simple math?
After it was suggested that this is all fairly simple math, I wanted to see the numbers for myself, and here is what I discovered on My Wild Alberta Provincial sales stats. By subtracting the Resident Bowhunting License sales from the Number of Resident Hunters, which is not perfect, but the only way the Province would be able to do it as well, we can arrive at the number of Firearms hunters and Archery, in two individual groups. Yes, some of these Archery hunters will most likely be Gun hunters as well, but thats not whats important. What is important is that the statement that Archery numbers are fairly stagnant holds no water. Archery license sales increased by 11.65% over a 4 year period, while "firearms" hunter numbers only increased by 4.51%.
I cant see any disputing the numbers, its simple math as was suggested. Archery hunting has grown at a rate that is more than double that of Firearm hunters. Archery hunters make up approximately 18.9% of the total of all Resident hunters, should this be the new 15% line? I think that would be fair.
Current season sales are as of March 31, 2012.
Hunting Licence Sales Statistics
Season 2008 2009 2010 2011
Number of Resident Hunters 100,820 102,193 104,889 105,389
Resident Bowhunting 14,974 15,406 16,639 16,716
Licences Sold
Resident Black Bear 11,612 11,325 12,559 12,693
Resident Mule Deer 42,301 39,510 40,824 36,589
Resident White-tailed Deer 106,572 111,455 117,585 117,717
Resident Elk 32,089 32,408 33,507 35,079
Resident Moose 19,823 19,415 19,359 19,277
Resident Sheep 2,425 2,495 2,491 2,402
Resident Antelope 1,364 1,936 1,798 229
Resident Game Bird 42,094 39,355 40,193 38,813
Resident Pheasant 6,501 6,070 5,345 5,317
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