Duck Stamp Sales Up Again
By: Jeff HelsdonMigratory-bird-stamp sales have increased for the third consecutive year.
Last year, 151,815 Canadians purchased waterfowl permits, 5,000 more than in 2007 and 17,000 higher than at the lowest point ever in 2005. If sales to non-residents are included, 171,762 permits were sold in 2008. Alhough sales are moving in the right direction, they're still a far cry from the all-time high of 524,946 in 1978.
Ontario sales also increased last year, hitting 55,016, including nonresidents. This was substantially better than 2007, when only 53,594 were sold. Permit sales bottomed out in the province in 2005, with only 53,151 sold. The all-time high of 159,969 was reached in 1978.
Rob Olson, president of Delta Waterfowl Foundation – which has been organizing mentored hunts for youth, women, and university students – suspects the increase can't be attributed solely to hunterrecruitment efforts by various conservation groups.
"On one hand, I'd like to think it's because of the groups working on hunter recruitment," he said. "But, the other factor I'm sensing in the marketplace is that hunting is something cool to do again. We get people coming to these hunts who want to be connected to something that's real."
He pointed to the popularity of wild-game dishes on cooking shows as evidence of this. He also said liberal waterfowl seasons and high populations could be helping, as well.
