The Role of Arizona's Sportsmen in Wildlife Conservation
As our national populations increase and fewer people recreate outdoors, declining participation in hunting and angling represents a significant threat to wildlife conservation in Arizona. Because no state general fund monies are used for wildlife conservation in Arizona (in many states, general taxpayers do not pay for wildlife conservation), reduced numbers of hunters and anglers in the field means fewer dollars are available for wildlife and habitat conservation and management. This is perhaps the greatest threat facing modern conservation efforts in North America.
An article posted on NPR titled “Decline in Hunters Threatens How U.S. Pays for Conservation” in March 2018 by Nathan Rott as heard on “All Things Considered” outlines further information on this threat to conservation efforts: https://www.npr.org/2018/03/20/593001800/decline-in-hunters-threatens-how-u-s-pays-for-conservation.
Arizona's sportsmen and women, however, do contribute to wildlife and habitat conservation and management in many ways:
- Arizona sportsmen and women generated $56.74 million in 2019 with hunting and fishing licenses, together with excise taxes collected on purchased hunting, shooting, fishing and boating equipment.
- Arizona hunters and anglers spend $1.3 billion a year. Their spending directly supports 21,000 jobs and generates $124 million in state and local taxes. This especially benefits rural communities.
- Sportsmen and women support nearly twice as many jobs in Arizona as Raytheon, one of the state’s largest employers (21,000 jobs versus 11,000 jobs).
- Annual spending by Arizona sportsmen is nearly three times more than the combined revenues of The Go Daddy Group, Sprouts Farmers Market and Cold Stone Creamery, which are some of the state’s fastest growing companies ($1.3 billion versus $481 million).
- The economic stimulus of hunting and fishing equates to $3.8 million a day being pumped into the state’s economy.