Hunting, fishing important to state's economy
by Robert Morgan - The Town Talk (excerpt)

The annual figures are out again with the same message: Hunters and fishermen pump more into the state's economy than some of its major industries.

According to a report released Wednesday by the National Sports Shooting Foundation, spending by Louisiana outdoor sportsmen amounted to more than $1.6 billion a year.

Doug Painter, president of the Shooting Sports Foundation, is quoted in the release as saying, "Spending by sportsmen benefits not only the manufacturers of hunting- and fishing-related products, but everything from local mom and pop businesses to wildlife conservation.

"And because most hunting and fishing takes place in rural areas, much of the spending benefits less affluent parts of the state," he said.