T H E   E C O N O M I C S   O F   H U N T I N G
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                           August 16, 1989


It would appear that an uniformed minority has struck and once again hurt that
which they thought they were "protecting."  Misguided "animal rights" activists
have succeeded in obtaining a court injunction on bear hunting in California.
Who/what will be hurt most?  Not hunters, but bears and bear habitat.

These uniformed activists do not understand the economics of game management.
In order to conserve a renewable resource a value must be placed on it.  It is
hunters, not animal rights activists, who ensure the future of game
populations.  Hunting licenses, tags, and special taxes on firearms and
ammunition is where the billions of dollars it takes to manage our wildlife is
obtained.  A resident bear tag costs $17.50, a hunting license $19.75.  The
hunter success rate in California on bears is 3%-5%.  Sale of 100,000 bear tags
results in $3.7 million in Department of Fish and Game revenues.  The revenue
generated pays for game wardens, management and habitat
restoration/preservation.  That revenue is now lost.  Who will pay the bill?
Tax payers?  Animal rights activists?  The answer is, neither.  And the losers?
The bears.

Wildlife populations suffer without the monies generated by hunting.  Kenya
banned hunting in the '70s.  The result is rampant poaching and the devastation
of once abundant wildlife.  "Photo" safaris do not generate the "value" and
money needed to protect game.  Botswana, Zimbabwe, and South Africa understand
the importance of well managed hunting to maintain healthy wildlife
populations.  Hunters pay thousands of dollars for tags in these countries (an
elephant tag can cost $10,000).  Locals receive the bulk of the revenue, they
in turn "police" that valuable resource; poaching is minimal.  The harvest of
one animal insures the life of thousands.  Barbaric?  Maybe to some, but the
fact is, it works.  The same is true in our country.  Billions of dollars have
been generated by licenses, stamps and tags.  This money insures the future of
game and their habitat.  Eliminate the money and you eliminate the wildlife.
Hunting remains as one of the last remnants of a self sufficient ans self
reliant society.  Those who use a resource, pay for and protect that resource.
Remember this fact the next time a hunter is chastised for killing "Bambi."


                                 Gray N. Thornton, Chairman

                                 Valley Coalition for Constitutional Rights

                                 Bakersfield, CA