December 12, 2008
A bear market: Study says bear hunters bring bucks to the state
West Virginia's bear hunters might play third fiddle to deer and turkey hunters, but they make up for their also-ran status by spending money.
A soon-to-be-published study shows that bear hunters' annual economic impact totals more than $51 million. While that sum pales next to snow skiing's estimated $250 million impact, it beats the $49 million attributed to whitewater rafting and far outstrips the $7.8 million generated by the Hatfield-McCoy recreational trail complex.
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Being able to "view" bears is not natural, they are wild animals. Ask the Smokey Mtn states how much money they spend on bear damage and bear damage prevention and they are probably losing money.
I am not a bear hunter nor do I hunt with dogs but I have met members of the Bear Hunters Assoc and I promise you our bear population is better off because of them, they care far more about bears than you do and it goes without saying they understand bears better.
It is perfectly understandable for you to want to live in peace and harmony with such a beautiful animal, but it wouldn't be peace and harmony, you would be dinner. No matter how cute and cuddly they look they are not, at least not the cuddly part. Please stop placing human characteristics on wild animals.
Hunting is also a time to enjoy nature and the gift God has given us. Animals were placed on this earth to serve man in one shape, manner or form. While some choose to look at the beauty of deer, turkey or bear others choose to not only look but to harvest the wildlife for personal consumption.
Those who do not hunt but view must also realize that it is the tax dollars of the hunter that pays for the management of the very land on which the animals walk. There is a balance for all.