Fish, wildlife and Washington’s economy (Links to report added)

[Kain]

http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01145/wdfw_01145.pdf

[dirty24d]

You guys are gonna have to excuse my french on this one   

THATS ALOTTA FAWKING MOOLA!!!  WOW!!!

[Malottguy]

Interesting read. Makes you wonder even more why sportsman are dinged so much all the time.

[Lowedog]

How do they come up with $1.5 billion and 26,000 jobs for wildlife watching?  Is there a wildlife watching license I don't know about? 

[Gringo31]

I got a bad attitude on this but I call BS.

They have screwed with the numbers to make hunting look not as attractive.  The bird watching BS is a prime example.  I don't think anyone spends more money on the outdoors than hunters.  Gas, food, camping gear, binos....hell, everything those others guys carry as well as a tag, rifle, knife, rangefinder etc.  We travel farther, fill up more hotels.......

BS, BS, BS

[kckrawler]

I got a bad attitude on this but I call BS.

They have screwed with the numbers to make hunting look not as attractive.  The bird watching BS is a prime example.  I don't think anyone spends more money on the outdoors than hunters.  Gas, food, camping gear, binos....hell, everything those others guys carry as well as a tag, rifle, knife, rangefinder etc.  We travel farther, fill up more hotels.......

BS, BS, BS

 

I'm taking a wild guess here but they must be taking wildlife protection and habitat away from us hunters and grouping it in with the bird watchers...there's just no other way that I can think of that they create that much revenue 

[BIGINNER]

well,  we all buy binos, right?  i bet they classify that as wildlife wiewing.  heck they probably even clasify rifle scopes as wildlife viewing.  all camping gear is most likely classified as wildlife viewing. any money we spend outside of hunting season. (scouting) is probably classified as wildlife viewing.  how much people will be buyinh the discover cards this year?  i bet all the money spent on the dicover pass will be classified as wildife viewers. 

[Gringo31]

Scouting for hunting areas during the summer I'm guessing wouldn't be classified as hunting either.

[sebek556]

problems with reports like this one, its the interpretation of the data importer on what goes to what. binos goto bird watchers, land access off hunting season goes to hikers and such. Anyone could do this and come up with way different numbers. Also does it take into account for internet sales? I am not ashamed to admit hunting is a expensive passion so if I can save a few bucks online or ebay I do it. really doubt i am the only one who does.

[Gringo31]

You are right!

My issue is that I believe the pressure is to get rid of true management and hunting in general.  I believe we are seeing the process of limiting public ground, jacking up prices, and coming up with BS data that proves that it just isn't worth it.   

[DBHAWTHORNE]

Thanks for posting that. This is definitely an outrage and obviously an incorrect interpretation of the data. If they were to make hunting illegal for one year I am sure they would find the economic loss is much larger than $313 million

[Glockster]

Did you answer 'yes' to the "while afield hunting this year, did you enjoy seeing any non target species?" question?

If so, you and your hunting expenditures were counted on the "wildlife watcher" side of the ledger. 

Of course here in WA we have to be used to watching animals we used to be able to pull triggers on....spring bears, non-'true spikes', branch antlered bulls, spike and fork mule deer, sub 4 pt whitetails, etc etc.

[Dave Workman]

 

Well, gents...you have just supplied me with my next GUN RIGHTS EXAMINER column.

2 years ago.. I watched this 5-point bull through my binoculars walking through my camp on the LT Murray.  That qualifies me as a "wildlife watcher," which is exactly what the frigging Department of NO Fish and NO (Harvestable) Wildlife wants us to become.

[Curly]

As soon as I'm able to retire I'm moving out of this state so I don't have to pay attention to the crap that the Dept of NO Fish and No Wildlife keeps trying to feed us.

[Wacenturion]

Hunting $313 million 5,595 jobs
Sport Fishing $1.1 billion 14,655 jobs
Wildlife Watching $1.5 billion 26,000 jobs

Gee...watching wildlife brings in more revenue and creates more jobs than hunting and fishing combined.  If that's the case how come we are yet to see...Wholesale Watchers, Cabelas Light, or any form of Tweety Bird Retail stores.

They must really think we fell off the hay wagon.  Total B.S.

[Wenatcheejay]

Did you answer 'yes' to the "while afield hunting this year, did you enjoy seeing any non target species?" question?

If so, you and your hunting expenditures were counted on the "wildlife watcher" side of the ledger. 

Of course here in WA we have to be used to watching animals we used to be able to pull triggers on....spring bears, non-'true spikes', branch antlered bulls, spike and fork mule deer, sub 4 pt whitetails, etc etc.

I learned a long time ago that in this State any and all surveys can and will be used against YOU your SPORT, your BUSINESS, and your FREEDOM. They exist for Pencil Pushing agenda driven Anti's to use statistics to explain why you do not really matter. (Unless you are in favor of the desired outcome.)

[Kain]

National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation (FHWAR)
http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/fishing.html

Washington Report
http://www.census.gov/prod/2008pubs/fhw06-wa.pdf

Errata
http://www.census.gov/prod/2008pubs/fhw06-errata.pdf

Thread with a related survey..
http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,77071.0.html

[Dave Workman]

Hunting $313 million 5,595 jobs
Sport Fishing $1.1 billion 14,655 jobs
Wildlife Watching $1.5 billion 26,000 jobs

Gee...watching wildlife brings in more revenue and creates more jobs than hunting and fishing combined.  If that's the case how come we are yet to see...Wholesale Watchers, Cabelas Light, or any form of Tweety Bird Retail stores.

They must really think we fell off the hay wagon.  Total B.S.

Once again, very insightful.
I just sent an e-mail to Phil Anderson, calling B.S. on the data.

USFWS comes up with this data from where?

There are no federal or state wildlife watching licenses or permits, so how the (pick your favorite expletive) do they know? I asked if all the revenues from the sale of binoculars are counted. I asked if "wildlife watching" encompasses all the poor schmucks who are forced to watch big bull elk and spike and 2-point muley bucks trot away because they are not legal to shoot.

I'm with you. I think this is B.S. and the data is simply incredulous.

[bearpaw]

There is a designated wildlife watching area that I frequented several times this May to glass for bear. I was there a half dozen times while hunting bear, I saw a border patrol vehicle there 3 or 4 times, I saw no one else there. I guess I count as a wildlife watcher....

[bearpaw]

Sorry I need to add something else.

Several times a year you will see "Welcome Hunters" posted on signs of businesses throughout Stevens County. I can not remember in my lifetime here, of ever seeing a sign that says "Welcome Wildlife Watchers.... LMAO 

[washelkhntr]

 

[bearpaw]

Our local Chamber of Commerce has figured out that hunting is good business for this county. You will see signs up fall or spring in Colville and other area communities welcoming hunters. Our Chamber even buys ads in the hunting regs and goes to sport shows to attract hunters.

[Dave Workman]

I put this in the Wolf thread, too, but it applies here also.
Bearpaw...you're quoted in it.



Alarmed WA hunters doing the math on wolf program

 The Washington Fish & Wildlife Commission meets tomorrow at the Natural Resources building in Olympia to unveil and review the current version of a proposed wolf recovery program, an effort this state’s big game hunters see as a plan that will ultimately doom their hunting tradition.

http://www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-seattle/alarmed-wa-hunters-doing-the-math-on-wolf-program

[BIGINNER]

I WONDER HOW MUCH MORE THE NUMBERS WILL BE SCREWED UP WITH THE DISCOVER PASS..
THE PASS IS GOING TO GENERATE LOTS OF MONEY.  AND I'M ALMOST POSITIVE THAT ALL THAT MONEY WILL BE TAGGED TO WILDIFE VIEWING. 

[Wenatcheejay]

I put this in the Wolf thread, too, but it applies here also.
Bearpaw...you're quoted in it.



Alarmed WA hunters doing the math on wolf program

 The Washington Fish & Wildlife Commission meets tomorrow at the Natural Resources building in Olympia to unveil and review the current version of a proposed wolf recovery program, an effort this state’s big game hunters see as a plan that will ultimately doom their hunting tradition.

http://www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-seattle/alarmed-wa-hunters-doing-the-math-on-wolf-program

Excellent,

Thank You!

It states my opinion exactly.

[Dave Workman]

 

Excellent,

Thank You!

It states my opinion exactly.

Feel free to forward the links to anyone and everyone in the hunting community.

Thank you for your kind comment.

[Malottguy]

Very well worded and you hit it on the head how we are all feeling. Thank you for the writeup.

[Kain]

Participation in Washington
The 2006 Survey found that 2.7 million
Washington residents and nonresidents
16 years old and older fi shed, hunted,
or wildlife watched in Washington. Of
the total number of participants, 736
thousand fi shed, 182 thousand hunted,
and 2.3 million participated in wildlife -
watching activities, which include
observing, feeding, and photographing
wildlife. The sum of anglers, hunters,
and wildlife watchers exceeds the total
number of participants in wildlife -
related recreation because many
 individuals engaged in more than
one wildlife-related activity.

Wildlife Watchers
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2.3 million
 Away from home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   959 thousand
 Around the home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   1.9 million

They are counting 2 million people that "watch" wildlife around their homes.  How does that add to the economy other than some bird seed and feeders? 

[Sumpnneedskillin]

If you went to Oak Creek to check out the bulls guess what you just got counted as a "wildlife watcher".

[Sumpnneedskillin]

So I did some reading of the reports. 

If you feed the birds in your yard you're a wildlife watcher.  According to the numbers "at home" wildlife watchers are defined as:
This group includes those who participated within 1 mile of home and involves one or more of the following:
(1) closely observing or trying to identify birds or other wildlife; (2) photographing wildlife; (3) feeding birds or
other wildlife; (4) maintaining natural areas of at least 1/4 acre where benefit to wildlife is the primary concern; (5) maintaining plantings (shrubs, agricultural crops, etc.) where benefi t to wildlife is the primary concern; or (6)
visiting public parks within 1 mile of home for the primary purpose of observing, feeding, or photographing
wildlife.

These people account for 1.9 million of the wildlife watchers.

Fishermen spend an average of $1210
Hunters spend an average of $1688
Watchers spend an average of $563

So if you remove the 1.9 million the total spent by watchers is $540 million instead of $1.5 billion.

[Elkaholic daWg]

 
"The sum of anglers, hunters,
and wildlife watchers exceeds the total
number of participants in wildlife -
related recreation because many
 individuals engaged in more than
one wildlife-related activity"

So it looks like if you are a hunter,you are automatically counted as a wildlife watcher, eh?

[Gringo31]

Very well worded and you hit it on the head how we are all feeling. Thank you for the writeup.