Hunting ranks shrinking

The Fund for Animals has issued a report with a decidedly gleeful message: The number of hunters is down -- again -- and so is the number of animals being killed.

Using U.S. Fish and Wildlife figures along with state wildlife statistics, the organization said the number of hunters has declined from 14 million to 13 million since 1991.

Doves and squirrels were killed in the largest numbers, accounting for more than 45 million of the total. On another tally, the report underscored that wildlife watchers outspend hunters by a considerable margin -- almost 2 to 1 -- on their outings.

-- J. Michael Kennedy