Hunters give Pennsylvania economy a shot in the arm

[Township75]

For little more than $1,000, Kenny McHenry bought himself one kick-butt vacation in the middle of Pennsylvania's deer hunting season.
The heating and cooling salesman bagged a seven-point buck and a doe that bound into his gun sights during a weeklong stay at Raccoon Creek State Park in Beaver County. To make it happen, McHenry, 35, of Bradenton, Fla., spent liberally in western Pennsylvania, a region desperate for tourist and leisure-time dollars.

McHenry and his wife Tracy, 36, are unsparing examples of the outdoor enthusiasts supporting Pennsylvania's flourishing hunting industry, which generates more than $1.5 billion annually, according to a study examining the statewide dividends of wildlife pursuits. Throw in anglers and the total rises well above $2.5 billion annually.

Raccoon Township, population 3,300, draws 500,000 people each year to the 7,500-acre park, which features 5,000 acres of open hunting land. The November-December hunting season in 2003 brought 58,500 visitors; this year, the number is expected to be higher. The deer hunting season ended Saturday.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/trib/regional/s_282455.html

An interesting article. People often do not realize how much hunting and fishing can put into an economy. I think there is an opportunity for sportsmen to have a much more influential voice in politics if there were an organization that was devoted to conservation, hunting/fishing rights, and gun rights...unfortunately, it is difficult to find an organization like that, which is not closely associated with one of the two political parties.