Everyone knows that the driving force to Montana’s Economy is tourism. In the last 20 years the economy of this great state has shifted away from mostly agricultural/timber/mining that has dominated Montana from the time of the trappers. The big question is what exactly is the dollar amount spent by visiting anglers and hunters in our state.
In the last year Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks conducted a study on just that question. What they found astounds most of us. It shows that the annual spending on fishing and hunting in Montana comes in at just 1.26 Billion. It also shows that fisherman in Montana spent 907.8 million.
These are both astounding numbers and show the true economic value of our hunting and fishing tourism industry. These dollars go mostly to local economies like Ennis.
The next time we complain about how busy our Main street is or the lack of parking during the summer months just remember these numbers. We all owe a debt of gratitude to the visiting tourist and angler as they are the ones keeping many of our little towns going.
If you want to read the entire survey follow the link.
