Hunting vs Birding and Wildlife Watching

June 2012
Peter M. W. Murray

•Birding and Wildlife watching contributed $38.4 billion dollars to the nation’s economy in 2001. This resulted in $95.8 billion added to the economy, accounted for over 1 million jobs and 13 billion in tax revenue.
•Birdwatching is the fastest growing form of outdoor recreation….up 236 % from 1982- 2001. Birders spent $32 billion, generating $85 billion of economic benefits to the country, produced $13 billion of tax revenue and accounted for 863,406 jobs.
•Hunting and Fishing contributed $24.8 billion to the nation’s economy in 2001. This added $67 billion to the economy and accounted for over 575,000 jobs. $2.3 billion in taxes were generated by this sector of the economy.(Int Ass of Fish and Wildlife Agencies)
•2010 Yellowstone had 3,640,205 visitors.
•$2.5 billion was spent by tourists in Montana in 2010.

Photo copyright Jim Robertson