What is the Hunter's Role in Wildlife Conservation?

While scrolling through your Facebook timeline and Twitter feed, you may come across negative posts that criticize hunters. Although a very small minority of people might act irresponsibly when it comes to hunting and conservation, the majority of today’s hunters in the U.S. actually support a vast array of conservation organizations and initiatives.

According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Pacific Region (USFWS) hunters, anglers, and recreational shooters are the most influential factors that helped create the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. Under these guidelines, the framework instills three principals: 

• Wildlife is a public trust.
• Wild places are considered an American birthright.
• Wildlife species must be managed in a way that creates endless sustainability. 

Since the late 1800s, this model has led to many laws and regulations that protect wildlife and generate substantial revenue for conservation efforts around the country. Directives, such as the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Act of 1934, and the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937 have established strong support in the form of financial aid from outdoor enthusiasts throughout history. In fact, the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies states that more than 75% of a state fish and wildlife agency's budget consists of funds provided by hunters and sportsmen. 

These are the underlying facts that mainstream media refrain from sharing. In order to remove the stigma around hunting, it's best to familiarize yourself with the practices and organizations who ensure that wildlife conservation remains in a healthy state. Institutions like the Sportsmen’s Alliance and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation represent institutions with a strong member base and proactive agenda centered on conservation. They have drawn out clear lines of communication that are extended to hunters of all levels, and they also encourage others to consider hunting as a holistic and morally responsible endeavor. 

Other organizations, such as the Boone and Crockett Club, Safari Club International, and the National Rifle Association also contribute to the state of conservation throughout the U.S., developing new wildlife conservation acts for different habits and species in need. They also provide educational opportunities for hunters and sportsman to improve their conservation awareness, and accumulate member fees and donations to infuse with the creation of new policies that benefit the sustainability of the environment. 

All around the world, organizations have come together to safeguard the beauty and abundance of nature that allows hunters and wildlife to thrive. With their various measures in place, over $20.2 billion has been raised for wildlife and habitat conservation, which boasts a promising continuation of success as efforts and management will surely improve with time. 

Through our own Save The Lifestyle program, we're doing everything we can to educate those who love the outdoors on the value of conservation. Everyone on the ALPS OutdoorZ team takes an active role in teaching others — from the casual day hiker to the veteran Big Game hunter — the values that we believe make a lasting impact on our lifestyle, the outdoor spaces we love to visit, and the wildlife that calls these places home.

Learn more about how to get involved with our Save the Lifestyle program further down this page.    

Unfortunately, a 2016 survey completed by the USFWS reported that the number of hunters taking to the woods has dropped by 2 million over a five year period. The report also indicated that 11.5 million people are actively hunting, but 50 years ago, the number of hunters were exactly twice the amount. In monetary terms, that signifies more than $10 billion in losses over half a century — and numbers are steadily declining each year. The downfall has left wildlife agencies and conservation groups searching for new ways to generate income to sustain environmental efforts, but the uncertainty could also represent the need for experienced hunters to impart some much-needed wisdom on newer generations. 

For habitats to thrive and remain at steady levels in accordance with Mother Nature, hunters have an ethical responsibility to sustain the foundations of conservation and pass that belief on to others. The past has shown that improper conservation efforts and loose restrictions on hunting can lead to rapid extinctions and environmental catastrophes, so to avoid any long-term issues, there are a few things that hunters of all levels can do to conserve and hunt for the future.

• On a basic level, all hunters can directly support wildlife conservation efforts by purchasing a hunting or fishing license each year. This money goes directly to state wildlife agencies and spreads support to multiple conservation programs around the country. 
• Next, you can purchase a Federal Duck Stamp to preserve waterfowl habitats that cover over 6 million acres and contribute to over $750 million of total funds that have all gone to conserving areas in the U.S. since 1934. 

More than anything, having an appreciation for hunting will present opportunities to make a difference. Too often, hunters are viewed as a burden on nature that depletes its resource, but the fact remains that hunters are actually a direct solution to the problem.