2003 National Hunting Survey

This 2003 Field and Stream Magazine survey explores the habits and attitudes of magazine readers covering hunting-related “traditions,” ethics, cost, land use, and other issues.

Traditions

• On average, survey respondents have been active hunters for 24 years, currently hunting 26 times per year.
• 63% feel that more women are hunting compared to 10 years ago, while 32% feel there has been no change, and 4% feel there are fewer women now hunting.
• 58% did not have children 18 or under, while 22% did, and 19% did have children, but they did not hunt.
• Of those who had children under 18 who did not hunt, 83% planned to introduce them to hunting.

Animals Hunted

• Whitetail deer (82%)
• Rabbits/squirrels (60%)
• Turkeys (56%)
• Pheasants (46%)
• Ducks/geese (42%)
• Other birds (38%)
• Predators (34%)
• Quail (28%)
• Other animals (23%)
• Mule deer (21%)
• Elk/antelope (21%)
• Bears (14%)

Ethics

• Compared to the last 10 years, 415 feel that hunting ethics are about the same, 33% feel they are worse, 25% feel they are better.
• 87% consider themselves to be trophy hunters.
• 74% are in support of sponsored hunts for wolves, mountain lions, and other predators to help control populations, 10% are opposed and 16% have no opinion.
• 69% would bird hunt on a preserve where pen-raised pheasants or quail were added to the population of wild birds.
• 65% are opposed to the hunting of animals in enclosures or fenced in ranches, 23% have no opinion, and 12% are in support.
• 62% feel that it should not be legal to use bait to lure deer when hunting; 47% feel similarly about bears.
• 40% feel that modern hunting aids such as two way radios, electronic ears, and infrared monitors violate the “fair chase” ethic, while 41% do not and 19% have no opinion.
• 67% do not consider assault style rifles to be legitimate sporting guns.
• 91% would report other hunters if they were breaking the laws regulating hunting.