As leaves begin to turn and Colorado heads into the heart of the fall hunting season, recreational hunters and those who make their livelihood off an industry with a $26 billion annual impact on the American economy are wondering why their numbers are declining, especially among millennials.

There were 11.5 million hunters in 2016, according to the most recent figures published by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, representing a decline of 2.2 million from 2011.