Ft. Worth Star-Telegram - AP
November 5, 2007

Deer season opened over the weekend across most of Texas, which is bucking the national trend of fewer hunters.

Texas ranks first among all states in the overall number of hunters, with more than 1.1 million getting permits in 2006. The nation as a whole has seen about a 10 percent drop in the number of hunters over the past decade.

Recent figures from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service show that the number of hunters 16 and older declined by more than 10 percent from 1996 to 2006, from 14 million to about 12.5 million.

But the Lone Star State distributed 14,000 more permits last year than in 2001, according to the agency.

States that have seen a drop in hunters are taking a financial hit from dwindling license fees. But the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department grossed more than $90 million last year from commercial and recreational licenses. More than $83 million of that came from recreational licenses, said Tom Newton, the department's license manager.

Parks and wildlife officials said two reasons for the national decline are increased costs and less land.

"It's either disappearing or ... a lot of these large landowners are closing it down to a select few," Newton said.

Hunter Ben Rachuig, who works at The Outdoor Connection in Waco, is also concerned about fewer places to track his prey of choice. Rachuig estimates that he spends $1,500 to $2,000 hunting each year.

The federal survey shows that the cost of hunting equipment is up about 3 percent and that the cost of hunting trips is up about 13 percent.

Another reason for the national decline in the sport, experts say, is fewer children being raised in hunting families.

"To recruit new hunters, it takes hunting families," said Gregg Patterson of Ducks Unlimited. "I was introduced to it by my father. He was introduced to it by his father. When you have boys and girls without a hunter in the household, it's tough to give them the experience."

While hunters and state wildlife agencies lament the decline in numbers, some animal-welfare activists welcome the trend, noting that it coincides with a 13 percent increase in wildlife watching since 1996.

By the numbers

1.1 million: Texas hunters with permits in 2006

$90 million: Gross proceeds from commercial and recreational hunting licenses issued by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

12.5 million: Hunters 16 and older in the U.S. in 2006, down from about 14 million in 1996

13 percent: Increase in the cost of hunting trips, 1996 to 2006

Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service survey