Supply and demand. My point exactly!
If the supply is limited and the demand is great the price increases.
The supply being the limited number of animals that can be harvested or hunting lands (land with decent game populations).
Where are there big game tags more easily available now than there were 10 years ago? Maybe the NJ suburbs that’s it. Everywhere else is experiencing point creep. Iowa is now regularly 5 years to draw a bow tag. Montana - my buddies out there are up in arms about it.
Where are hunting lands less expensive now than they were 10 years ago? I’m not taking farm land (elevated corn and bean prices = elevated land values). I’m taking about swamp lands with big bucks or hill country Ohio with big bucks. Both places that you can’t really build a house, farm or develop. They are just for killing deer. Even adjusted for inflation the numbers are up easily 50% over the last 10 years
Those two factors are facts and they point to the fact that there is increased demand for limited resources.
If we believe that there are so many less hunters - who are these mystery hunters buying up all the hunting land and tags?
its NO mystery WHO is buying up these places
its folks with money to do so!
and a LOT of the land is also being bought up by folks that do NOT hunt it, just acquiring it due to its an investment
add in all those that NOW have money that didn;t yrs ago, who DIS like hunting public land and want there OWN lands to control things on it!
its not that there are magically MORE hunters now, its just the opposite, and there is just LESS undeveloped land now than ever
that is also forcing a LOT of hunters to QUIT hunting, or again ONLY hunt the first day as its more tradition than desire to hunt!
hunting LIC sales are declining again in pretty much every state, that's a FACT again and simple MATH
less lic sales, LESS hunters!
and worse of all, its LESS JR lic sales, meaning again LESS youths getting into the sport!
the FACT some SPECIAL units or DRAW area's require points, has ZERO bearing on hunter numbers, as MOST don't even apply for these special units
Human encroachment/expansion taking up places we ONCE had to hunt, is NOT a way to say there are MORE hunters now
yes again, some places public lands gets tons of pressure and gets over crowded,
but that again is NOT every where, and its sadly the way of the future as populations increase
and why I gather many LEAVE this sport!, they don't like crowds or want to HAVE to BUY land or find better places, many just give up and call it quits
which also isn;t helping recruit new hunters!
add in TV shows showing hunting most never get to experience, and I am sure many new hunters don't feel its worth all that, when they don;t have what they see on TV, phone lap top or what ever!
what happens when the die hards pass on?? and are not being replaced!
lic fee's will only get higher!
less lic sales, , mean HIGHER lic's costs and fee's