The United States is one of the richest countries for natural resources in the world. Americans have been taking advantage of the change to explore, hunt, fish and enjoy the verdant forests, scenic areas and abundant wildlife by spending more than $93.5 billion in 2016. Expenditures covered gear, licenses, travel, clothing, gas and more.
The American Sportfishing Association, National Shooting Sports Foundation and the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) released a series of reports stating that expenditures on hunting, target shooting and sportfishing gear and services in 2016 generated $72 billion in salaries and wages, as well as supporting 1.6 million jobs.
Nearly $20 billion was also generated in state, local and federal taxes. These revenues generally go to conservation efforts and educational programs that improve the outdoor areas many of the sportsmen and women enjoy. According to Rob Southwick, the president of Southwick Associates, if hunting, fishing and target shooting were compared to a corporation, the business would rank 25th on the Fortune 500 list.
“Hunting, angling, and the shooting sports continue to be a critical and significant contributor to the nation’s economy, and to the conservation of our nation’s natural resources through the American System of Conservation Funding,” said CSF President Jeff Crane. “CSF looks forward to continuing to work with our partners and policy-makers to enhance our outdoor sporting traditions through federal and state policies.”
The 2018 edition of the America’s Sporting Heritage: Fueling the American Economy report is currently available online.
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