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Hunting Sees Renewed Interest As COVID-19 Rages On

(Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

Brianna Lyman News and Commentary Writer
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With the coronavirus creating new norms and disrupting what was once a normal way of life for many Americans, one activity that allows for both small group gatherings and social distancing all while being outdoors, hunting, has become popular in recent months.

Nationwide, hunting licenses are up more than 12% from last year while the sale of fishing licenses nationwide spiked 14%, according to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported Sunday.

Eric Lobner of Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources said the deer-hunting boom in the state could be due to a whole bunch of things, according to the WSJ.

“I can’t put my finger on what it is exactly,” Lobner said. “People, for their mind, body and soul need the escape, need to get out and get away.”

For some, the sport has been picked up out of necessity following a supply shortage of food during the early months of the pandemic, Reuters reported in May.

David Elliot, 37, began thinking about picking up hunting in January after the first coronavirus case was reported, according to Reuters. Despite never having hunted, Elliot, like other Americans feared that with U.S. meat processors stopping operations as workers became infected and companies warning of shortages, they could be left without food.

“I understand some people might be driven by like antlers or some sort of glory. I don’t want to do that,” Eliot said, according to Reuters. (RELATED: Hunting And Fishing Now A Constitutional Right In Utah)

MOUNT GILEAD, NC - MAY 25: A woman fishes on Lake Tillery near the Lilly's Bridge Marina on Memorial Day, May 25, 2020 in Mount Gilead, North Carolina. Despite overcast skies, locals did not miss an opportunity to head outdoors on the first weekend of the state's Phase 2 reopening during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Al Drago/Getty Images)

MOUNT GILEAD, NC – MAY 25: A woman fishes on Lake Tillery near the Lilly’s Bridge Marina on Memorial Day, May 25, 2020 in Mount Gilead, North Carolina. Despite overcast skies, locals did not miss an opportunity to head outdoors on the first weekend of the state’s Phase 2 reopening during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Al Drago/Getty Images)

“I want to make sure it’s a clean, humane shot, as much as possible, and get a bunch of food,” Elliot reportedly said.

In New Mexico and Minnesota there was an increase in hunting license sales, permit applications or both this past spring, according to the report.

“People are starting to consider self-reliance and where their food comes from,” Hank Forester of Quality Deer Management Association said, according to Reuters. “We’re all born hunters.”

In Michigan, hunting license sales surged roughly 13% higher than in 2019 and deer tags sales jumped 16% over the past year, according to The Hill.

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission reported a near 19% increase in all categories of fishing licenses, according to PennLive. Licenses bought by Pennsylvania residents were up 22.98% this year, according to the report.