WHERE ARE THE
HUNTERS? Hunting is worth $2 billion to Texas, but hunters are falling behind in the state’s population. Where are the new hunters?
Jason Shipman
photo
BY HORACE GORE
T
he problem: Texas hunters are not keeping up YEAR TEXAS HUNTING with the increase in the state’s population. A POPULATION LICENSES recent review of the changes in population growth 1970 11.2 million 760,351 and hunting licenses sold shows that Texas hunters 1975* 12.5 million 853,250 are remaining constant, while the state’s population is 1980 14.3 million 939,267 skyrocketing. During the last 50 years, hunting license 1990 13.5 million 1,138,001 sales have increased by 58% while population growth has 2000 17.0 million 983,485 jumped by 159%. Prospective new hunters in Texas need 2010 25.2 million 1,020,779 a place to hunt. 2020 29.0 million **1,200,000 The table at the right shows certified hunting license *Jerry started TTHA. **Estimated. sales compared to population in 10-year increments. Since 1970, the Texas population has increased by 17,800,000, and hunting license sales have gone up 439,649. Where are all the prospective new hunters? Well, posonly 3 million (10.3%) live in rural areas where hunting is more sibly they are in urban area apartments and do not participate in accessible. outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing, and never have. Annual increases in the Texas population during the last half A recent survey showed out of the 29 million Texas residents, century have gone to urban, rather than rural areas of the state. 24 |
September/October 2021
The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING®
www.TTHA. www. TTHA.com com
