My observation is it’s a good thing the season is so long. There’s not that many truly great days to hunt. Most days the wind blows from every point on the compass.
Considering the upper Midwest gun hunting seasons are very short yet kill as many if not more deer
Sometimes drawing out a long season could be detrimental
I remember back I the early 90s talk of studies and families impact from hunting. Hunting widows was one term I’d heard of. I recall some studies with hunter involved questionnaires about how often one hunts etc…. States like Arkansas stated closing duck hunting on Thanksgiving and Christmas so hunters would stay home with their families. Alabama opened duck hunting on Thanksgiving for a few years but moved it to the Friday after.
Todays world kids have so many activities and parents and grandparents are intertwined with those activities accounts for less hunters
Also some studies suggest instantaneous gratification is a problem. The term light switch kids was coined. Basically generations have grown up flipping a switch and instant accessibility. Never learning patience and sitting there with nothing happening which gets boring. It’s why I never liked a shooting house over a field. Get off in the woods and become a part of the outdoors. Actually learn funnels and reading sign. These days folks plant a field and sit and wait to shoot. Really not hunting in its purest form
Sometimes change is not good. We’ve gone from hunting to farming for deer
