A recent study by Responsive Management asked people, “Why do you hunt?” Of those polled, 35 percent said “for the meat.” That’s up 13 percent from a similar 2006 survey, when 22 percent of hunters said their primary motivation was for meat to eat. The people who conducted the survey said the ongoing slow economy is the primary reason for the uptick in meat hunting: “As households…started to feel the effects of significant financial pressures several years ago (including frozen or reduced salaries and/or prolonged unemployment) more Americans likely turned to hunting as a way of obtaining relatively inexpensive venison…to put food on the family table.” Another school of thought believes the recent increase in meat hunters (and hunting license [...]

Right now, with deer seasons heating up across the country, the federal government has issued directives to close accessible public lands while the government is shut down. At stake are millions of acres of public land administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service and the like. According to the United States Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) these agencies are being told to close access to their lands because of the standoff taking place over funding the federal government. “These lands are generally accessible to the public without special entrance fees, passage through gates, or access via controlled roads or waterways,” said Nick Pinizzotto, USSA President and CEO.  “Not only are these closures unnecessary, they run contrary to law.  [...]