The Impact of Hunters

Without hunters... 

• The U.S. economy would lose out on nearly $9.4 million every day (National Sportsman Shooting Foundation, “Hunting in America- An Economic Force for Conservation”)

• More than $3.4 billion of conservation funding would be lost, nearly 70% of the total budget. (National Sportsman Shooting Foundation, “Hunting in America- An Economic Force for Conservation”)

• The U.S. government would not benefit from the large sum of excise taxes paid by hunters- over $11 billion since 1937 (NSSF, “Key Facts About Hunters and Shooters”)

• State funds would lose the $100 million contributed by hunters every year (NSSF, “Key Facts About Hunters and Shooters”)

• In the United States, 680,000 jobs generated by sportsman would be gone. (NSSF, “Key Facts About Hunters and Shooters”)

• $20 billion paid by sportsman for on the ground conservation projects in every state would be lost. (Congressional Sportsmen Foundation, “America’s Sporting Heritage”)

• The following American animal populations would not have seen the dramatic increase in the last 50-100 years without the help of hunter’s conservation funds… (Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, “25 Reasons Why Hunting is Conservation)
  • White-tailed deer: increased from 500 thousand to 32 million
  • Ducks/waterfowl: increased from extremely few to 46 million
  • Rocky mountain elk: increased from 41 thousand to 1 million
  • Wild turkeys: increased from 100 thousand to 7 million
  • Pronghorn Antelope: 12 thousand to 1 million

• Namibia would not have been able to implement their extremely effective anti-poaching program (Conservation Force, “Namibia’s Rhino Conservation Success)

• Protected wildlife areas in Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe would be reduced to anywhere from 40% to even 16% of its current size. (Conservation Force, “The Surprising Benefits of Safari Lion Hunting”)

• African economies would lose out on over $200 million dollars of revenue each year (Conservation Force, “Community Benefits from Tourist Safari Hunting”)

• Anti-ivory poaching programs would lose out on bedrock funding (Conservation Force, “Benefits to Elephant Conservation From Safari Hunting”)

• In Tanzania, 56% of protected lion habitat would be gone. (Conservation Force, “The Surprising Benefits of Safari Lion Hunting”)

• In the U.S. the number of auto accidents involving deer could increase 218% (International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, “Potential Costs of Losing Hunting and Trapping as Wildlife Management Methods”)

• Taxpayers would have to pay upwards of $9.3 billion dollars each year for deer control (International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, “Potential Costs of Losing Hunting and Trapping as Wildlife Management Methods”)

• Americans would have to pay an additional $265 million each year to control damage to homes done by furbearers including beavers. (International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, “Potential Costs of Losing Hunting and Trapping as Wildlife Management Methods”)

• Costs incurred by wildlife-related crop damage would increase 3 billion dollars annually. (International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, “Potential Costs of Losing Hunting and Trapping as Wildlife Management Methods”)

• An increase in healthcare and disease control for rabies would cost an estimated 1.45 billion each year. (International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, “Potential Costs of Losing Hunting and Trapping as Wildlife Management Methods”)

• Those who prefer to eat lean, “free-range” meat that has not gone through the chemical treatments of grocery store meat, would find themselves with far fewer options.

• Needy families in the U.S. would no longer receive help from non-profits run by hunters such as North Carolina Hunters for the Hungry, and Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry.

• 6 million acres of duck habitat conserved through Duck Stamp funds would be lost. (Ducks Unlimited, “Federal Duck Stamp”)