Ohio Valley Outdoors - January 2008 Newsletter

Volume II, Number 1, January 2008

Ohio's Hunters and Anglers Have a Significant Impact on the Economy

Spending $1.9 Billion a Year

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Ohio's 1.5 million hunters and anglers are among the most prominent and influential of all demographic groups, spending more than $1.9 billion a year on hunting and fishing, according to a new report.

The new report, "Hunting and Fishing: Bright Stars of the American Economy ~ A force as big as all outdoors," spotlights the immense impact hunters and anglers have on the economy at the national and state level.

In Ohio, spending by hunters and anglers directly supports 33,000 jobs, which puts $934 million 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 $195 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.

"Because sportsmen enjoy hunting or fishing alone or in small groups, they are overlooked as a constituency and as a substantial economic force," stated Jeff Crane, president of the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation. "When you compare spending by hunters and anglers to other sectors, their impact on the state's economy becomes more tangible."

Sportsmen support as many jobs in Ohio as the combined employment of the Ohio State University and Proctor and Gamble, two of the largest employers in the state (33,000 jobs).
Annual spending by Ohio sportsmen is more than the revenues of Columbus-based Bob Evans restaurants ($1.9 billion vs. $1.6 billion).
Spending by Ohio sportsmen is more than the cash receipts for soybeans, the state's most valuable agricultural commodity ($1.9 billion vs. $1.2 billion).
Annually, Ohio sportsmen spend $108 million on outboard boats and engines to get out on the water and around the marshes for fishing and hunting.
More people hunt and fish in Ohio than attend Cleveland Cavaliers and Cincinnati Bengals games (1.5 million vs. 1.4 million).
The economic stimulus of hunting and fishing equates to an astounding $5.3 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," noted 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 a single corporation grossed as much as hunters and anglers spend, it would be among America's 20 largest, ahead of Target, Costco and AT&T. And if all hunters and anglers had voted during the last presidential election, they would have equaled 31 percent of all votes cast. If all hunters and anglers living in Ohio voted, they would have equaled 35 percent of all votes cast in the state.

These statistics are impressive and, if anything, they underestimate the impact of sportsmen since they do not take into account the millions of hunters and anglers under 16 years of age or people who were not able to get out and hunt or fish in 2006. When sportsmen's spending is thought of in business terms and compared to other sectors of the economy, it is quite remarkable. From small rural towns scattered across our country's landscape to the bottom-line of Fortune 500 companies located in major cities, if you take away hunting and fishing you take away the equivalent of a multi-billion dollar corporation.

"It is a fairly simple equation – hunters and anglers mean jobs in states and local communities that have made the effort to maintain their hunting and fishing opportunities," said Crane. "The economic impacts that sportsmen have on state economies should be a wake-up call to state governments to welcome and encourage hunting and fishing in their state."

The report, "Hunting and Fishing: Bright Stars of the American Economy ~ A force as big as all outdoors," was produced by the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation with support from the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, National Marine Manufacturers Association, National Shooting Sports Foundation and SCI - First For Hunters. The report uses the results from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation and statistics provided by the American Sportfishing Association and Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.

The report: "Hunting and Fishing: Bright Stars of the American Economy ~ A force as big as all outdoors" along with STATE FACTS are available on the Web at www.sportsmenslink.org and www.nssf.org

2008-09 Hunting Regulations Proposed To Ohio Wildlife Council

Fall turkey hunting opportunities would be expanded

COLUMBUS, OH - Ohio sportsmen will notice a few changes in next year's hunting and trapping regulations, based on proposals presented January 9 to the Ohio Wildlife Council by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

Fall turkey hunters would be able to hunt the entire season, from October 11 through November 30, with a shotgun, muzzleloading shotgun, bow or crossbow. This proposal adds 35 days to fall turkey gun hunting. Nine additional northeast Ohio counties would also be open for fall turkey hunting, bringing the total to 46 counties statewide. A map of counties open to hunting is available at wildohio.com.

September 1 is again proposed as the kick-off date for the state's fall hunting seasons--with the opening of squirrel, dove, Canada goose, rail, moorhen and snipe hunting. Other proposed hunting and trapping rules and season dates will be similar to those now in effect, with only slight changes to fall hunting dates.

Proposals concerning Ohio's white-tailed deer hunting will be heard during a separate wildlife council meeting on February 6. This will follow state wildlife biologists' assessment of the 2007-08 deer season, which ends on February 3. Those results will affect suggested modifications to current zone boundaries and bag limits for next season.

Open houses will be held on Sunday, March 2 in each of the state's five wildlife district offices to provide the public an opportunity to view and discuss proposed hunting and trapping regulations with state wildlife officials. Directions to the open houses can be obtained by calling 1-800-WILDLIFE or visiting wildohio.com on the Internet.

A statewide hearing on all the proposed rules will be held at 9 a.m., Thursday, March 6 at the wildlife division's District One Office, located at 1500 Dublin Road in Columbus. After considering public input, the Ohio Wildlife Council will vote on the proposed rules and season dates during its April 2 meeting.

22 Caliber Fun Shoot

Ohio Valley Outdoors continues the weekly 22 handgun fun shoot on Wednesdays at 6PM. Come join us for some friendly competition with your 22 caliber pistol or revolver. Cost is $5 for range members and $7 for non-members.

Each participant will be timed while shooting down 6 targets in a gallery style setup. Prizes will be awarded for the fastest single round and the fastest overall. We will continue shooting rounds until the range closes. Total number of rounds will be based on number of participants.

No registration is required. Please stop by or call (740) 654-1956 for more information. Click here to read about our Fun Shoot in The Lancaster Eagle Gazette.

Firearms Training

Concealed Carry Training

Our next classes are scheduled for January 19, February 9, March 1, March 15, and March 29. Call or stop by now to register, class size is limited. Cost for the Course is $149.99 and includes all necessary equipment. For more information, visit our website at www.ovoutdoors.com and click on Training.

Women's Introduction to Handguns

Ohio Valley Outdoors is now offering an introduction to handguns course specifically tailored for the new female shooter who is interested in learning more about the sport of handgun shooting.

This course will be held on the last Thursday of each month, from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. Each class is limited to 10 participants to ensure personal attention. The 2 hour course will include classroom and range time and will cover the basics of pistol and revolver design, safety standards, principals of shooting, and live fire time. Bring your own handgun or we can provide one for you.

Cost: $39.99 with your handgun, $49.99 with use of a range gun

Next scheduled class is Thursday, January 31.

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