Hunting has several economic benefits and has had these since the dawn of time. Since the first cave man chose to wear an animal skin, there have been social benefits, too. On a base level, hunters were the first to use fabric to make clothing, and to this day there are nomadic tribes that still exist using this method.
Nevertheless, there are those that deny both benefits to the modern hunter. The argument being that we no longer need those skins since modern manufacturing has created fabric separately. With this in mind, we decided to fight back a little.
The 7 Economic and Social Benefits of the Modern Hunter
So here is our answer to the argument.
Economic Benefit 1 – The Gear
If you want to hunt safely, you need a minimum set of gear. If you want to hunt successfully, you need a little more than that. At the very least you will need a good quality scope, so for more info click here.
If you want to hunt easily, you buy a hunting RV, spend your life savings on a state-of-the-art rifle, and hide out in the bush for a month.
Everything from rifles to high-quality and light weight hunting clothes costs money. If that isn’t an economic benefit, we don’t know what is.
Economic Benefit 2 – The competitions
Professional hunting competitions display sportsmanship to be proud of. Asides from this, they bring great economic surplus into remote areas of the USA. Some towns wouldn’t exist at all if it weren’t for hunting. Which brings us to point number 3…
Economic/Social Benefit 3 – The Jobs
In these areas that would otherwise exist on logging and not much else, hunting gear stores, tackle and supply stores, gun stores, all of it brings in profits. Hunting creates jobs in the most literal sense. If you don’t believe us, check Outdoor Life. They have a list of 35 such towns that would be half the size without hunters.
Economic/Social Benefit 4 – Growth Market
Hunting is a growth market, a directly positive thing for the economy, which in turn boosts social status of those in more remote areas. Hunters spend around $16 million a year on supplies, with a 55% growth in expenditure in the last handful of years.
Economic/Social Benefit 5 – The Dogs
This is a little thought of point, but gundogs are a specific group according to the AKC. Dogs have literally been bred to help their humans hunt. It is of benefit to everyone – but especially the dogs – that we continue to use them for what they were bred to do.
Social Benefit 6 – Historical Preservation
Hunters use techniques passed down through generations. They are preserving a part of northern USA culture by performing the same tasks that their ancestors did. Granted, modern hunters have better weapons, but you don’t learn how to set a snare from a book. You need to practice it.
Social Benefit 7 – Conservation
If those areas hunters use weren’t preserved for hunters to use, how long would it be before they were levelled to make a car park or a casino? Hunting in the USA is also controlled, which means there will always be a maintained stock of animals to hunt.