vermont sportsman spend money in this state

[Jason Waterhouse]

Vermont's Hunters and Anglers Have a Significant Impact on the Economy
Spending $258 Million a Year

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Vermont's 91,000 hunters and anglers are among the
most prominent and influential of all demographic groups, spending more
than $258 million a year on hunting and fishing, according to a new
report.

The new report, "Hunting and Fishing: Bright Stars of the American
Economy ~ A force as big as all outdoors," spotlights the immense impact
hunters and anglers have on the economy at the national and state level.


In Vermont, spending by hunters and anglers directly supports 3,500
jobs, which puts $108 million worth of paychecks into pockets of working
residents around the state. Of course, government coffers also benefit
-- spending by sportsmen in pursuit of these outdoor activities
generates $20 million in state and local taxes. These latest figures
demonstrate that season after season hunters and anglers are driving the
economy from big businesses to rural towns, through booms and
recessions.

"Because sportsmen enjoy hunting or fishing alone or in small groups,
they are overlooked as a constituency and as a substantial economic
force," stated Jeff Crane, president of the Congressional Sportsmen's
Foundation. "When you compare spending by hunters and anglers to other
sectors, their impact on the state's economy becomes more tangible."

· Sportsmen support more jobs in Vermont than Mt. Snow and Okemo Ski
Resorts combined (3,500 jobs vs. 3,000).
· Annual spending by Vermont sportsmen is more than two and a half times
the revenues of iTech US, Dealer.com, Anichini and Hubbardton Forge, the
fastest growing companies in Vermont. ($258 million vs. $90.6 million).
· Annual spending by Vermont sportsmen is more than twice the combined
cash receipts for cattle, greenhouse/nursery, hay and maple products -
four of the state's top five agricultural commodities ($258 million vs.
$105 million).
· Vermont sportsmen outnumber the populations of Burlington, South
Burlington, Rutland, Barre and Montpelier (91,000 vs. 90,000).
· The economic stimulus of hunting and fishing equates to an astounding
$706,000 a day being pumped into the state's economy.

"Spending by sportsmen benefits not only the manufacturers of hunting
and fishing related products, but everything from local mom and pop
businesses to wildlife conservation," noted Doug Painter, president of
National Shooting Sports Foundation. "And because most hunting and
fishing takes place in rural areas, much of the spending benefits less
affluent parts of the state."

On the national level, 34 million sportsmen age 16 and older spent more
than $76 billion in 2006, supporting 1.6 million jobs. If a single
corporation grossed as much as hunters and anglers spend, it would be
among America's 20 largest, ahead of Target, Costco and AT&T. And if all
hunters and anglers had voted during the last presidential election,
they would have equaled 31 percent of all votes cast. If all hunters and
anglers living in Vermont voted, they would have equaled 47 percent of
all votes cast in the state.

These statistics are impressive and, if anything, they underestimate the
impact of sportsmen since they do not take into account the millions of
hunters and anglers under 16 years of age or people who were not able to
get out and hunt or fish in 2006. When sportsmen's spending is thought
of in business terms and compared to other sectors of the economy, it is
quite remarkable.
From small rural towns scattered across our country's
landscape to the bottom-line of Fortune 500 companies located in major
cities, if you take away hunting and fishing you take away the
equivalent of a multi-billion dollar corporation.

"It is a fairly simple equation – hunters and anglers mean jobs in
states and local communities that have made the effort to maintain their
hunting and fishing opportunities," said Crane. "The economic impacts
that sportsmen have on state economies should be a wake-up call to state
governments to welcome and encourage hunting and fishing in their
state."

The report, "Hunting and Fishing: Bright Stars of the American Economy ~
A force as big as all outdoors," was produced by the Congressional
Sportsmen’s Foundation with support from the Alliance of Automobile
Manufacturers, National Marine Manufacturers Association, National
Shooting Sports Foundation and SCI - First For Hunters. The report uses
the results from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2006 National
Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation and
statistics provided by the American Sportfishing Association and
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.

The report along with STATE FACTS are available on the Web at
www.nssf.org/07report

[pete richardson]

[Jason Waterhouse]