As some of us may have realized, surveys are only as reliable as the manner in which they are conducted. While some are manipulated to produce desired results, others can be downright helpful predicting trends. One national survey conducted every five years since 1955 details wildlife-related participation and purchases nationwide: The National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation.
Results are based on data collected from 22,416 households by the U.S. Census Bureau. Samples of 5,782 potential anglers and hunters and 6,231 potential wildlife watchers (5,303 of whom were the same people) were given detailed interviews about their participation and expenditures.
What follows are some of the unadulterated findings of the survey. In 2016, more than 101 million Americans – a staggering 40 percent of the U.S. population – participated in some form of fishing, hunting or other wildlife-associated recreation such as birdwatching or outdoor photography. And in doing so, Americans spent an estimated $156.3 billion on equipment, travel, licenses and fees. These expenditures represent 1 percent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product – creating and supporting thousands of jobs and communities across the nation.
More than 35.8 million Americans went fishing in 2016, while 11.5 million hunted and 86 million watched wildlife. This means that 14 percent of Americans 16 years of age or older fished, 5 percent hunted and 35 percent participated in wildlife watching. However, even with all the relatively recent incentives and programs to get our youths away from their smartphones, hunting numbers continue a downward trend that began decades ago. And, if it were not for the tremendous amounts of money contributed to the economy for wildlife conservation efforts, it’s easy to see how hunters themselves could become extinct.
Although such a notion is reason for celebration in some circles, the vast majority of Americans still support ethical hunting, as a means to manage wildlife. The system of licensing and taxing outdoor equipment funds efforts to improve our ever-shrinking habitat and access to the outdoors. Without this all-important stream of revenue and the on-the-ground efforts of hunters, unwanted wildlife encounters would increase substantially.
One only needs to look at how the City of Ann Arbor’s approach to deer over-population was handled: hired guns. So, instead of having hunters pay for the privilege of removing deer, authorities have budgeted a whopping $258,545 in 2017 to kill or sterilize some 150 deer. Simple math indicates a cost of over $1700 per deer.
Those are real tax dollars and if extrapolated to cover the cost of the 348,000 deer taken by Michigan hunters in year 2016, the cost to Michigan taxpayers would be $599,917,200 with the net effect being much more costly when one considers the loss of current hunters’ revenue.
The number of people buying Michigan licenses in 2016 decreased by 3.1% from 2015 and portends an obvious dilemma for the future of wildlife management, as it does elsewhere in the nation.
Instead of contributing to the decline in tradition, as well as common sense, we can mentor youngsters in the ways of sportsmen and women and bring about change one person at a time. Apart from financial benefits, we can each promote lessons in safe gun handling, respect for laws and game management, healthy living and interactive bonding. It’s our choice.
