What Anti-gun Activists Don’t Realize about Hunting

Anti-gun activists fail to realize that guns are part of a hunting culture necessary to preserve our nation’s wildlife and natural beauty.

Hunting licenses, tags and permits help generate revenue used for natural conservation and wildlife management.

“Today the outdoor recreation industry contributes $887 billion to our national economy annually, creates 7.6 million direct jobs, and generates $124.5 billion in federal, state, and local tax revenue,” according to the National Wildlife Federation.

Many people enjoy the natural beauty of our country, but few realize the cost of maintaining it.

In some states, hunting has decreased drastically in proportion to population. In Idaho, for example, the population has grown by about 400,000 people while hunting license holders decreased by 3 percent from 217,514 license holders in 2000 to 209,967 license holders in 2018.

That is why Idaho Fish and Game has pioneered its own marketing department—because people in Idaho realize the immense value hunting has for nature and the community.

Some of the values associated with hunting are mentorship, personal development and healthy cuisine.

Hunting is inclusive to women and people from all walks of life and varied age groups. 

New hunters are also being attracted by “a desire for adventure and new challenges to a love for the environment or gourmet game-based dishes.”

Blind anti-gun activism will affect America’s hunters and the beautiful rugged wildernesses that so many people enjoy thanks to the revenues generated by responsible hunting on the land.

It is important to realize that guns are used for purposes that are vital to the infrastructure of our nation.

Now is the time to support local hunting and encourage that this tradition be passed on to future generations.

In addition to Idaho Fish and Game, the First Hunt Foundation is working actively across multiple states to encourage hunting and pass on the tradition to youth. 

Nature is for everyone and has no political party. It is our shared human responsibility to ensure that nature conservation and wildlife management can continue to keep America the Beautiful worthy of that name in the future.

Anti-gun activists should consider how their actions could affect ecosystems instead of focusing on political rivalry.