Nov 8, 2007 2:15 pm US/Central
Study: MN Kids Top List Of Love Of Outdoors
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) ―
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Hunting and fishing advocates have long said they need to get kids interested in the outdoors early.
CBS
A study by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service shows 74 percent of Minnesota children age 6 to 15 participate in some type of wildlife-related recreation -- and 58 percent are involved in hunting or fishing.
The survey comes at a time when state wildlife officials are concerned about recruiting new hunters and anglers. Hunting and fishing advocates have long said they need to get kids interested in the outdoors early.
Nationally, 28 percent of first-time anglers were age 6 to 8, while youths under 15 make up the bulk of first-time hunters.
"It's great to see numbers that high," said C.B. Bylander, Department of Natural Resources fish and wildlife division outreach chief.
Bylander said MinnAqua, a DNR fishing education program, and youth participation efforts by private conservation groups have helped expose kids to hunting and fishing. In addition, kids in this state have easy access to water.
"Also, youth participation rates reflect overall hunting and fishing participation here, and Minnesota is tied with Alaska for the highest rate of fishing participation in the nation, and among the top states in hunting," he said.
But relatively few people over age 25 take up hunting or fishing.
"The question is, how do we keep kids who are exposed to hunting and fishing at a young age continuing in the sports as they get older?" said Ryan Bronson, conservation manager for Federal Cartridge Co. in Anoka.
Bronson, the former DNR hunting and fishing recruitment coordinator, said the high participation rates show that kids have at least tried the activities.
"Now, we need to tap into that exposure," he said. "Because in many cases hunters and anglers don't start supporting conservation through license purchases until they're 16, and we need their support."
License fees and taxes from hunters and anglers cover most of the fish and wildlife management costs.
The survey, done every five years, said more than 87 million Americans age 16 and older participated in wildlife-related recreation in 2006, including 30 million anglers and 12.5 million hunters. Angler numbers fell 12 percent from 2001, while the hunting population was flat.
Actual numbers likely are much higher, the Fish and Wildlife Service said, because some people don't participate each year.
In Minnesota, the number of anglers age 16 and older dropped from 1.6 million to 1.4 million and the number of hunters age 16 and older dropped from 597,000 to 541,000. The federal numbers don't include hunters and anglers under 16.
Hunters, anglers and wildlife watchers spent $122.3 billion, about 1 percent of the Gross Domestic Product, the survey said. In Minnesota, fishing expenditures were estimated at $2.7 billion, and hunting at a half-billion dollars.
(© 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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