I have a great plan 2!

[Kevin Peacocke]

When I read @ChrisG's thread something different sprung to mind - what can we do to ensure the future of hunting? So in this noble cause let's pursue some creative ideas and who knows, a plan may develop.
Firstly, there are many avenues. As in the biblical gifts, we all have different skills, areas of influence, and everything helps. But perhaps there is that one magic idea where several inputs will overlap to create a supernova result and that would be great if we can find it.
Just to give some starting points perhaps:
1. Creating more attractive offers - that is up to the outfitters.
2. Getting more young hunters to sign up.
3. Making it easier for hunters to travel.
4. Promotion and PR

etc
I must say that the mere existance of AH is huge, what a force we have with this forum. Thank you Jerome!

 

[Tra3]

It seems that getting more young hunters is one of the best goals to insure the future of hunting. I am concerned that too many kids today prefer video games.
Two of my nephews just got their first deer. I was lucky to be involved in one of the hunts and butchered both deer with them. If each of us can invest time in a few of the younger generation, that will make a tremendous impact. The effort should not be just for our own children, the children of our family and friends who don’t hunt should also get our attention.

My first trip to Africa was because my son simply asked, “Dad, why don’t we go to Africa to hunt?” He was 11. We went when he was 12. My investment in teaching him to hunt expanded my own boundaries!

 

[Zambezi]

For me, and probably many others, the true barrier to hunting more and getting other's into hunting is cost and red tape. If we can eliminate or reduce most of these two issues then you'll see the supernova you want.

Cost:

1. Ammo... even if one practices with cheap PMP ammo (30.06) its R350/20. Several range sessions and you're into a couple of thousand. Then you want to practice with your premium hunting rounds at about R1200/20. That's just the ammo.

2. Rifles... Decent reliable rifles start at R11 000 (Howa)

3. Scopes... Entry level R5 500 (VORTEX CROSSFIRE II 4-12X50 DEAD HOLD BDC AO), plus bases, plus rings etc

Now one basically has ONE BASIC rifle set up to go hunting. Total so far is over R20 000

4. The hunt... just to go for an overnight trip for one impala for biltong will run you around R5 500 (self catering accommodation, animal and sundry charges). Extras such food and drink and fuel etc another R2 000.

Running total now around R27 500

But the biggest barrier is red tape! Especially in SA with the ridiculous gun laws. In order to get a license for one firearm it takes patience time and money. The hurdles one has to jump through in order to obtain a license is well documented and it is very time consuming with no guarantee of success at the end of the ordeal.

Those that live in the USA etc have zero idea how much jealousy we harbour towards you guys! When we hear of your daily / weekly trips to the range with only 5 of your 50-100 rifles to blaze away several boxes of ammo for each weapon we cheer you on but we secretly hate you!!! We hate you even more when you can basically walk into any store and walk out with several weapons and ammo... it takes the 12 tasks of Hercules in order for us to the same!

We here in SA (and many other countries) have a limit on the number of firearms and ammo we can possess. If we want more we have to jump through many hoops both in our personal capacities as well as legal ones.

Those are the barriers we have here, but international hunters also have the barriers of logistics to hunt in Africa and sometimes in their own countries. But for me, until I win the lotto, cost and red tape are the main barriers for me and many others.

 

[VertigoBE]

Hello Kevin,
thank you for your enthusiasm and launching this topic! It is a worthwhile goal to get more people involved into hunting.

I see multiple 'battlegrounds' where efforts will need to be focused on. And depending on your location in the world, there can be regional or country specific issues. Broadly I see the following barriers to entry:

- de-mystifying hunting: For many people and especially young ones, there is such a gap between their daily activities and the natural world, that they cannot understand hunters. --> communication on presenting the hunter as the manager of wild places. and taking the young from the city into the countryside

- removing elitism: this is especially an issue in Europe. -->more communication on our activities, inviting non-hunters on our activities, etc.

- increasing access to hunting grounds: without "easy" access to local hunting grounds, whether for phaesant, wild boar, pigeon's or squirrels, ... --> push on the legislative side, not to have public land designated "non-hunting" and allowing the maximum of acreage be available for hunting purposes.

- removing red tape from acquiring the necessary licences: --> this one speaks for itself, the more bureaucracy, the more difficult to get into an activity

so education, communication and accessibility.

 

[Zambezi]

I think getting as many people to fire a rifle and enjoy it as well as educating the non-user / antis. The more people we get into the sport the better as well as changing attitudes.

 

[Frederik]

For me the most inportant factor is the next generation that is why I don't mind to pay extra for extra animals for my son when he hunts.
He gets to shoot competitions with me as well cost of extra ammo and entry fees and enjoys it every bit. He brings his friends along sometimes its extra ammo but all worth it in the end.

 

[crs]

Maybe the Reverend Danny Souder should provide seminars on how to get more youth hunters, as his Dallas -Ft Worth area program has been a great success. Danny is a member of the Dallas Woods and Waters Club (as am I) and has drafted many members to help with the hunts. He has arranged hunts on many ranches that are not open to the public because his Christian Outdoor Ministry appeals to many ranch owners. Before I moved to East Texas, my grandson and I participated in many outings and took guests along too.

Here is a link to more information: https://www.christianoutdoorministry.org/

Viewing this site brought a lot of great memories.

 

[bowjijohn]

I already run a program for school children

called African Conservation through Education & Training - ACET it gets kids into the bush, teaches them track and sign, embeds them in an anti-poaching patrol (a bit sanitised but you can’t put them in harms way), gets them engaged with a local school (and the hearts and minds initiatives directed at locals)

it deals head on with the real threats to conservation and the role of private hunting reserves and hunters in funding wildlife survival

forgive the blatant plug but it is a ‘not for profit’ project hosted by some good folk in Moz

j

 

[mark-hunter]

1. Creating more attractive offers - that is up to the outfitters.
2. Getting more young hunters to sign up.
3. Making it easier for hunters to travel.
4. Promotion and PR

Ad 1) attractive offers, absolutely. With target on blue collar market. Namibia and South Africa are model countries. After several years of education on thei forum and number of books, I understand the back ground of high end pricing in other countries, but the fact is at least 80% or more of hunting revenues in Africa are made in South Africa and Namibia, and conservation wise the number of game are increasing there. In order to hunt any other countries, a hunter must be at least within upper midlle class in western standard, and I am not sure if this pricing approach is optimum for the sustainable growth of hunting industry, when compared to Nam, and RSA.

Ad 2) More youngsters to hunt.
Absolute must. The number of hunters are declining. But how to get to this, it is complex question.
High number of divorces in western world, when kids stay with mother, and loose father figure in their upbringing is one thing. Media pressure and presence of anti hunting groups, also take their negative toll. So, to create programs for young hunters. Through hunting organisations, hunting clubs, and outfitters. (for example my outfitter gave me day rate for free for my son age 14... nice gestures, and highly appreciated by me...)

Ad 3. Making easier for hunters to travel.
Yes.
One thing is visa requirement. For me this is turn off, and serious problem. Due to nature of my international job, I cannot afford to send passport to some country embassy by courier, and wait for several weeks to get passport back with visa. I must have my passport ready to travel to job at all times, on short notice. Tourists and hunters should have some slack visa rules. Zimbabwe is nice example, visa stamped on arrival.
Travelling with rifles, another matter. To be simplified as much as possible

Ad 4. Promotion and PR.
Yes. Web sites, presence on news, media, internet, web sites for hunting organisations.

Ad 5. Legal actions.
Hunting organisations - Working together with authorities on creating hunting friendly legislative.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

I already run a program for school children

called African Conservation through Education & Training - ACET it gets kids into the bush, teaches them track and sign, embeds them in an anti-poaching patrol (a bit sanitised but you can’t put them in harms way), gets them engaged with a local school (and the hearts and minds initiatives directed at locals)

it deals head on with the real threats to conservation and the role of private hunting reserves and hunters in funding wildlife survival

forgive the blatant plug but it is a ‘not for profit’ project hosted by some good folk in Moz

j

Well done Bowjijohn, what a fantastic initiative.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

I have seen several Parent and Kid offers on AH, and for sure they are great packages. Maybe they would be even more appealing if they were structured as parent is normal rate, kid free. Like Mark said, this goes down very well. Financially the same as the package, but just sounds better.

 

[buck wild]

@Zambezi Yes I can understand the jealousy towards us Americans for our access to guns ammo etc but alas the jealousy goes both ways as I'd LOVE to walk out my door to a $400 USD impala hunt !