Vermont Editorial Addresses Increasing Hunter Numbers The Burlington Free Press, in an editorial, addressed the problem in Vermont, shared by many other states, of declining hunter numbers, and stressed the benefits of reversing the trend. As would be the case in other states, less hunters in Vermont, the paper points out, mean less money injected into the economy, less help managing wildlife populations and a less healthy ecosystem. "Just as important is the growing disconnect between Vermonters and their natural environment," states the editorial. "It would be a shame if the next generation grew up believing all food springs from the frozen section of the local grocery store."