Declining number of hunters a real concern for wildlife agencies

  • HUNTERS VITAL TO CONSERVATION--Declining numbers of hunters and anglers are a huge concern to wildlife agencies and conservation programs. Truth be told, it's hunters and anglers who pay for conservation. (Photo by Jim Steiert)
    HUNTERS VITAL TO CONSERVATION--Declining numbers of hunters and anglers are a huge concern to wildlife agencies and conservation programs. Truth be told, it's hunters and anglers who pay for conservation. (Photo by Jim Steiert)

    As the 2025-2026 waterfowl and crane season concludes, it’s hard to imagine, given the fierce competition for choice waterfowl and sandhill crane hunting hotspots in this region, that there is real concern over the declining number of hunters, including waterfowl hunters, in the United States.

    In recent decades the number of hunters and anglers in the U.S. has declined both in actual numbers and as…