As youth hunting numbers steadily drop in Maine, lawmakers and state officials grapple with the problem

[Roccus7]

A n article from Portland Press: As youth hunting numbers steadily drop in Maine, lawmakers and state officials grapple with the problem highlights a topic challenge that many areas are seeing. At least in Northern Maine, where "Vegetarian" is defined as "Poor Hunter" it's not the emotional aspects of hunting that deter young hunters, but the normal "Teen activities in the early 2000s" like Xbox, Facebook, travel sports that are probably the primary drivers, along with Dad/Mom have become too busy to hunt themselves, a sin I was guilty of as my children grew up.

I'd bet this is also carrying over to fishing.

 

[Old Mud]

Well yes it's carrying over for Rec. fishing but not as bad for the comms. Rec. fishing where so many take their fly rod and head up to Baxter with the family for two hole weeks in the "Summa" is where and when a young person will have to learn to fish. If your family is Commercial fishermen than you Will be a commercial fisherman. Every day you will fish, you will have little time to play X box or anything else. You will be fishing, mending gear, working on the boat, or doing your everyday chores. That's just the way it is.

I'm happy to say that my children hunt. My youngest son didn't even like beef until about the 5th grade when he finally got use to it. Venison, Moose ,Bear, Rabbit, Grouse etc. was our diet for many years. While it's nice to see the dwf seem worried about the younger hunters steadily drop in Maine. The fact that i would not doubt is their reluctance to teach their own children to hunt shows their Maine concern is with loosing revenue.

 

[Scupper]

Spoke to the lady at the desk last night at the County range , she's been there 10 years , I asked if 'business' is more or less from ten years ago ...
Without hesitation , she replied , "up' , way "up ' from ten years ago ............

 

[pequa1]

Every time I go I see some young people with AR15s, handguns and shotguns. They far outnumber the FUDDs with their bolt action rifles. Granted, the Nassau county range is only 28 or 29 yards, but these other-then-FUDDs are not practicing to shoot Bambi or any other 4 legged animal. Same goes for the outdoor venue up to 200 yards at Calverton Shooting Range, even during the month or two before deer hunting season.
Times have changed. I worked at Jones Beach from '69 to '76. We would routinely get 200K on every day of a sunny summer weekend. Since then and for many years they have closed half the parking fields and beaches. Simply no need as soccer moms are driving the kiddies to play dates, little league, travel soccer games, karate, etc., etc.

 

[Scupper]

Those damm AR15s are loud , compared to my little 22 pea shooters ,,,, Forgot ear protection once this winter stuffed tissue paper into ears instead .. Everything was fine till the guy with the AR15 showed up , BOOM , BOOM , BOOM , it took three days for my left ear to come back to normal .... Foam and ear muffs for me ......
Jones Beach ? A lot more folks have built in pools , probably a few on every block in many neighborhoods ......
PS . What is a FUDD ?

 

[pequa1]

Fudd
Adopted from the Elmer Fudd in Bugs Bunny cartoons. The loser with the dumb hat and the shotgun and always foiled by Bugs.

Slang term for a "casual" gun owner; eg; a person who typically only owns guns for hunting or shotgun sports and does not truly believe in the true premise of the second amendment. These people also generally treat owners/users of so called "non sporting" firearms like handguns or semiautomatic rifles with unwarranted scorn or contempt.
"See sonny, all those pistols in that cabinet... all thems is good for is killin people." =Example of ignorant comment from a fudd at a local gun shop.

 

[Scupper]

Bought the 'boys' 22 Savage 's for Christmas with a clip ... First outing good , then they got to be a pain in the butt expelling the spent shell .. Oiled them up and still busting balls ....
Changed load brands and was smooth as silk last night , the Mrs who did most of the loading believed the new brand was oiler / lubricated vs the original box ..
Original brand was WINCHESTER which was jamming both guns , Remington thunderbolts worked very well last night .....

 

[pequa1]

No surprise. Except that for many its the other way around as Remington "thunderduds" are dirty and out of every box or two there is usually a dud.
But every firearm seems to prefer a certain ammunition manufacturer. My shotgun with a rifled barrel for deer can not shoot or eject Hornady SST slugs. When they did fire the group was a foot or more at fifty yards. Remington Copper Solid Premium sabot slugs are a dream in my Mossberg 500. If I miss a deer, its on me. My AR shoots cheap steel-cased Russian Wolf all day. Winchester white box .223 sometime stovepiped.

 

[Scupper]

Going to bring the shotguns to the range next , only shot slugs a few times , got a Stainless with a shorter barrel with a nasty kick , and a few over /unders one that auto ejects which becomes a pain when shooting down at the beach with target shot ,always picking up those spent shells ......
A lot to learn , but having fun .....

 

[pequa1]

Have always been tempted to shoot the shotguns at the beach in the winter, but just don't want to lose my pistol license over it.

 

[Roccus7]

Regrettably I've stopped hunting not for any cause besides the fact that I'm the only one here who likes to dine on game, something I relish. So my "hunting" has been limited to introducing woodchucks who want to build condos in my leach field and porcupines that insist on dining on "the Admiral's" favorite trees to my single shot .410.

What a deal Maine has on licenses. I just paid 84 bucks for a senior lifetime hunting and fresh water fishing license!!

 

[pequa1]

I have two years to wait to do the same for the senior lifetime in NY. (Gotta be 70)

 

[Scupper]

Have always been tempted to shoot the shotguns at the beach in the winter, but just don't want to lose my pistol license over it.

I won't disclose the location , but us 'locals' have been 'beach ' shooting for years ... called the local Bay Constable years back and they gave me the OK ........ By mid / early March we put the shotguns away ........

 

[Old Mud]

Regrettably I've stopped hunting not for any cause besides the fact that I'm the only one here who likes to dine on game, something I relish. So my "hunting" has been limited to introducing woodchucks who want to build condos in my leach field and porcupines that insist on dining on "the Admiral's" favorite trees to my single shot .410.

What a deal Maine has on licenses. I just paid 84 bucks for a senior lifetime hunting and fresh water fishing license!!

. ???, Why did you have to pay ?? I get hunting, fishing forever (or as long as i live, whichever comes first) FREE. Zero, Zip, Nada.

 

[Roccus7]

. ???, Why did you have to pay ?? I get hunting, fishing forever (or as long as i live, whichever comes first) FREE. Zero, Zip, Nada.

Because you got me by a "few" years. At 70 the lifetime license costs a one time $8. I just got tired of paying $45 yearly and went for the one time $84 since it was more cost effective than paying yearly until I started approaching your "advanced" age...

 

[pequa1]

Lifetime Sporting Licenses - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Hope I can still cast overhand and drag a deer by the time I qualify for Nueva Yawk's lifetime license in two years ! There was a period of time about a decade ago wherein lifetime licenses for those under 70 were discounted but I missed the age cutoff by three years or so. At that point I just stopped buying the sportsmans license yearly and just get the plain wrapper hunting license which is down to $22. now. My local lakes weeded up to the point that by June they are unfishable, and rather than canoe and go for largemouth out east I would just kayak two blocks away in saltwater. Same goes for turkey, small game, etc. I only deer hunt. At 70 I could just start buying the $5. annual hunting only license, but I will go with the $65. lifetime on the attached.

 

[Chevy1]

Bought the 'boys' 22 Savage 's for Christmas with a clip ... First outing good , then they got to be a pain in the butt expelling the spent shell .. Oiled them up and still busting balls ....
Changed load brands and was smooth as silk last night , the Mrs who did most of the loading believed the new brand was oiler / lubricated vs the original box ..
Original brand was WINCHESTER which was jamming both guns , Remington thunderbolts worked very well last night .....

Glad I saw this post. I have a new savage as well. I have Winchester, browning and the Remington thunderbolts. Guess I will start with the thunderbolts ?

 

[pequa1]

Some firearms definitely prefer certain manufacturers. That said, you will find Remington Thunderbolts to be just about the dirtiest of all .22LR and usually has a dud per every two boxes. You get what you pay for. My pre-Obummer ammo of "Thunderduds" was about 12 or 13 bucks a brick, while Winchester, Federal etc. were always a couple of bucks more. My advice would be to just buy a single brick of it before getting it in bulk.