NWTF Concerned with USFWS Findings on Hunting Participation

By Ammoland Editor Joe Evans

EDGEFIELD, S.C. -(Ammoland.com)- The National Wild Turkey Federation is concerned with the 16-percent decrease in hunting participation reported in the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2016 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, but is optimistic that increased hunting-related Recruitment, Retention and Reactivation programs are a viable solution to reach the 101.6 million ages 16 and up who enjoyed outdoor recreation in 2016.

“The NWTF has championed R3 hunting efforts and will continue to do so knowing that hunting participation and funding for wildlife conservation are tied together,” said NWTF CEO Becky Humphries. “We have helped establish R3 coordinators in several states who are already making a difference, we are collaborating with industry partners to develop programing aimed at reaching families, college students and military and we are advocating for policy changes in Washington to preserve wild places and wildlife. Working together, we will be sure to Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt.”

Though preliminary findings report hunting participation dropped from 13.7 million to 11.5 million and hunting-related purchases fell 29 percent to $25.6 billion, not all news was grim.

Fishing participation grew 2.7 million to a total of 35.8 million, …Read the Rest

Source:: AmmoLand