Saturday Is National Hunting and Fishing Day…Thank Your Local Hunter/Angler

An entire day devoted to the things we love…hunting, fishing and shooting sports.   Cool!  Yep, September 24th will be the National day we honor our hunters and anglers and these time honored traditions that are a large part of what makes America…well…America!

Just a quick reminder as to what just your local hunter provides society…

KEY FACTS

In the U.S. Anglers spend over $40 billion annually and hunters over $26 billion annually to support their hunting and fishing needs!  Now that is the original “economic stimulus package!” Several $billion is put back into conservation each  year.   The result….a lot habitat, wild places for wild things across this great Country.

Hunters alone have paid over $6.8 billion in excise taxes since the program began in 1937 with the Pittman-Robertson Act!   Yep, every time a hunter purchases a new rifle, handgun, shotgun, ammunition, etc., 10% of that purchase goes back to state fish and wildlife agencies to manage wildlife.  The same is true to fishing tackle purchases from the Dingwell-Johnson Act of 1950. 

Not only doe these industries generate $billions, they also generate over 1 million jobs in the U.S….jobs that help conservation!  Because of these funds and many of these jobs generated, the U.S. is able to  maintain one of the greatest models of conservation the world has ever known.  This model has brought back many species of wildlife from near extinction over the last 75 years.   Just a few success stories include:

WHITE-TAILED DEER                              THEN 500,000
In 1900, less than half a million white-tailed deer remained in the nation. Today,
conservation programs have returned the whitetail population to some 32 million.
Source: Bowhunter Magazine, 2009  NOW 32,000,000
DUCKS/WATERFOWL                         THEN FEW
In 1901, few ducks remained. Today, there are more than 44 million ducks populating the
United States and Canada.
Source: USFWS, 2009                         NOW 44,000,000
ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK                                                    THEN 41,000
In 1907, only about 41,000 elk could be counted in the United States. Today,
populations in 23 states total approximately 1 million.
Source: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, 2009      NOW 1,000,000
WILD TURKEYS                                                                                                                           THEN 100,000
By the early 1900’s, encroaching civilization and habitat loss may have reduced the wild turkey
population to under 100,000. Today, conservation programs have restored the population to
more than 7 million birds. Source: National Wild Turkey Federation, 2009    NOW 7,000,000
PRONGHORN ANTELOPE                                          THEN 12,000
About 50 years ago, the total U.S. population of pronghorn was only about 12,000. Today,
conservation programs have helped increase the population to more than one million.
Source: Texas Parks and Wildlife, 2007             NOW 1,100,000

Thank you hunter, angler and shooting sports enthusiasts!  You have made a huge impact to Nebraska each year and we appreciate it.

Get Em’ Out There

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