Can the Crossbow Save Hunting?

By Patriot Outdoor News

What do you think of hunting with a crossbow?

One of the biggest concerns in the hunting industry is a declining number of hunters. We are losing hunters faster than we can recruit them. In spite of an occasional uptick in hunter numbers, we’re losing ground—ground we can’t afford to lose. But one bright spot is the expansion of crossbow seasons across the country. State after state is making it legal to hunt with a crossbow and it is helping.

Probably the single largest contributing factor to the decline in hunter numbers is the aging of America. One hunting industry insider, who happens to be a buddy of mine, has studied trends in crossbowhunting and how it’s impacted hunter recruitment and retention. He shared the following info with me:

A quick look at hunting license purchases by age shows a rapid drop off in license purchases around the ages of 50-55. Bowhunters hang up their bows, on average, a full ten years earlier than all hunters combined. If we are to reverse the overall trend, we must retain hunters longer. Hunting (especially bowhunting) is a young man’s sport in a country that is steadily growing older. The percentage of people older than 65 …read more

Source:: Patriot Outdoor News