Big game hunting and upland game are
important outdoor recreation activities in Nevada.
In a companion report, Bowman et al. (2022) estimate that in 2020 roughly 27,000 big game hunters and their guests, along with an estimated 39,982 upland game hunters, set out on the Nevada landscape in pursuit of game animals. These hunters spent a total of 469,970 days big game hunting
and 209,110 days upland game hunting and, in doing so, spent money on goods and services throughout the state. Bowman et al. (2022) estimate that there were $81 million in expenditures related to big game hunting in Nevada in 2020, $39 million related to upland game hunting, and $260 million on big-ticket items, such as recreational vehicles and weapons, purchased for hunting. This report analyzes how these hunting-related expenditures translated into economic activity (employment, output, tax revenue, etc.) for each county in Nevada. In doing so, this report shows the importance of hunting to the economies of Nevada’s counties and demonstrates the potential economic development opportunities related to hunting.
This report considers two measures of the economic activity associated with hunting.
First, the report provides estimates of the total economic contribution of big game and upland game hunting to Nevada counties in 2020. The economic contribution analysis captures the total economic activity supported by hunting-related expenditures in Nevada counties in 2020.
Significant findings include:
- The economic contributions were highest in rural counties with the most hunting effort days. The counties with the highest economic contributions from hunting in 2020 were Elko at $9.3 million, White Pine with $3.8 million, and Lincoln with $2.7 million.
- On average, a dollar spent on hunting in a rural county generates $1.29 of total economic output. For urban counties, a dollar spent on hunting generates an average of $1.59.
Urban counties generate more economic activity per dollar of hunting expenditure because there are more business-to-business linkages in urban counties, as well as more businesses to capture the spending that results from the additional labor income related to hunting.
- Figure 1 and Table 1 show the total economic contribution of hunting to the economic output in counties across Nevada. The economic output captures all of the spending in a county that is attributable to hunting activities in the state.
- Figure 2 and Table 2 show the total economic contribution of hunting to employment in counties across Nevada. Employment is measured in full-time equivalent positions.
Second, the report also provides estimates of the economic impact of additional hunting opportunities in Nevada counties. The economic impact measures—or response coefficients— can be used by policymakers to estimate the increases in employment, tax revenue, economic output, etc.,
associated with policies to increase hunting opportunities in their counties.
Significant findings include:
- On average across counties, an increase of ten hunting permits (further referred to as tags) for antlered mule deer will increase total economic output by $4,489 and employment by 0.05 jobs; ten tags for male pronghorn will increase output by $3,200 and employment by 0.036 jobs; and ten tags for antlered elk will increase output by$19,000 and employment by 0.238 jobs.
- An increase in 50 upland game hunting days by visiting hunters will increase total economic output by $1,100 and total employment by 0.011 jobs, on average.
Click on the Print Version (PDF) link below to access the Figures and Tables associated with this report.
