I have a theory about the decline in hunting and fishing in Idaho and elswhere across the nation. People, I think, have just lost interest in this form of "recreation." People like to get outdoors but they don't equate that with killing things as much as they did in the past. The young people I talk to mostly say they have no interest in these blood "sporting" pursuits.

All very well, but what exactly is "wildlife watching" ?

When I hunt, I usually end up "watching" the birds fly away or the game running away after a miss. and i certainly "watch" fish ignore my hook.

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These number are from US Census /USFWS et al.
And their 'wildlife watching' includes people feeding wildlife and birds in their backyards.

I'm not sure if feeding the neighborhood squirrel for entertainment ought to be counted for major budgeting and wildlife management.

http://www.census.gov/prod/2008pubs/fhw06-nat.pdf

Now you are blaming Idahos hunters and outfitters for spreading the word about the wolves? You need to talk to the people that actually hunt and spend time in the back country. Out of state hunters are resourseful. They ask and plan well. They will go where the game is. It is not in Idaho any longer. The impact of the wolves on the moose and elk cannot be denied. The Idaho businessmen and sportsmen are tired of IDF&G supporting the wolves and lieing about their impact.

I have been an avid outdoors-man all my life as a native in the state. I do not hunt like I used to for years because of danger cause by irresponsible participants. I am not willing to put my family in situations caused by those who do not adhere to the basics of common sense and safety. My wife, my children and myself self do purchase our licenses every year but do not participate in many activities to concerns over our family safety and basic laws of common sense and respect. The problem has been caused by the states own lack of foreseeing the future they created.

One can certainly make the argument people are not taking up the sport lately,one can also make a argument opportunities for decent deer are less than they were years ago.. Attempts to force hunters into choice of weapons hunts did a lot of damage since those of us in salmon who hunt elk in the area are forced to travel over a hundred miles from home in the winter to other areas to hunt the second part of their tag when for years we could hunt in our home areas. WE chose to live in a area where we could hunt with several different seasons only to have that taken away from us years ago by choosing to hunt archery or rifle or other options.The choices we are forced to make should be eliminated if hunter numbers are off. Political gerrymandering of hunts only result in less interest and then fish and game wonders why.
If fish and game decides to make hunters pay for wildlife watchers it shows how out of touch they are. Most surveys conducted by fish and game are slanted to provide answers to questions that are not germane to our needs. For instance would you pay more for a quality hunt never telling us who we would pay,how much,or why we have to pay more. In the end follow the money. The wolf reintroduction has caused a major set back in game management with all the political finger pointing and fudging of game numbers and innacurate game counts.

The answer to bringing in more non residents means give them better hunting oppurtunities. Many years ago I hunted Wyoming as a non resident. Then you had to submit your money and application and wait 6 months before you knew if you drew. This meant picking a vacation date not knowing if you could hunt. I moved my hunting to Idaho where it was more hunter friendly and retired here. Now Elk are hunted in depradation hunts starting in August thru December to protect wealthy landowners who lock out hunters for deer and elk on the land that they want protected by depradation hunts. As family owner ranches sell out to wealthy stockbrokers and others outsiders are locked out and landowners get preferential tratment by fish and game. With the increase in gas and expenses F&G should be looking at ways to help consolidate their hunting not send them willy nilly all over the state and cut down their options. If we suffer so should they. Lake lowell right now is a example of how we are losing hunting and fishing choices as we buy more stickers and pay more to recreate entering state parks,boat launches or invasive stickers.You can only draw so much blood before you lose the patient.

it's a long and distinguished list ...

I don't see the number of anglers dropping. In fact, in certain urban lakes & ponds, they're increasing. I think people are just not buying the license for whatever reason. F&G really needs to step up enforcement in urban lakes & ponds.

The entire idea of "managing" huge areas of land solely to artificially elevate the size of herds of certain game animals for a few people to hunt is misguided. Fish and Game is funded entirely with license fees, so their agenda is to provide targets for hunters. If a biologist "managed" the same areas, they would probably simply let them alone to function as designed. That works, you know, the idea that nature can actually "manage" itself. The only element that needs management is humans.

Wolf tags resident/non-resident - $11.

Out-Of-State Hunters or In-State Hunters: Bag a wolf in 2011 while hunting deer or elk, get a free wolf tag and matching elk or deer tag for 2012.

Do the math Virgil. Ask Butch to predict the response.
Who knows, you might even overturn our first impression.

I have hunted and fished in the Sawtooth's for years. The fishing is still decent for the most part, but the deer and elk hunting has declined dramatically. It is the wolves, period. Used to be, in the spring and summer you could watch the herds traverse the meadows and fields almost anywhere. During hunting season you could find 'fresh' sign and normally would be able to catch glimpses at a distance, and the occasional opportunity to take a shot. I grew up in those mountains. I remember in the 70's, 80's, and 90's, that season to season the numbers would fluctuate, and the herds would move around a bit, but anyone who took the time to know the areas, would usually be sucessful, or at least be able to 'miss their shot' once or twice a year. For the last five or so years, my entire hunting group (four of us), have hiked all over the place from the white cloud range to cow camp, and everything in between, and we have not harvested a single animal. We don't see sign with any regularity, and further, have only been able to spot scope from great distance, the occasional cow elk or mule deer. These so called experts can try to explain it away all they want, but the decline of hunters, is that folks are not wanting to pay not only the fee's, but the food, fuel, and related expenses are getting tired of nothing to show for the outlay. I used to hope to get lucky and draw for cow elk, as they are or were easier to find and the fill the freezer just as good as a bull, but this year for the first time in over 20 years, we decided to not even put in for the draw. I didn't even buy a license for hunting, just gonna fish this year. How dang depressing. Maybe I will give in and try to bag a deer in the South hills near Twin Falls, at least that is a 'day trip'. And I hear that the mulies down there are at least still findable...maybe wolves don't like the sagebrush flats? I don't have the answers, but it is pitiful that folks in the 'management' roles, still stick to the politically correct mantra. Beat the drum, Virgil...pretty soon we won't have to have a F&G department...there won't be hunters or fishermen to manage.

I used to hunt and fish. I stopped hunting in 1993. Too many drunks in the hills with guns.

My daughter has taken an interest in fishing so I bought a license for me (she doesn't need one yet). However, I rarely bring a pole. It was fun as a kid and an excuse to get out of town for a week or two. The cost involved has skyrocketed. I still like to go out during the off-season and take pictures. My dad replaced his rifle with a camera about 5 years before I stopped hunting. I completing understand why he did it. I definitely prefer the camera now.

Most importantly, a SmartDisk is a lot easier to carry out than an elk.

We hunted a closed to motorized traffic packing back in for some great elk country close to Boise. Town people came in and shot the restriction sign off h the gate and later tore the gate down and tossed it in the ravine,

When the sun cam up it looked like a motocross rally with some very nice trucks and trailers in this restricted area. With the sunrise they shot everything that came up. Bulls, cows, deep and even a couple of sheep.

They cut down trees with chainsaws to get to their kills. They cut up the animals they shot with chainsaws.

We killed a bull on to of them as we watched the slaughter. WE spoke to one of the group who greeted us on the ridge to see our bull. He bragged that they killed 8 elk. I reminded him that this was a restricted area for motorized equipment. He just walked away.

We reported them with full information including license plates and completed information. F&G told us they were too busy. Citizens Against Poaching would not even return a call.

A few city people hunters have just about ruined Idaho hunting for all who come from the towns.

I still hunt and fish but it has changed. My grandparents/parents paid thier fees and supported the fish and game so I could enjoy what we have now. I bought my grandkids a lifetime hunt/ fish right away. It really is not that costly if you plan for it and what a gift that will be remembered.

Even if/when I stop hunting I will still purchase my lisense and tags I feel it is doing my part to support not just the killing but the opportunity.

Hunting is so prehistoric and barbaric.