other people at the motel were the same way. I talked with many of them and they have careers and famililes, but they go bird hunting with their free time.

Has anyone else noticed any similar trends? What is it like out east or further west?

Is there something that we should be doing about it?

Yeah, I've noticed this for many outdoor activities. I'm 24 and of my 10 really close college buddies, only 2 grew up hunting and fishing. Living in MN, I'm still blown away by how few people my age didn't grow up ice skating! Luckily those guys that never had the opportunity to hunt or fish growing up are really curious to give it a try. Over the last three years, we've taken yearly hunting and fishing trips with those guys and they all love it. Most of them won't catch or shoot a bird the whole time but it's more just about being out with your buds. It's a good time!

I'm 28, and have very few friends around my age that are hunters. A few that hunt occasionally.

Lack of patience and need for immediate gratification are a big part of the problem. You can't download the next season.

Husband and I are both 26. Know a few people our age who hunt, but not all that many. Then again, neither husband nor I grew up hunting, we've only gotten into it the past few years.

I will soon be celabrating the 45th annaversity of my 21st birthday. I have noticed there's a lot of old duffer's out there that shoot well. The younger generation are in short supply. My son liked to hunt when he was younger but these days he's busy raising a family and working. He say's it cost's so much to raise kids these days that he can seldom afford to go. Shoot, doesn't cost him anymore than it cost me!

Yes, I agree with you - do something about it! Join PF or QF and start working with a local chapter. Host youth hunts, get kids outdoors, invite your friends to join/start a chapter...

DO SOMETHING!

You'll really be happy you acted now, before it becomes too late.

Because of this forum I know some .people around my old age of 27 who hunt and fish... heck I even got brad started in field trials and he is hooked. It ain't so bad being the youngest person when your doing what you love to do. watch dogs and have an adult beverage doesn't sound bad even on Sundays.

I usually get strange looks from people when they find out I'm a hunter. I'm guessing the ultra-liberals don't like that idea because I'm killing fuzzy woodland creatures or because I own a gun. I even had a girl I was dating, who was really interested in my GSP break up with me when she found out I was a hunter! But yep, 29 and all of the other hunters I know are older than me. I've only ever met one kid in the field and him and his Dad had to leave early for the son's football game.

I am 22, all but one of my friends hunt. two of us got lucky enough to have girls that hunt to. I guess it all depends on where you grew up and what there was to do.

You did a fine job in getting that girls then... chances of finding a girl that hunts in southern California that looks good is about the same odds as winning the lottery. But if I ever get divorced you know hunting will be behind it and ill try to move up to WA and Poach some of your women...

chances of finding a girl that hunts in southern California that looks good is about the same odds as winning the lottery.

so thats why i'm single and broke!

Yep... I figured I would just pressure the wife to hunt and she surprised me. She won't shoot anything but will go on short hikes and has agreed to take pictures of the dog when we go hunt birds.... baby steps...

I see alot of young hunters around here, folks are crazy about deer, turkey, and waterfowl hunting, you just dont see ANYONE bird hunting young or old.
Im 27 and started following my dad and a couple other "old timers" around when I was a kid just because I loved the dogs.
I just think that the limited amount of public land, the low number of birds and the fact that most people have no desire to train a dog to do the job has alot to do with the low number of young hunters. Most of the people my age are either just starting a career, starting a family or simply dont have the extra income to play this game.
I always have people wanting to go out with me and my dogs, matter of fact I am a middle school teacher and in a few weeks I am taking a couple of my students and their fathers to a game preserve and let them hunt over a couple of my dogs because they want to see what it is all about.

Jim

I'm in my mid 30's and have only 2 buddies that hunt that is my age. Most the other guys are in the late 40’s, 50’s. I have a 14 yr that just passed his hunt test and he is really getting into hunting, however I cannot get my 10 yr interested at all. Personally I think you will see a gap in age's. Seems like kids these days have way too many indoor options to keep them happy...Computer/Internet, Playstation, Ebox, Disney Channel. heck you don't have to go out and rent movies anymore either. Top that with 20 somethings trying to pursue the American dream in a dreary economy. I could see you looking around going WTH I do not thinks it’s that bad though you may have been in a good area to hunt and all the Seniors knew it was a hotspot. Maybe your ahead of your time.

Greek - we actually talked a little bit about that...maybe others our age are more into other things right now and that is fine with me. I'm just happy that I'll hopefully have some good spots to hunt for years to come and can go to places that I've been before when I'm an old man. I just moved to Fargo, so this whole fall has been a learning experience for me in learning a new state and exploring different terrain and bird populations.

It is somewhat disheartening that others notice the same trend...

"I see alot of young hunters around here, folks are crazy about deer, turkey, and waterfowl hunting, you just dont see ANYONE bird hunting young or old."

Same here, I am 27 and probably have more friends my age that hunt then don't. Unfortunately I am the only one who really likes messing with dogs and birds, although there are some younger guys filling in the ranks at the local trials.

"I am 22, all but one of my friends hunt. two of us got lucky enough to have girls that hunt to. I guess it all depends on where you grew up and what there was to do."

That is not lucky at all, who would want to hunt with their girlfriend?

I'm 23 and my hunting buddy is 33. We didn't see anyone under 45 in the field last year. I tell people my age that I like bird hunting and I how I have bird dogs, I get some weird looks. This is a rich mans sport and those of us young guys that do this put most of our time and resources into this because that's what it takes.

I'm 38 & have always been the youngest on any bird lease I have been on,(my first bird only lease was in 2004-2005) I take every chance I get to bring a kid in the field. We need young guy's to keep this sport going.

My wife and I are both 29 and hunt. Our group is us, 2 friends @ 40, their son @ 17 (and 2 younger 6 and 9 that come with us all the time), their dad @ 65, neighbor @ 62, and a friend @ 20.

I think a lot of the "Younger" hunters stick closer to home vs traveling, as it can get expensive with the hotels and out of state fee's.

the bottom line is bird counts! When I was a kid we would leave the Chicago area and I remember goose, duck, pheasant all within a 1-3 hour drive. I take my boys hunting, but unless you like bootin & shootin, where do you go. I had the exposure every weekend with my dad, now for us to get the younger generation into birds like It was, it is a major ordeal, planning, hotel/lodge, etc. It's not just here in Illinois, it's everywhere. We used to rabbit hunt along the railroad tracks literally 30 minutes outside Chicago when I was kid, September was dove hunting, 40 minutes from the house.....it's all gone. Had a forest Preseve Police Officer in my town tell me that Pheasants are "exotic birds". I just about fell over. He did not believe me that pheasant's are native to the state of Illinois. It's not the generation as much as it is the lack of places to go in close proximity on a regular basis. I am lucky to have one of my son's bird crazy, but it was a lot of work to him that exposure. JMO
Bill L.

I am 29 and my wife is 28 and we both starting hunting last year. There are a few around our age that hunt or are interested in hunting in our area, but most are 5-10+ years older.

Imho, money has a lot to do with it.
early 20s your broke
your late 20s your chasing the illusive female or male,
early 30s its young kids,
Late 30s highschool sports,
Your 40 things start to settle down with some free time, I HOPE.
50 something ? Can someone help me here.
I have guys ask all the time if they can tag along and hunt but come the day of the hunt ?

I hear you pinebrook on people asking to hunt with me and then texting the night before or the morning of saying they won't be able to make it.

I agree with those of you that mentioned money holding some people in this age bracket back. I know that with my school loans and everything else it takes me making a bird hunting trip a priority for it to happen.

I also agree with bird numbers being a hindrance, but the bird numbers is why I would go on hunting trips when I lived in Iowa. It was more fun to go somewhere with good numbers and maybe give up hunting a couple of days at home ($) because there was a heightened chance for success and bird contacts for the dogs. However, a lot of the older hunters didn't seem to mind that the bird numbers were down from the last couple of years. They made slight mention of it, but it was about the experience and getting out for them.

This topic has given me a lot to think about and I'm going to be trying to get more people my age out hunting. I think that people would really enjoy it if they would be willing to give it a try!

I'm 21 and only have one friend my age that hunts, and he only hunts deer. It seems no one else sees the draw of spending time in the woods?

I think most of todays younger folks idea of outdoor activities are to be just observers of the ecosystem not participants in it. The schools encourage it, parent run sports take time away from free time to hunt and fish and video games encourage just shooting.

I posted this on another board and I think it gives the jest of what needs to be done:

Some of you may remember a few months back, when I posted pix of my litter, talking about the young local boy with Childhood Leukemia whom I planned to place a pup with and teach to train and handle his pup in Hunt Test and Trials. Christopher is an avid and already quite accomplished Sportsman, as well as a inspiration to myself personally. He has an absolute love for all things outdoors, loves Bird Dogs and Bird Hunting; but most importantly of all, he NEVER lets a bad day get him down and is always looking up for the Silver Linings.
This weekend, he came and picked up his pup for the weekend to buddy up(pup will stay here through the weekdays until he is able to take him home for keeps) and when he came back yesterday, we used the opportunity for an impromptu photo shoot and to play around a bit.

Boy meets pup:





Let's see what he can do with a Quail....



"I want one just like his "Dad" Wyatt"


"Helping" Wyatt find a bird we lost track of


I think just "maybe", they're going to be good buds




Want to break the downward trend on hunter numbers? You gotta start them before video games, tv, computers, etc... take over their interest and then hope, a love for the outdoors sticks. That may mean taking them to an occasional preserve, or down to the farm for some training, to "Guarantee" birds flushed and shot at, to keep their interest.

Bruce - that's awesome. Now we need to multiply that by the thousands. I think if we could get every kid involved with some type of hunting dog we'd be halfway there!

Great pictures, great story!

Every year New jersey does a youth hunt for pheasant, turkey, duck, and deer. They do it at several public hunt locations in the state. I can only speak of assunpink but they turn out. We always have alot of kids come out. There is no charge and just about anyone with a dog shows up to donate time and dog. It is always a huge success. They have the sign ups in the digest and give a date to sign up, but they take walkins. A lot of young boys and several young girls show up. It is limited to those who sign up or hunt with the group until noon, then it is opened to any youth hunter and only youth hunters til dark. It is a great program.

Most of the younger guys I hunt with 20-35, are mostly into bruiser bucks. Not one of the guys in my club have ever hunted behind a dog. I am slowly passing the love onto them but it will take time to get them to leave the stand and hit the field. I am 36 and got the bug from my father and uncles that hunted birds constantly.

The other consideration is, in OK we hunted birds from sep to feb. Our rifle deer, when I lived there was a week. We lived behind a dog half the year. Out here you can hunt deer from sep to feb and the bird season is shorter and no wild birds. It is much harder to get someone into hunting birds when the season is short and nothing wild. You can go to the preserves and hunt through may but its a lot of money.

My 2 cents,

Joe

Winchey wrote:"I see alot of young hunters around here, folks are crazy about deer, turkey, and waterfowl hunting, you just dont see ANYONE bird hunting young or old."

Same here, I am 27 and probably have more friends my age that hunt then don't. Unfortunately I am the only one who really likes messing with dogs and birds, although there are some younger guys filling in the ranks at the local trials.

"I am 22, all but one of my friends hunt. two of us got lucky enough to have girls that hunt to. I guess it all depends on where you grew up and what there was to do."

That is not lucky at all, who would want to hunt with their girlfriend?

Whoa stud, My favorite hunting partner ever was my wife. She started when she was a girl friend. I like hunting with women because they make it a little more civilized.

Elroy's Bandit wrote:Had a forest Preseve Police Officer in my town tell me that Pheasants are "exotic birds". I just about fell over. He did not believe me that pheasant's are native to the state of Illinois.

Pheasants are "exotic birds" and are not native to Illinois.

This trend needs to be reversed. Get some kids out there. Leave your guns at home grab your dogs and get involved in the future.
I have demoed my hunting dogs for the 4h kids two years. It dosent take much to get the launchers out and take a few birds to show a group of kids. With the excess of dogs not selling give one to a kid and help them train.
I regularly take my son and his buddies out dove hunting.
If anyone gets a chance check out my kids on the new mexico game and fish television show. It is avalible on youtube also. I can't.link it off my cell phone to here but if somone can i would greatly appriciate it. Keyword nm game and fish sandhill crane youth hunt. Ours is the one downloaded two weeks ago to youtube.
I have a gundealer in albquerque called ron petersen guns. He has given me crazy prices on guns for my kids. He realizes this is our future.

nikegundog wrote:

Elroy's Bandit wrote:Had a forest Preseve Police Officer in my town tell me that Pheasants are "exotic birds". I just about fell over. He did not believe me that pheasant's are native to the state of Illinois.

Pheasants are "exotic birds" and are not native to Illinois.

yup...they're from Asia. I could see the confusion, however, considering how well they have adapted to this country and how well accepted they are. I'm pretty sure they are the only exotic bird that is also a state bird...

I just turned 30 a few weeks ago. My boyfriend and I got into upland hunting 2 years ago. It's so much fun and we have met the nicest people through it. I def see less young women in the sport but I know they are out there. About 6 months ago I met another gal (JMSGunner) in her 20's on here who has her own GSP and hunts. It's so nice to have another girl to talk gundogs with and get together.

Want to break the downward trend on hunter numbers? You gotta start them before video games, tv, computers, etc... take over their interest and then hope, a love for the outdoors sticks. That may mean taking them to an occasional preserve, or down to the farm for some training, to "Guarantee" birds flushed and shot at, to keep their interest.

Bruce, that is so awesome what you are doing for that young man. Very cool. And I think you are absolutely right about getting kids involved when they are young. My boyfriend Jimmy started taking his daughter Sammy deer and turkey hunting with him when she was 8. She loves it and I bet someday she will want to have those experiences with her own kids.

Everybody in my small rural town hunts. Mostly in pursuit of bear, deer and turkeys. Im 29, I have to buddies that have bird dogs. They arent real serious about bird hunting. Yeh they take them out and chase release phez when the game commision stocks, but they have never done any training with them. Most hunters with dogs have either beagles or coonhounds.

We have a YHEC (Youth Hunter Education Challenge) program the is quite active. I think that had 30-40 kids between the age of 12 and 18 sign up last year. Its great to see such a good turn out. When I was invovled in the program its wasnt quite as big. Not much publicity or talk about it. I figured it would fizzle out in a few years after I was through the program. There wasnt alot of new kids getting involved. But the next group of guys that took over to run the program were real passionate about it and have done a great job getting the word out. There is alot more support/donations from the community and businesses than before. Its nice to see the program thriving. They are the future of our sport.

Saturday the 22,29 and Sunday the 23,30 is the ohio youth small game season. The state stocks a preserve near our home
Pleanty of birds for the youth to get a good shot on. I will be there in the am with a dog if any youth are intrested
Send me a p.m..
P.s. its in northwest ohio. Shhhh its a secret.

I volunteered last year for the QU and DFG youth hunt... released birds and some new gunners who all shot birds over my dog and loved it. I think the parents were more impressed with the dog work then the kids but it definitely opened their eyes to hunting with dogs...

Ultracarry
Must have been a lot of lead flying that day. All the trees are gone!!!

pinebrookkennel wrote:Imho, money has a lot to do with it.
early 20s your broke
your late 20s your chasing the illusive female or male,
early 30s its young kids,
Late 30s highschool sports,
Your 40 things start to settle down with some free time, I HOPE.
50 something ? Can someone help me here.
I have guys ask all the time if they can tag along and hunt but come the day of the hunt ?

this....