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.