2003 National Hunting Survey
This survey covers the hunting traditions of Field and Stream Magazine readers, the type of animals they hunt and their feelings on the ethics of hunting.
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.
