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Tina Sawyer: The state of Michigan is almost one week into the firearm deer season. It's an industry that generates over $6 billion in economic activity statewide. But the number of hunters is in decline and impacting the economy in northeast Michigan. WCMU's David Nicholas spoke with Steve Schulwitz of the Alpena News to learn more about the shifting trends in hunting. The conversation began with Schulwitz talking about the changes in Hunter behavior.
Steve Schulwitz: Well, I think a lot of it comes down to economy. Obviously, for a lot of people, money is tight and it may seem like it's not a very costly recreational activity. But hunting can be costly for some, especially if they have to travel. So obviously I think that that is an indicator of why we have seen a drop in hunting participation. Another one is that there's a lot of especially older hunters. Who are you know? Not necessarily pleased with the youth early Hunt and the increase in bow season and they feel rifle season rolls along a lot of those trophy bugs that they used to count on seeing just aren't there anymore. I Know it's hard to put a finger on one thing, I think enthusiasm. You know, the kids nowadays, the younger generation has a lot more things that you know, they have interest in and take up their time. To where they're just not getting out in the woods either.
David Nicholas: For your reporting on this in the Alpena news you spoke with sporting good operator in Rogers City and in addressing that decline I think of warm winters, a bad year say for ski resorts and snowmobilers. Is this something where? Outlets like this and others in the region can see a decline for a year or two. At what point does it become a real concern about how long they can sustain their business overall?
SS: I think the Alpena area, and specifically Northeastern Michigan in general has a very diversified economy. So I don't think although it would impact their bottom line, I don't think if a further collapse would necessarily put a lot of businesses under, you have to remember that we have a large fishing population and a lot of these sporting goods stores thrive on that during, you know, the spring and summer months and again in the winter when ice fishing kicks off, we have a large tour population. You know, I think a lot of people think of businesses that that prosper during hunting season. Are the gun shops sporting good shops? But it actually branches out well beyond that is, you've got bakeries, you've got meat markets. You've got places that sell side by side or quads, 4 Wheelers and stuff like that and these businesses you know, continue to, draw in revenues throughout the year. So unless it was a really drastic decline, I don't think it would threaten businesses or jobs.
DN: And one area that is noted too is an increase in the number of women hunters?
SS: I think that someday you could see a 50/50. This has been evident locally for a while. The amount of women who want to go out to camp, who want to be in the blind, who cleans their own deer and just enjoy being out, you know, in the woods a lot of times, you know, they do it with their significant other a lot of times it could be a mother taking their daughter or a father taking their daughter, which I think sets the stage. Well, for the future in terms of the amount of females that are hunting, it's hard to really put a finger on long term trends because a lot of the information that, you know, we're talking about has been over the last four or five years. And let’s be real over that you're coming out of a pandemic. I think the years were pretty solid then, but then you know the economy, you know, did become challenging for some, you know, I think without looking at a decade's worth of data coming out of COVID, it's hard to really say with any certainty, you know where these trends end up or how they continue forward.
DN: Well, for those specific health concerns in the deer population, the economic benefits, the sport and the tradition, that is such a part of the fabric of central and northern Michigan. We'll watch where the trends go and hope that things even out as we move forward. Steve Schulwitz with the Alpena News. Always a pleasure to talk with you. Thanks for your reporting on this.
SS: Thank you very much.
TS: And that was Steve Schulwitz of the Alpena News, speaking with WCMU’s David Nicholas.
