Pandemic has boosted ranks of first-time hunters, and that could help fund state conservation and wildlife efforts

"Conservationists and wildlife officials have spent years trying to stave off the decline of hunting in America. In 2020, they finally saw a glimmer of hope," Alex Brown reports for Stateline. "For decades, the number of hunters—who are mostly older, white males—has steadily dwindled. That’s led to a loss of conservation funding at state wildlife agencies, which largely rely on license sales to support their budgets. But now, unexpectedly, officials in nearly every state are reporting a moderate-to-massive spike in hunting in 2020."

The reasons are many: an increase in free time, concerns about food-chain security, and financial hardship. "Officials said it’s too soon to calculate how the 2020 hunting surge will affect their budgets, but for once it won’t be bad news," Brown reports.