Survey aims at luring youths to Utah hunts

The number of young hunters moving into the ranks of older hunters is shrinking in the United States.

The question facing wildlife managers is why?

To help in its research, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is asking those under the age of 18 to take 10 minutes and fill out a questionnaire.

According to records, the proportion of the population 18 and younger that is hunting has declined by about 10 percent in the past 10 years.

Since money for wildlife management here in Utah comes from license sales and from the federal excise tax on hunting and fishing equipment, wildlife officials are facing an ever-decreasing budget.

The DWR has put together a team of wildlife managers that will look into reasons for the decline in participation.

The group is asking hunters and non-hunters of all ages to look at and complete the questionnaire, which can be found at www.wildlife.utah.gov, and then click onto the "Youth Hunter Survey" link, answer questions and then submit.

The DWR is currently involved in a number of programs intended to offer hunting opportunities to those 18 and young.

For example, one week prior to the annual duck hunt, a day has been set aside where only youths will be allowed to hunt.

Also, the Utah Wildlife Board voted last month to set aside 20 percent of Utah's antlerless elk, deer and pronghorn antelope permits for hunters 18 and younger.

Hunters who will be 18 or younger on Aug. 20 (the start of Utah's 2005 archery buck deer hunt) will be placed in the group that can draw for the permits that will be set aside.

To be eligible to draw for the permits that will be set aside, hunters 18 and younger must apply individually. Those who apply as part of a group will not qualify.

"The number of young people who are becoming hunters has been declining for years, and we're concerned about that trend," said Jim Karpowitz, director of the DWR.

"Hunters and anglers provide most of the funding to manage wildlife that everyone in Utah gets to enjoy. As the number of hunters continues to drop, the amount of funding to manage Utah's wildlife will also continue to drop.

"Hunting is also a great outdoor activity, and we want to do everything we can to bring young people into the hunting ranks," he said. "One thing we believe is driving young people away is the difficulty in drawing a permit to hunt. Setting aside 20 percent of these permits will give youth hunters a better chance of drawing a permit."

Setting aside 20 percent of antlerless permits for youth hunters was recommended by Utah's Elk Advisory Committee. The committee consists of 14 citizens and includes representatives from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife, the Utah Wildlife Federation and the Utah Bowman's Association.