Tony C. Zappia       Focus on the Outdoors

Recently, a report was issued regarding the economic power hunters and anglers have throughout the country. While New York ranked high in many categories — mainly due to its population — the data indicates that the Empire State has ample room to sprout its economic wings through expanding its hunting and fishing activities.

According to a report from the National Shooting Sports Foundation, New York's 1.2 million hunters and anglers are among the most prominent and influential of all demographic groups, spending more than $1.8 billion a year on hunting and fishing.

In New York, spending by hunters and anglers directly supports 28,000 jobs, which puts $1 billion 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 $250 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.

The report says:

Sportsmen support as many jobs in New York as Merrill Lynch & Co. and Mt. Sinai Medical Center combined (28,000 jobs);

Annual spending by New York sportsmen is more than the revenues of the Nasdaq stock market ($1.8 billion vs. $1.66 billion) and equal to the combined cash receipts for dairy products and apples, two of the top agricultural commodities in the state ($1.8 billion);

New York sportsmen spend $188 million annually 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 New York than attend N.Y. Giants and Buffalo Bills football games (1.2 million vs 1.17 million);

The economic stimulus of hunting and fishing equates to an astounding $5 million a day being pumped into the state's economy.

In our state sportsmen purchases collect $254 million and $250 million for state and local taxes. The ripple effect in New York is a whopping $3.1 billion.

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 New York voted, they would have equaled 22 percent of all votes cast in the state.

Every single state makes a contribution through revenue, taxes, and jobs. Here are the facts on New York's anglers and hunters.

New York participation ranks:

No. 8 with 1.2 million resident sportsmen compared with No. 1 Texas with 2.6 million;

No. 9 with 932,000 resident anglers compared with No. 1 Texas with 2.3 million;

No. 7 with 491,000 with resident hunters compared with No. 1 Texas with 979,000;

No. 8 with 75,000 out of state hunters;

No. 9 with 221,000 out of state anglers compared with No. 1 Florida with 885,000;

No. 6 with 9.4 million days afield compared with No. 1 Pennsylvania with 16 million;

No. 13 with 14.9 million number of days on the water compared with No. 1 Florida with 41.5 million.

New York spending ranks:

No. 10 with $1.8 billion by sportsmen compared with No. 1 Texas with $6.6 billion;

No. 15 with $1.04 billion by anglers compared with No. 1 Florida with $4.4 billion;

No. 10 with $788 million by hunters compared with No. 1 Texas with $2.3 billion;

New York jobs ranks:

No. 15 with 28,000 sportsmen compared with No. 1 Texas with 106,000;

No. 15 with 16,500 fishing compared with No. 1 Florida with 75,000;

No. 14 with 11,500 hunting.

Comments, questions? Tony Zappia can be reached by email at tony@tonyczappia.com