By Bob Marshall

A press release from the Department of Interior last week held some of the best news in recent years for sportsmen—and the quality of life of all Americans: After decades of steady declines, the number of hunters and anglers in the U.S. showed significant increases over the last five years.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2011 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation showed the number hunters and anglers increased 9 and 11 percent respectively, part of the 38 percent of all Americans who participated in wildlife-related recreation. That was an increase of 2.6 million participants from the previous survey in 2006. A Service spokesperson said the survey, which has been done every five years since 1955, last showed an increase was in the late the 1980s — which means we've halted a 30-year slide.

That's good news for sportsmen for many reasons:

- It increases the lobbying power we can muster in the Washington, where many in Congress are attempting to shut down the conservation programs and environmental regulations essential to maintaining the habitat base that supports public hunting and fishing.

- That crowd has been claiming the nation can't afford the programs, and the regs are hurting the economy. The outdoors sector has fought back, showing the programs and regs support a $9 billion industry that hires some 12 million people.

Now these new figures show outdoors is a growth industry - at a time when many others are declining.

- Outdoor enthusiasts have long paid the bills for fish and wildlife habitat conservation and protection. When our numbers decline, the agencies that manage these resources have less funding to do their jobs.

- As the report points out, outdoor recreationists "spent $145 billion on related gear, trips and other purchases, such as licenses, tags and land leasing and ownership, representing 1 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product."

So why is this good news for the rest of America?

For that last reason above.

Outdoor recreationists—led by hunters and anglers—have long paid the bills for conservation of the nation's fish, wildlife and public lands.  The wetlands, woodlands, watersheds and coasts we have protected and enhanced add to a healthier and better quality of life for all Americans.

Other key findings of the report include:

- In 2011, 13.7 million people, 6 percent of the U.S. population 16 years old and older, went hunting. They spent $34.0 billion on trips, equipment, licenses, and other items in 2011, an average of $2,484 per hunter.

- More than 33 million people 16 and older fished in 2011, spending $41.8 billion on trips, equipment, licenses, and other items, an average of $1,262 per angler.

- More than 71 million people engaged in wildlife watching in 2011, spending $55 billion on their activities.

Comments (5)

from Moose1980 wrote 42 weeks 4 days ago

Adding more hunters, fishermen and wildlife watchers is always good news. Maybe people are taking a step back from our fast paced, technologically driven lives and trying to enjoy a slower pace in the outdoors every now and then. I know I love nothing more than going out into woods and turning off my phone and not have to worry about checking email!

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from labrador12 wrote 42 weeks 4 days ago

Maybe people are hungry. If unemployment and the poor economy was influencing peoples behavior maybe hunting and fishing could supply high quality protien at low cost. Grocery prices are up, one segment of the population knows how to take advantage of their outdoor skills.

-2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Rtaylor376 wrote 42 weeks 4 days ago

Count me in! This is my first year actually fishing and I plan to go out hunting this season also. I hope more people explore and uncover the greatness there is out there in nature.

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from MattM37 wrote 41 weeks 4 days ago

One thing that might be helping: I've noticed more and more attention to wild game on TV food shows, and Chef Gordon Ramsay even goes hunting and fishing on his show, "The F Word." Nor does he sugarcoat the action; they show him right there, shooting wood pigeons, using ferrets to hunt rabbits, even using a long net to nab some kind of Scottish shore-bird right out of the air. Then, of course, he goes to work cooking the critters. Good stuff.

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from bberg7794 wrote 40 weeks 2 days ago

Yes, this is great news which positively affects the future of the outdoor lifestyle we enjoy.

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from Moose1980 wrote 42 weeks 4 days ago

Adding more hunters, fishermen and wildlife watchers is always good news. Maybe people are taking a step back from our fast paced, technologically driven lives and trying to enjoy a slower pace in the outdoors every now and then. I know I love nothing more than going out into woods and turning off my phone and not have to worry about checking email!

+3 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Rtaylor376 wrote 42 weeks 4 days ago

Count me in! This is my first year actually fishing and I plan to go out hunting this season also. I hope more people explore and uncover the greatness there is out there in nature.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from MattM37 wrote 41 weeks 4 days ago

One thing that might be helping: I've noticed more and more attention to wild game on TV food shows, and Chef Gordon Ramsay even goes hunting and fishing on his show, "The F Word." Nor does he sugarcoat the action; they show him right there, shooting wood pigeons, using ferrets to hunt rabbits, even using a long net to nab some kind of Scottish shore-bird right out of the air. Then, of course, he goes to work cooking the critters. Good stuff.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from bberg7794 wrote 40 weeks 2 days ago

Yes, this is great news which positively affects the future of the outdoor lifestyle we enjoy.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from labrador12 wrote 42 weeks 4 days ago

Maybe people are hungry. If unemployment and the poor economy was influencing peoples behavior maybe hunting and fishing could supply high quality protien at low cost. Grocery prices are up, one segment of the population knows how to take advantage of their outdoor skills.

-2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

Post a Comment

 

All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.