The fall months are a prime time for hunters and anglers across America to visit public wildlife refuges and bring home a fair amount of game. However, the federal government has put a moratorium on all of these activities thanks to the recent government shutdown. This has put thousands of hunters out of commission and could cost the United States economy many millions of dollars.
The National Wildlife Refuge System is a collection of public lands overseen by the federal government, much of which is open for public hunting. With the shutdown of the federal government, the 150 million acres of this land has also been closed to the public. This means that 329 wildlife refuges that are open to hunters, as well as an additional 271 areas where fishing is legal, have been shuttered until further notice.
The forced closing of these public facilities isn’t just a slap in the face to the American psyche, which places a great deal of pride on our ability to hunt and trap game. It also comes at an inopportune time for the American economy, which could use any cash infusion that it can get its hands on.
According to surveys released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, an estimated 90 million United States citizens take part in some sort of wildlife recreation each year. Those people, about half of which are involved in hunting and fishing excursions, contribute about $145 billion to the national economy every year.
The many federal workers who labor mightily to make sure that these lands are maintained have been furloughed, creating a difficult financial situations for those employees who could desperately use a paycheck. An additional 40,000 volunteers have been turned away from their posts, further decimating the workforce capable of caring for these public areas.
Even with the government shutdown in full effect, Tioga Boar Hunting Ranch will still be providing the best boar hunting experience possible. Call us to find out more information about how the federal government is blocking access to lands in the Allegheny region of Pennsylvania, or to book your next hunting trip today.
*Video courtesy of populer108