Babes in the Woods

Recent figures from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service show that the number of hunters nationwide is declining—by 10% between 1997 and 2006. Maine, unlike its neighboring New England states, has remained stable in hunting license sales for the last 10 years. But that isn’t any reason to relax. The hunting population in Maine is aging and trying to attract new people to the sport is proving to be a hard row to hoe.

Why should anybody really care?

Hunters have consistently been the major player in funding wildlife management, conservation, and habitat, and license revenues are what keep the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIF&W) afloat. The management of wildlife and measures at keeping land undeveloped not only benefit wild game and hunters, but non-game wildlife and non-hunters as well. Historically, it’s largely because of hunters’ involvement—and money—that we all celebrate having more deer, turkey, wildfowl, elk, buffalo, cougars, moose, eagles, and bears in North America now than in over 150 years. Any debate on whether hunting is “morally right” is outside the scope of this piece but will continue to be addressed in my columns. (Go to www.bangormetro.com, type Brad Eden in the search box, and you’ll find further reading on the virtues of the outdoor life.) Let’s assume hunting is the time-honored, positive activity it is, and discuss something critical to Maine’s heritage: how to keep it thriving.

The first step in ensuring our hunting heritage is in recruiting new hunters into the ranks through mentorship and youth programs. That’s why almost every sporting group, including Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine (SAM), the Maine Bowhunters Association, Ducks Unlimited, the National Wild Turkey Federation, etc., sponsors and promotes youth and new hunter programs. The Maine DIF&W oversees and sponsors the National Archery in the Schools Program, a Becoming an Outdoorswoman Program, and Youth Field Days. A program called Pass It On-Outdoor Mentors has teamed up with the well-known Big Brothers Big Sisters organization to match up hunters with kids interested in the outdoors. Maine has provided a youth waterfowl day, youth deer hunting day, and youth turkey hunting day where a young person can experience the sport prior to the regular season under the guidance of an adult licensed hunter.

Programming, however, can sometimes stand in the way. One obstacle that stands in the way of recruiting new hunters is the mandatory hunter safety course that requires 12 hours of classroom training and shooting instruction. This necessitates a commitment of an entire weekend or night classes that can stretch over several weeks. I would never suggest ending this very important requirement but am pleased to see efforts are being made to create a home study portion to this course. On the positive end, Maine recently joined a national effort called “Families Afield,” an apprentice program spearheaded by SAM, which allows new adult hunters to hunt for one year under the direct supervision of an experienced hunter without having to take the hunter safety course.

Sporting groups and state agencies, however, can only do so much. Most of us aging hunters can remember the person that introduced us to the sport. For me it was an older brother. For someone else, maybe a father, an uncle, or a family friend. I think we can all agree that the average kid spends way too much time in front of a TV and computer screen and would certainly benefit from spending more time out of doors. And many adults stressed out by today’s hectic lifestyle could relieve a lot of that pressure by trailing behind a hunting dog working bird scent.

It’s simple: New hunters need to be taken out and shown the ropes.
And new hunters should and must include daughters and wives if our hunting traditions are to survive. The days when only sons were expected or encouraged to hunt are over, and I say good riddance. Having those of the fairer sex become involved makes sense if only because they are half the population! I’m glad to see more and more young girls and women joining us men in the outdoors and the sport is better for it. My two daughters tagged along with dad with rod and gun in hand and my wife Jo Ann has become my favorite bird-hunting buddy. I often wonder why it took me so long to invite her along. Well, it’s probably because she is proving to be a better wing shot than me!

If you are a hunter, there might be a kid just down the street that would love to learn how to call in a wild turkey or shoot a bow. Maybe your daughter or wife has been afraid to ask to join you on a hunt. Make it a goal this hunting season to be a mentor and introduce a new hunter to the sport, young or old, boy or girl.

Just be prepared to be outshot by any babe in the woods.