Hunting around in 50 years?

Kane_b

Six Pointer
Do you think there will still be hunting in 50 years in NC with all the development going on?


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lasttombstone

Kinder, Gentler LTS
Sure there will. Because there are some people that care more for their land than for the money. They will have a place to hunt. The public lands will still be there but the pressure will get heavier all the time. And believe me, 50 years ain't all that long.
 

MJ74

Old Mossy Horns
Have you ever been to Northeastern NC? There is mikes and miles of land with nothing on it.

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EMB

Ten Pointer
Maybe for some, but many have already given up the heritage of hunting due to costs, leases, travel times and just having too many other things going on.

Me I won't be here in 50 years, but my son has already found less expensive alternatives like fishing, that will be around for awhile and doesn't cost an arm and a leg to do. Still allows him to enjoy the outdoors, without the hassles. He can find a land owner that allows him to get to private ponds, but not many anymore willing to allow hunting due to either against it or issues from previous times.

Public land is a joke anymore in this state, it's taking your life into your own hands. I know of some who have had success, but it is far and few between. Maybe out west and in other areas, but the population growth in the southern states is starting to nip away at many large properties.
 

Firedog

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
yes, will it be different, yes. The real question will be how many hunters will be left.
 

wildcat3

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Cabarrus county is about to bust wide open. I don't recall seeing this much growth and construction in Cab county in the mid 90s when the real estate boom was at its peak. I certainly hope hunting is here in 50 years and many more years after. Several farms and old hunting spots come to mind in the old Odell area of Cabarrus county that are sub divisions now. I do see hunting becoming more and more commercialized in the years to come. I am curious as to what others are seeing in other parts of the state and how do you feel hunting will be down the road in your neck of the woods ?
 

ScottyB

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I hope I am teaching my kids the right way to keep the tradition and heritage going, but I won't be here in 50 yrs.....
 

JakeH

Four Pointer
I have every intention of being here in 50 years and if I’m physically able, I’ll be hunting.
 

seedrooster

Eight Pointer
I grew up coon hunting. From the time I was 8 years old I was following a dog . When I was 15 I would go to the spots I had close to home. When I got my license I could go every night of the week if I wanted and never hunt the same place twice. People acted like they were tickled to death that you asked to turn the dogs loose. There were big woods (or at least to me) on every branch or creek around. Those days are GONE!!!!! In those days there weren’t that many deer hunters around here. Most that did deer hunt went to clubs an hour or two away. When I actually figured out there were deer , anyone would let you hunt their property. Didn’t take but a few years before those places started drying up too. I think if you have somewhere to hunt now you’re very lucky . Whether you pay or not you’re lucky to have somewhere to go at all.


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aya28ga

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
50 years?

Sure, hunting will be around; the form and shape its takes is yet to be decided.

If you're a young person who loves to hunt, don't spend your money on new trucks, boats and guns. Save it and buy land that you can own to hunt on.
 

Kane_b

Six Pointer
I will be almost 70 and hope to God that I will still have a place to hunt then, love doing it more than anything besides fishing.


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Firefly

Old Mossy Horns
I really don't know if hunting or fishing will still be with us in 50 years, that is a short period of time really. But with the way things are going now in this country and indeed this entire World, will we as human beings be around to hunt or will the United States of America survive even as we know it today. I have seen lots of changes in the past 50 years that I hoped I would never see in this life but it is what it is and we deal with it day by day.. Lots of things can happen in 50 years but time tells everything, I know I won't be here 50 years from now..
 

Thomas270

Ten Pointer
50 years?

Sure, hunting will be around; the form and shape its takes is yet to be decided.

If you're a young person who loves to hunt, don't spend your money on new trucks, boats and guns. Save it and buy land that you can own to hunt on.

Best reply so far, as a still relatively young person at 31 I wish somebody would have told me this 10 years ago.
 

nchawkeye

Old Mossy Horns
Hopefully our farms will still be intact, as long as there is farming in NC there should be hunting...

I'll be 112, see you then!!! :)
 

kahunter

Eight Pointer
This is something that I have thought about alot, mostly pertaining to waterfowl. Public sentiment may change which could hurt hunting as well. Less hunters and more anti hunters seems to be the trend of the world these days. One (of many) reasons I am against gun control is I believe if they start regulating guns and the antis get there way, it will be a slippery slope. Once they have gone as far as they can with guns they will start at gun related sports like hunting. These people are never happy unless they are regulating things and hunting is not to far from gun control if you ask me.
Public land will go nowhere but down but there will always be somewhere to go in eastern NC (once again waterfowl is my focus here). May not be limits every time but there will be somewhere to anchor up in NE NC for a long time.
The advice to save your money and buy yourself a piece of land is spot on. It may take a few years but get something that is yours and will always be yours and you will be hunting the rest of your life.
 

302cj

Old Mossy Horns
I grew up coon hunting. From the time I was 8 years old I was following a dog . When I was 15 I would go to the spots I had close to home. When I got my license I could go every night of the week if I wanted and never hunt the same place twice. People acted like they were tickled to death that you asked to turn the dogs loose. There were big woods (or at least to me) on every branch or creek around. Those days are GONE!!!!! In those days there weren’t that many deer hunters around here. Most that did deer hunt went to clubs an hour or two away. When I actually figured out there were deer , anyone would let you hunt their property. Didn’t take but a few years before those places started drying up too. I think if you have somewhere to hunt now you’re very lucky . Whether you pay or not you’re lucky to have somewhere to go at all.


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Agreed. I 39 and remember those "happy" days.


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apexhunter

Ten Pointer
People have been asking this same question for a few generations now. Between urban sprawl kicking into high gear in the 50's and 60's and people selling smaller family farms as large open tracts took over with modern agricultural practices development has taken over what was hunting land some years back. But once you get outside of the metro areas NC still has a lot of open, non developed land and if one knows the right people or looks carefully there are plenty of places that they can hunt. After all there is and will always be a need for agriculture and timber and where there are trees and crops there is wildlife...it is just a matter of garnering access to these areas now and in the future.
 

2boyz

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Aldo Leopold's writings are pertinent. His book, "A Sand County Almanac" may help a bit with predictions/philosophy associated with today's land use. Leopold, first and foremost was a farmer and hunter. The conservation ethic developed over time.

Quotes: https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/43828.Aldo_Leopold . If you read nothing else, read quote #2 and realize that 70+ years have passed since the quote was written and Leopold was already concerned about the generations that had minimal contact to land management.
 
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Ol Copper

Twelve Pointer
I wish that I had been smart enough to start buying land when I got out of high school in the early 80's.
I won't be here in 50 years but I could have left my kids a place to continue hunting.
Land was dirt cheap back then but gaining access to land to hunt was so easy that buying my own never crossed my mind.
 

FishHunt

Old Mossy Horns
Ten years or less around Wake and Chatham counties

The north east corner of Chatham filled up with relocated Yankees and rejects from Chapel Hole 25 years ago and have successfully ruined much of Chatham county. It may not take 10 years.

<>< Fish
 

Cyperry

Ten Pointer
Contributor
Yes. Things will change, those who make it a priority will continue to hunt, those who don’t will not. It may not be as easy as it once was, or it may be easier... Time will tell. But hunt we will. Make no mistake.


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ArmyMutt

Eight Pointer
I bought 20 acres just for this purpose - wife thinks it was for our house, but there's a reason the house is 170ft from the road. I'd like the buy the land next to me - about 30 acres. Just have to find the old lady that owns it and see what kind of deal she's willing to make. I don't see it being used for anything in a while - was logged of all trees and not replanted. Now it's just scrub brush.
 

beard&bow

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
We plan to buy more land in the future. With what we have now, our children will have a spot. We want to add to that to support their children as well.
 

JONOV

Old Mossy Horns
Ten years or less around Wake and Chatham counties
I know people that hunt in Cook County, Illinois (where Chicago is,) in Fairfax County VA (outside of Washington,) and I have a friend that duck hunted in San Francisco Bay (this decade, not 70 years ago.)

So, I do think it will be around in 50 years.
 

lasttombstone

Kinder, Gentler LTS
I know there are other stories around, but about 30 years ago a group of us from high school had a little club in Franklin Co. and started leasing some land that we had hunted all our lives. We put together over 2000 acres at that time. When I left the area about 5 years later there was less than 300 of it left in the leases. All the rest had been sold and completely closed to hunting. Never assume that any land that you don't have complete control over, as in own, will be available for any given length of time.
 
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