What's the duck hunter demographic in your area?

Kristan,

I had a pleasing experience one morning along the line of yours. We were hunting the saltpond marsh one early morning when a couple of folk paddled a tin canoe into the next cove, and set up.

We had no luck, and it was cold, so after a while we got up and walked the shore to get our blood circulating. We ran into one of the folks from the canoe, who also was trying to warm up. I think he was in his 60s. He told us his hunting partner that day was his father-in-law (who I think was in his 80s; we were pretty amazed that he'd paddled all that way).

We ended up talking for about 40 minutes, and that gentleman had us entranced with stories of hunts he'd been on in this area many years past, and of the history of the area. I really cherish that morning (and we didn't get a single duck).
 
I see many 20-30 year old testosterone filled young guys that go at it hard...for a few years. Once their young kids and families begin taking more of their time the waterfowling times decreases (we've all been there). Some resume duck hunting in their 30's or 40's....but most don't. This is not a physically easy sport and it sure is easier to sit in a tree stand as the years add up.

Old waterfowlers have a passion for more than killing birds.
 
Down here on the south end of Alabama, its a pretty good mix of us older guys and the late teens/early 20 somethings.
However, given the drop in duck numbers we've had since 2006, its not near as crowded as it was back in the late 90's/early 2000's.
The guy I sold my layout to is in mid-20's, doesnt hunt here much any more, pays to hunt in a club in AR.
 
I started duck hunting 10 years ago, would see a dozen boats at the launch most Saturdays, now 1 or 2 and some days no others. I started my nephew out duck hunting at 13 have not seen another kid out in the field hunting in years.
 
Well, it's kind of incumbent upon you and other guys to take youngsters under your wings and get them hooked! Besides, having a young guy around will help with your arthritis, etc!! hehheh
Gotta get their attention!!!!
 
My old hunting partner is just passing 50 I think. This year I got him out hunting ducks on opening day (he is mostly an upland hunter). He asked me if I wasn't going to get a bigger boat and have it all dialed in so we could just pull up the the ramp and launch.

Maybe in the next couple years I'll get that old... BUT I HOPE NOT. If I'm not sweaty and out of breath by the time I settle in, I think I'm missing a good bit of the fun.

I take my youngest out with me as much as he is willing, that helps keep the average age of my hunting party down around 30.
 
-Here in New Jersey I see mostly guys 35+ in age, I'm 44. I think it's a money thing/boat license/deeks/waders/gun etc. Lets face it your not just jumping into duck hunting cheap, especially here in NJ - you almost always need a boat. We also don't see great duck numbers here anyway in cental NJ. Goose hunting is whole other animal here- the guys that like this type of waterfowl seem to be younger..20's. They do alot to keep the population in check, thanks boys keep take em!!


Greg Ent
NJ
 
I'm 28 and live in Mass. I rarely see anyone younger than me out there. It's been like that since I started hunting 10 years ago. I hunt a lot with my dad who is in his late 60's. Usually, I'm the youngest guy and he's the oldest guy out hunting. Most I see are in their late 30's to mid 50's. Every year for the last several years I make a point to get one new person out there and a youth out there. I've hooked 3 people onto waterfowling in the last 2 years which is a good thing. If we don't get kids out there the future of our sport and conservation as a whole are in big trouble.
 
I agree with Greg, This is a expensive hobby. For me, when I started out on my own with buddies it was our Dad's or uncle's canoe maybe neighbor's and a dozen Mallard dekes. In my area that was the extent of it for us to hit a swamp or management area for ducks on our own.
Boats w/outboards and lots of Decoys equals lots a cash. But if a group of teens/20's pool their decoys together. Presto, nice spread of Goose shells or full bodies. You could be in the game for under $500 for a 1 dz shells & layout blind. So, among us we may not see as many younger duck hunters but in the Goose scene I think it's higher. Same deal with Archery, bow, treestand hunt. Not much overhead.
Another aspect is the high pops. of Geese and Deer. Generally easier to find and quanity wins over tradition. As they mature they grow out of the numbers game and get into the tradition. Add in college, trade or military and then there isn't a whole bunch of free time for them. Some trickle back into it in later 20's. We have to do our part by introducing youth and hope it lights a fire in them to return.

Gene
 
Holy smokes, who wants to house one of my boats in CT/PA/MA during the season? If you were a little closer, it would make sense to drive that every weekend rather than fight the crowd here. No competition, wow, wouldn't know what that is like. My experience is much like Eric's. Louisiana is over-run by "hardcore" kids college age and younger. Just check the stickers on their trucks and boats, they'll let you know they're hardcore. I used to be one myself, entering public areas at 2 am or earlier on the weekends. Now it seems their is more pressure on all the public spots, and more $ being shelled over for public. I wouldn't think there is any problems with hunter numbers here, at least not duck/goose/deer/turkey. Squirrel/Coon/Snipe/Rabbit seem to have fallen out of favor.
 
I can personally vouch for how hard it is to break in to duck hunting here in CT. Between a new mortgage, undergrad student loan, grad school, work, and starting a new family it hard to justify the up front cost of a new boat. I mostly jump shoot a local state forest having marginal success. Not coming from a hunting family this is as good as get right now. If any one in se ct would like to act as a mentor, pm me. Thanks
 
I see a broad range here. I'm 36. I think where you hunt has to do with who you see. I had this discussion with my hunting partner on our way home from the coast this sunday. 10 years ago or so when we both started out niether of us had much money. We would scrape enough money for shells and hunt walk in sites. In these location we would see younger hunters than at the baot ramps. Now we each have a boat and don't walk in anymore because boating in provides us with better opportunities. Duck is not a cheap endeavor. Each of us a fortunate enough to have good job that give us expendable income to enjoy our sport as we like. We also were talking about some of the dumb stuff we did starting out that we would never do now. We both learned how to hunt on our own and did not have anybody to show us the ropes. Over time we learned about edicut and respect for the animals and environment. When I see a 20 something doing something stupid that I would not approve of I try subtlety give hints and most I would say just do stupid stuff out of ignorance.
 
Being 33 I would say most are at least ten years older than I am and some of them are bringing youngsters along. I see very few 18-30 year olds out there alone or with buddies. Sadly I don't think I've ever seen a women out at all. Now this is all boat hunting and some of it being big water in bad weather. That said, I often take my almost 7 year old along and I'd let him plan my hunt for the day before half the jokers out there :) Somedays we have "Luke" hunts where he gets to make all the decisions about where and how to set up and for what kind of birds. You wanna see a kid smile? Kill some birds over their set-up and their decoys!

I know the fact that big water hunting is a "rich" man's game has been brought up. And it certainly can be... but it doesn't have to be. I started with a walk-through runabout boat that's older than me, repainted plastic decoy seconds, and a lot of sweat, blood and tears. And I killed very few ducks those early years. Now there are days I can make it look like I know what I'm doing :)

Those young guys/gals need someone to tell them they DON'T NEED a brand new SBEII (which I have), TDB or expensive boat (which I have), 10 doz. hand carved decoys (don't have), an expensive dog (don't have), or whatever the newest, bestest, gotta have it thing going is. They need to be taught how to be safe and responsible and to get out there and try it with what they can afford, and enjoy it!
 
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