Hunter, angler numbers decline
Hunter, angler numbers decline

By Ed Godfrey

Published: August 12, 2007

Fewer Americans are hunting and fishing today than 10 and 5 years ago.

That's true even in Oklahoma, where the number of anglers and hunters also is falling, but not as fast as in most states.

Preliminary results of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife Associated Recreation were released Thursday – a survey taken every five years – and it continues to show a decline in hunting and fishing across the country.

Nationally, there were 12 percent fewer anglers in 2006 than five years ago. The number of hunters fell by 4 percent for that same time period.

Wildlife watching around the house – which includes anyone who gazes at birds at a backyard feeder – increased 8 percent. The number of people willing to travel to see wildlife increased by 5 percent.

There are a myriad of reasons for this trend. Hunting and fishing is more expensive than watching wildlife.

You don't need a license just to watch. Boats and guns cost more than mosquito repellant and binoculars.

Population shifts from rural to urban areas has changed lifestyles. Surfing the Internet has become more popular than going outside.

It also doesn't help that many anglers and hunters are secretive about what they do, making it more difficult to recruit newcomers.

As one angler recently posted on an outdoors blog, the less fishermen there are, the better it is for every other fisherman.

Still, millions hunt and fish, even though their numbers are decreasing. The percentage of Oklahomans who enjoy hunting, fishing and wildlife watching ranks above the national average.

Regionally, a higher percentage of Oklahomans hunt and fish more than they do in Texas and New Mexico, but less than in Missouri and Arkansas.

Last year, 612,000 people went fishing in Oklahoma and 250,000 went hunting, including non-residents. And they spent a lot of money.

Almost $500 million was spent on fishing in Oklahoma last year, most of it on trips (food, lodging, gas, etc.)

Even though there are twice as many anglers in the state, hunters spent nearly as much, almost $465 million. Most of that on hunting equipment.

But agencies such as the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation are worried about the trend and hope to reverse it.

"This is very important for the Wildlife Department because in Oklahoma, wildlife management and conservation are funded by hunting and fishing license sales,” said Nels Rodefeld, spokesman for the agency.

"As license sales go down, so does our revenue base. And as those things happen we would spend less on fish and wildlife and the places they live, which would have a negative impact on the resource, not to mention our quality of life.”

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