Look at all the money that NY hunting and fishing generates along with jobs......
http://www.nypost.com/seven/09242008...day_130448.htm

HUNTERS AND ANGLERS READY FOR THEIR 'DAY'

NATIONAL Hunting and Fishing Day will be celebrated on Saturday throughout the country, but I wonder how many of you are aware of the contributions that sportsmen and women make to the Empire State.

Everyone knows about the great traditions and family values that make hunting and fishing special, but few really understand the huge conservation and economic benefits.

New York's 1.2 million hunters and anglers are among the most prominent and influential of all demographic groups, spending more than $1.8 billion a year on hunting and fishing, according to one report.

In New York, spending by hunters and anglers directly supports 28,000 jobs, which puts $1 billion 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 $250 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.

The economic stimulus of hunting and fishing equates to $5 million 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," said 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 all hunters and anglers living in New York voted, they would have equaled 22 percent of all votes cast in the state.


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Sometimes the best way to appreciate a privilege is to imagine life without it.

In recognition of American soldiers serving far from home this autumn, the U.S. Army is hosting a National Hunting and Fishing Day celebration at its Heidelberg Rod and Gun Club near the U.S. military base in Heidelberg, Germany.

This lone overseas commemoration of National Hunting and Fishing Day is set for Saturday to coincide with hundreds of events across the U.S.

Visit www.nhfday.org for an event in your area.