ALBANY (TNS) â The pandemic this year has helped reverse a long trend of dwindling interest in hunting as the number of people taking New York stateâs mandatory hunting licensing test and license payments nearly tripled, according to an analysis by the Rockefeller Institute of Government.
âWeâve had about three decades-plus decline, not just in New York, but in the United States as a whole, in hunting,â said Laura Rabinow, deputy director of research for the Rockefeller Institute.
Rabinowâs study, âInto the (New York State) Woods: Hunting in a Pandemic,â dives into the impact COVID-19 has had on hunting and the license fees it generates to pay for wildlife management and conservation programs.
Coronavirus may be pushing New York state hunting boom
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1of12Buy PhotoTrophy deer head are displayed at Brown s Archery Shop on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020, in Schenectady, N.Y. Store owner Mick McGuinness has seen a jump in business reflecting the increased demand for state hunting licenses. (Will Waldron/Times Union)Will Waldron/Albany Times UnionShow MoreShow Less
2of12Buy PhotoMick McGuinness, owner of Brown s Archery Shop, shows the mechanics of a modern compound bow on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020, at his store in Schenectady, N.Y. McGuiness has seen a jump in business reflecting the increased demand for state hunting licenses. (Will Waldron/Times Union)Will Waldron/Albany Times UnionShow MoreShow Less