A new study shows that wildlife related activities such as hunting, fishing, and wildlife watching are creating more jobs in the U.S and in Utah, adding more than three billion dollars to the U.S economy.
In the past few years, 270,000 visits have occurred on Utah’s government owned land.
Jason Porter, Cabela’s General Manager, attributed the rise in sales to out-of-staters coming to hunt. “People come out of state to actually hunt out here, and they buy out-of-state tags. All that revenue goes right to the department of natural resources,” he said.
Some frequent hunters, like Brett McEvoy, understand the price you have to pay to enjoy a good hunting season. “I pay around 1,000 or 1,500 dollars every year,” he said.
Not only do hunting tags contribute to an increase in state revenue, but merchandise from outdoor stores also bring cash into the commercial sector.
“When people come here it’s like they always forgot something. For any trip that you go on, whether it’s a vacation, hunting trip or fishing trip, you’re bound to forget something. As a result, you end up coming here to pick it up,” said Porter.
“We just bought some binoculars, outdoor clothing, and accessories from Cabela’s,” said McEvoy.
In every season, there’s always something to buy. The study shows that the numbers will only continue to rise, adding extra protection to Utah’s wildlife lands.