According to the multistate conservation grant (mscg) funded dashboard project, hunting licenses have declined topre-pandemic levels

The U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service awarded a $232,076.58 Multistate Conservation Grant (CFDA 15.628) to the Wildlife Management Institute, Inc. to retain licensed hunters, particularly older adults, for a longer period of time. The primary objectives are to: 1) engage state biologists and R3 managers to identify hunting regulations and rules that present barriers or opportunities for older hunters; 2) conduct qualitative and quantitative assessments of hunters aged 50 and older to understand their potential hunting-related barriers; and 3) disseminate recommendations and research findings to the R3 community. The Institute has sub-awarded $206,700 to DJ Case & Associates Inc. to support the project's objectives, including engaging state agencies, conducting the assessments, and disseminating the results. The project aims to provide state agencies with critical insights to develop strategies that extend hunter participation among older adults and ultimately increase annual hunting participation numbers.

These declines are national, but particularly apparent in the midwest, where 2021 VS 2022SALES declined 2.5% for 11 reporting states . Another recent mscg examining the age-period-cohort effect onlicense sales showed that cohort (generational) effects were the strongest drivers in participation. An entirecohort of hunters (baby boomers) are getting older, and they are dropping out with declines becoming moreprecipitous as they age. Simply, we cant stop the aging process, but there are regulatory tools we can use toslow the decline in participation.while younger hunters have been a primary focus for recruitment efforts, too little attention has been paid tokeeping older licensed customers engaged and participating. Once a person quits, IT is difficult to bring themback, regardless of the activity. Retention, whether in the consumer market or R3 community, is much easier andless costly than creating new customers. Historic opposition from both stakeholders and agency staff to someregulatory tools (e.g., crossbows for deer, game attractants, longer seasons) has presented hurdles whilechanges in ones social and lifestyle preferences after middle-age may make IT easier for competing activities tocapture our hunters time and attention. For example, in the midwest, there are ample hunting opportunities forboth big and small game, as licenses are easily available, and bag limits (particularly for deer) often exceedthe number of animals a person is willing to take in a year. Consequently, while opportunities are readilyavailable, individuals are still dropping out. Given the overall decline in hunter numbers, particularly amongolder hunters, there is a need to better understand the limitations, motivations, and preferences of olderhunters. This information is critical, and the knowledge gained can become part of states retention efforts, toextend customers years of participation. The purpose of this project is to retain licensed hunters for a longer period of time. State agencies are theintended beneficiaries. Work will be accomplished by first working with state biologists and R3 managers toidentify hunting statutes and rules that present barriers or opportunities for older hunters and related issues. We will then conduct qualitative and quantitative assessments of hunters at least 50 years old to determinepotential solutions management strategy to facilitate their continued participation. Once complete, we willdisseminate recommendations and research findings to the R3 community in reader-friendly formats. The outcomewill be greater numbers of people hunting annually.