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Message: <blockquote data-quote="3Roosters" data-source="post: 232133" data-attributes="member: 1351">Interesting read if nothing else[h=1]2017 small game hunter survey results released[/h]Small game licensesales were down about four percent in 2017 compared to the previous year,according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources annual small gamesurvey.Results for 2017include, by species: <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Ducks – 63,426 hunters, representing a six percent     decrease from 2016. Despite slightly fewer hunters, duck harvest increased     12 percent with 688,225 ducks harvested. Successful duck hunters averaged     more ducks bagged for the season (12.5 ducks compared to 10.9 ducks in     2016). </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Canada goose – 44,678 hunters, an eight percent     increase from the previous year. Estimated Canada goose harvest was     267,192 geese, a 23 percent increase. The increase in harvest was due to     the increase in goose hunters as successful hunters bagged an average of     7.4 geese each, which was similar to the previous season. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Ring-necked pheasant – 45,263 hunters, a 32 percent     decrease compared to 2016. Pheasant harvest declined from 196,141 roosters     to 171,883, a 14 percent decline. Successful hunters harvested an average     of 5.5 roosters each, a slight increase from the five roosters per hunter     average in the previous year. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Ruffed grouse – 80,654 hunters, similar to the previous     year. Harvest was 285,180 compared to 308,955 grouse in 2016. Estimated     take per successful ruffed grouse hunter dropped slightly from an average     of 5.3 grouse per hunter to 4.8 grouse per hunter. </li> </ul>Small game licensesales have been declining over time, and this year’s results continue thattrend; however, the annual survey does not ask hunters the reasons why they didor did not hunt.“Given the long-term trends for small game hunting, none ofthe results are surprising for us,” said James Burnham, hunting and anglingrecruitment, retention and reactivation (R3) coordinator. “Declines in smallgame hunter numbers show the importance of introducing folks to hunting, andsmall game hunting offers a tremendous opportunity to show safe and fun huntingpractices.”The DNR aims to increase participation rates in small gamehunting by working with conservation partners to show the appeal that smallgame hunting can have for young adults who already spend time in the outdoors.Efforts will center on serial events that connect new hunters to mentors andget folks out to enjoy the tremendous resources that Minnesota offers.Additionally, the DNR has recently formed a 21-member R3 citizen council tohelp grow hunting and angling participation and awareness.More about the DNR’s efforts to increase the numbers ofhunters can be found at <a href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/ZY0rCkRVrOCnAnfLxOCR?domain=links.govdelivery.com" target="_blank">mndnr.gov/R3</a>.The DNR annually surveys small game hunters to makeestimates of both hunter numbers and harvest trends. For the 2017 season, 7,000small game license buyers were surveyed of which 4,163 surveys were returnedand usable. The complete report is on the DNR website at <a href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/AsxJClYV2MsomosX3q3a?domain=links.govdelivery.com" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/DNRWildlifeResearchReports</a>.</blockquote>

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