Sharing the Economic Impact of Sportsmen

Vegas in January for a trade show ? not exactly my choice of a place to be (hard to get your outdoors on, unless you count the inside ?look-alike? sky inside the Venetian/Palazzo). But each January I trek to Vegas for the annual Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show (SHOT Show) to share conservation stories with key members of the outdoor industry. This year, I actually got a chance to get my outdoors on at the Media Day at the Range talking about the economic impact of hunters and anglers.

Even in mid-winter, Vegas is supposed to have moderate temperatures, right? Not so much ? this year the wind blew steady at 25-30 miles per hour and I?m not sure the temps broke 30 degrees making for a very raw, very long day. But, sporting my MK Alpine Utility pants (and some good long johns!) I weathered the wind to give outdoor writers a new report, America?s Sporting Heritage, Fueling the American Economy, that I wrote for the Congressional Sportsmen?s Foundation (CSF).

If I told you that the 37.4 million hunters and anglers age 16 and up is about the same as the population of California, the most populous state in the country, would that surprise you? What about if I said that the nearly $90 billion sportsmen and women spent in 2011 is more than the combined global revenues for Apple?s iPad and iPhone that year?

Intended to provide a series of ?sound bites? that resonate within the outdoor community as well as the general public, the CSF report spotlights economic data that showcases the important impact that hunters and anglers have on the economy. The comparisons in the CSF report utilize basic participation and spending data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service?s National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife Associated Recreation as well as more detailed data from the National Shooting Sports Foundation and American Sportfishing Association.

For me, I don?t need to justify my interest in hunting and fishing by looking at their impacts on the economy. It?s just what I do and what I love, and I know that having the right gear helps make my outings that much more enjoyable. But to the small, rural towns that host hunters on opening day of big game season and throughout pheasant or waterfowl seasons, or to the river towns that provide the ice, lures and flies for anglers, sportsmen are a big reason for their success. Here in Colorado, it?s very common to see ?Welcome Hunters? signs in the windows of local businesses.

That, to me, is the most important takeaway message ? if we sustainably manage our fish and wildlife populations, if we conserve important habitats, if we maintain water quality and quantity, then continued recreation will allow these small towns to thrive. But if we aren?t protecting these precious natural resources and managing them for outdoor recreation, we lose an important part of our nation?s economy, let alone a soul-soothing way to re-connect with the landscape.

This is why I do what I do, to promote and protect the best of the outdoor places that we know and love. And if we do it well, then we have the continued privilege and opportunity to hunt, fish, hike, raft, or whatever else it is that we like to do in the outdoors.

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