Hunter numbers up, reversing two decades of downward trend.

[digonswine]

4. There is nothing cheap about venison or fish--

let's not kid ourselves. Venison is VERY expensive, unless one shoots 8 deer per year. A half-way decent rifle runs $350.00 easy.
Then there is time and blahblah.
Fishing is great-but we spend much more getting to where we can get fish, rods, lures, etc.

I say this as a person who does these things.

The idea that venison is cheap is silly.

There is a downside to all this in my area.

All property is now divided into 40 and even 20 acre portions so that each person, generally those not living in the area, can have their own little hunting ground.
I am 38--when I was young, all land was owned by those in the neighborhood. We knew whose land we were on and had a good relationship with those around us.
Now--each little bit of land is owned for the exclusive right to hunt it. People are truly pricks when it comes to this ownership. This might seem like a generalization, but this is one that holds true.
Hunting has been ruined here because of its popularity.

We can paint things any color we wish, but for those living in popular hunting areas--it sucks.
Also-since city slickers want the land, the prices go up-meaning that we can no longer afford to buy it. People that want to "hunt" it for 2 weeks a year have way more money to buy it up.

By the way-I realize that my rant has little to do with your OP!!