Anderson: More in Minnesota keep hunting into their golden years

In hunting, is 80 the new 60?

Meaning, are more octogenarian Minnesotans healthy enough these days, and spry enough, to continue hunting, whereas in the past, they might have dropped out?

License-sales data collected by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) aren't definitive on the subject. But indications are that older Minnesota hunters, say, those north of 70, are enjoying the sport in numbers unseen before.

In fact, license sales during the past 10 years show that the number of hunters age 80 and older have nearly doubled in Minnesota, while those older than 70 have increased by about 75 percent.

Retired Minnesota Vikings coach Bud Grant, 87, is among those still in the field.

Already Grant has taken five duck-hunting trips — two to Manitoba, one to Saskatchewan and two to North Dakota — and completed two deer hunts, one in Minnesota and one in Montana.

"I retired from coaching in 1985, and I have been trying to make up for lost hunting time ever since,'' Grant said. "I haven't accomplished that yet. But I'm trying.''

One explanation for the increase could be that a relatively larger percentage of the state's population grew into the 80-plus category during the period.

Hunting license sales to sportsmen and women ages 70 to 79 also grew significantly during that time, from 21,685 to 36,049, with firearms deer license sales showing the greatest increase, from 12,859 to 19,453.

David Maass, the famed Minnesota wildlife artist who twice has won the federal duck stamp competition, is still an active waterfowler at age 84.

Maass opened the state duck season near Le Center, Minn., with his good friend Arnold Krueger, a retired orchestra teacher and contemporary.

"I still appreciate the thrill of hunting,'' Maass said. "I'm not as anxious to kill the birds now as I was when I was younger. In fact, if I and my family didn't enjoy eating ducks so much, I probably wouldn't hunt as much as I do.''

"Having a partner to hunt with is part of the challenge now,'' Grant said. "Most of my younger friends work during the week. And the older ones are either gone, or they're incapable of hunting or they've lost interest.''

Ed Boggess, DNR fish and wildlife division director, said the increased license sales to older hunters perhaps is a reflection of the dedication these people have to the sport, and their interest in sustaining traditions for themselves and their families.

"People are living longer and staying more active,'' Boggess said. "The increased license sales also might be explained in part by the fact that it's easier to stay hunting today, with increased efficiencies in transportation and better equipment, especially clothing.''

Older hunters might also want to stay active in the field because, unlike many of their other interests, hunting is thrilling, or at least potentially thrilling.

"A big part of hunting is the anticipation, the planning, which might last for weeks or even months,'' Grant said. "Then, when the day finally comes that you're going to hunt, you get up early and you say to yourself, 'I'm finally here, I'm ready, let's go.' ''

(As an aside here: I couldn't reach Lessard for a comment. If I had, he likely would have said: "You know what I'm thinking. So go ahead and say what I would say if I had time to say it.'')

So, here goes …

Said Lessard: "After all these years, I'm still a better hunter than Bud.''

Which brings us to hunting's camaraderie component.

Friendships forged on waterfowling trips, or while in deer camps, often last lifetimes, and memories of these doubtless keep some people hunting well into their golden years.

"Bob [Lessard] always wants to eat when he hunts,'' Grant said, "Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner. It just takes too much valuable time away from hunting, and I don't believe in it.