Hunting and fishing in New York State is more than just recreation. A new report – "Hunting and Fishing: Bright Stars of the American Economy; a force as big as all outdoors" – reveals that New York's 1.2 million hunters and anglers are among the most prominent and influential of all demographic groups, spending more than $1.8 billion a year on hunting and fishing.

Spending by hunters and anglers directly supports 28,000 jobs, which puts $1 billion worth of paychecks into pockets of working residents around the state. Of course, government coffers also benefit – spending by sportsmen in pursuit of these outdoor activities generates $250 million in state and local taxes. These latest figures demonstrate that season after season hunters and anglers are driving the economy from big businesses to rural towns, through booms and recessions.

The report was produced by the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation with support from the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, National Marine Manufacturers Association, National Shooting Sports Foundation and SCI - First For Hunters. The report uses the results from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation and statistics provided by the American Sportfishing Association and Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.