1.5 Million Arizonans Participated In Wildlife-Related Recreation
(And Spent $2.1 Billion While Doing So)

PHOENIX – During 2006, 1.5 million people over the age of 16 spent $2.1 billion while participating in wildlife-related recreation in Arizona. Nationally, 87.5 million Americans spent more than $122 billion on wildlife-related recreation.

Those are the figures from the recently released 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation for Arizona compiled by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The national survey is broken down into individual state reports.

The Arizona-specific report was recently released and can be viewed at http://library.fws.gov/nat_survey2006_arizona.pdf. The national survey can be accessed online at http://library.fws.gov/nat_survey2006_final.pdf

“Wildlife-associated and vital recreation — activities such as hunting, fishing and birding — also provide significant financial support for wildlife conservation in our nation’s economy,” said H. Dale Hall, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The national survey is conducted every five years and is a snapshot in time of one year. It tells how many people participated in hunting, fishing or wildlife watching.

But, it does not tell how many hunters, anglers, and wildlife watchers there are because not everyone participates in these outdoor pursuits each and every year. For instance, it is estimated that 33 percent more anglers and hunters participated in at least one of the four years prior to the 2006 survey.

“Arizona’s habitats support an extremely high diversity of wildlife species,” said Arizona Game and Fish Director Duane Shroufe. “Wildlife-associated recreation is not only a considerable component fueling this state’s economic engine, but also it  provides Arizonans a terrific quality of life to enjoy.”

The survey shows that in 2006, 422,000 anglers in Arizona spent 4 .1 million days fishing, while spending $593 million in pursuit of this popular outdoor endeavor.
“We can expect those participation and economic numbers to possibly increase significantly this year,” said Fisheries Chief Kirk Young, “We are expecting the best fishing in 25 years or so thanks to abundant rainfall and snowfall so far this winter in Arizona and in the western Rockies.

There are more reasons than ever before to go fishing this year.”
During 2006, 159,000 hunters in Arizona enjoyed 1.5 million days hunting while spending more than $322 million in pursuit of this healthful outdoor activity. As with fishing, tremendous rainfall and snowpack in Arizona this year have significantly improved the immediate future’s hunting outlook, especially for small game.

“Thanks to the tremendous green-up, we are expecting a good quail hunting year in 2008, whereas for 2006 as well as 2007, quail hunting was at a low ebb. Hunters turn out in great numbers to experience good quail hunting opportunities,” said Game Chief Leonard Ordway.

Wildlife watching, which includes such activities as wildlife photography and bird watching, drew 1,277,000 participants in 2006 who spent $838 million in Arizona. “Wildlife watching is a popular pastime for people. But, it has helped bolster a burgeoning nature tourism industry in Arizona as well,” said Joe Yarchin, the watchable wildlife coordinator for the Game and Fish Department.

Hall points out that in the 75-year history of the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration programs, excise taxes on firearms, ammunition, archery, and angling equipment have generated more than $10 billion for wildlife conservation efforts by state and territorial wildlife agencies.