It’s no secret that statistics have shown a steady decline in hunting license sales for a number of years. The reasons are numerous and varied: no place to hunt, younger would–be hunters are preoccupied with ball sports or “indoor pastimes” like computers, I-pods, video games, etc. True, we have become a more urbanized society and nation than ever, and a hunter’s first thoughts might be; “Good, now it won’t be so crowded in the woods and more game for the rest of us.”
They should think again. When it comes to hunting it truly is a strength-in-numbers situation. From fending off pressure from the ever-increasing anti-hunting/animal rights crowd, to providing the dollars necessary to manage healthy populations of game and preserve the habitat they need, every time a hunter moves on to the duck pond in the sky and is not replaced, the hunting tradition loses.
You see the LDWF gets nothing from the state’s general fund, nothing from the more than $400 million in state sales taxes generated from fishing and hunting in our state. Oil and gas royalties from some of the state’s Wildlife Management Area properties aside from the LA Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, is funded solely through hunting, fishing and other licensing and permitting fees. Those dollars are even more important when you consider that federally-matched funding is based on each state’s license sales. With fewer licenses sold, there are fewer dollars available to perpetuate the sport and the industry. In other words, when hunter numbers dwindle low enough there will be no programs to continue hunting. It’s that serious to at least maintain the status quo.
So how do we go about that? Here are a few suggestions, some mine, some from others. The LDWF earlier this year identified folks who had not renewed their fishing licenses between 2004-2007, and mailed post cards to nearly 72,000 of these “lapsed anglers.” The result was 17,319 of them bought fishing licenses. The six-month process netted 20,903 fishing licenses. The net from the effort could approach $200,000. A program of this type for lapsed hunters could produce similar results.
It might help to simply have the effective license dates run from a purchaser’s birthday to birthday instead of the June 30 expiration date. That way, infrequent hunters would have their memory jogged that it’s time to renew their license. Some hunters blow off the occasional hunting trip and license purchase because they didn’t take the time to find a license. Not a good excuse since you can purchase licenses online or over the telephone, but nevertheless, if it means preventing lost dollars from no licenses it’s worth it. Other ideas have been mentioned, but failed. One idea is to create more affordable and practical categories by allowing out-of-state students attending Louisiana universities for more than a year to purchase licenses at the same rates as residents. This might increase sales and introduce some new participants into the sport. Another incentive would be to allow native-born hunters who reside out of state for employment but return home for Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays to buy licenses at resident rates.
Perhaps one of the more interesting concepts is the “Try Before you Buy,” program the state of Arizona has implemented. The Arizona Game & fish Department is now offering a new “Apprentice Hunting License” at no charge to encourage existing hunters to become mentors and introduce a friend, neighbor, relative or co-worker to the traditions and importance of hunting. It allows an already licensed hunter to take a beginner on an actual hunt without having to buy a license.
The Apprentice License is free for residents and nonresidents and is valid for two consecutive days for the take of small game, fur-bearing, predatory and nongame mammals, nongame birds and upland game birds. It is not valid for big game and to take migratory birds the hunter must purchase the appropriate stamps. Many people are interested in hunting but are deterred either because of not knowing how to get started or the initial expense. The Apprentice Hunting License removes the initial cost (in LA this is between $15 to $150 depending on residency and type) so that newcomers can “buy before they try.”
“This will allow a seasoned hunter to take someone new under their wing and teach them the basics about hunting, firearm safety, and wildlife conservation without cost prohibitive burdens,” said Chairman Bill McLean of the Arizona Game and Fish Commission. “There are many states with this type of license, and it has become a model for removing barriers in the national effort to increase hunter participation.”
The Apprentice Hunting License is only available at Arizona Game and Fish Department offices. The mentor must be at least 18 years old and possess a valid hunting license and is limited to two Apprentice Hunting Licenses per calendar year. The license must be made out in the name of the apprentice, with the mentor’s name associated with the license. The apprentice can only receive one license per calendar year. The mentor is required to be with the apprentice at all times while in the field, providing instruction and supervision. Recently in Louisiana we had a similar program but I haven’t heard anything about it lately. Maybe it’s time to bring back the “Try hunting before you buy” program.