The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1938-01-27
Big Come
Hunters Spend
Much Money

MISSOULA.- Residents of this
colorful land can be blessing their
home where the deer and the ante
lope play" with increased ferver
these days. According to statistics
gathered in national forests of Mon
tana and northern Idaho during the
past hunting season, big-game ami
mails no longer merely occupy a
position of scenic and inspirational
attractiveness but must now be rec
ognized as one of the major natural
resources Of the country.
AS an example of the value Of
wildlife herds to surrounding COM
munities, reports from the Powell
district of the LoIo national forest
in northern Idaho show that TAB
nimrods visited that area in search
of big game during the open season
and in pursuit of sport distributed
$52,010. Even though the skies
were not always blue, forest officers
state that the average hunter cheer
fully paid $40 for the privilege of
| spending his week in the woods
and took his own chances on bagging
game.
Of the total amount listed with
the forest checkers as vacation ex-
penses, approximately $ll,l45 was
received by gas stations along the
line Of march, 81, 430 went to sport
ing equipment stores; local guides
and packers collected $l1,145; gener-
al merchandising stores received
$18575 1.-The state took $l,875 for Ii
censes; and last but not least, the
vendors of liquid refreshments
turned stock worth about $1,000.
On the Powell district, according
to the check, 308 elk were killed,
and, when dressed and CHARTERED,
the average animal tipped the scales
at 367 pounds. Using this figure to
compute the total weight of the 308
elk killed, it was found that the
lucky Al percent of the hunters
carted away 113,036 pounds, or APP
proximately Sc tons, of meat
Assuming that 20 ments per pound
is about the actual money value of
the meat to the hunter, it is only a
matter of simple mathematics to
deduce that of the $52,0l0 distrib-
! uted, the sportsmen got $22,60I
worth of meat and was content tc
take the balance out in outdoor
J recreation.
! Cost data from spertsnen whit
chose the Flathead national fores
: in Montana as the scene of theil
: hunt, reveals that 1910 resident ell
hunters spent $40,337; SO non-resi
I dent elk hunters accounted for $14,
7 678 land 2,215 resident deer hunter
listed expenditures at $31 ,010--mak
, ing grand total of $86,655 for Til,
seasons business.
. Although foresters state that re
ports are not yet complete, it il
known that in the entire Clear
! water district, which included thu
] area of the special Selway hunt
/ 1868 hunters were checked in ant
. 1929 big-game animals were tallieS
/ were elk, 1857 deer, SO bear, and 3!
5 mountain goats
On the Flathead forets GAL ell
D were reported killed, and of thes'
: SIC were taken from the overpop
r ulated South Fork area. From TIN
Sun River elk herd on the Levi
: and Clark forest, TIA animals wer
d reported killed
Although these records show tina
e a larger number of animals wer
y removed from critical game area
than have been taken in previou
II years, forest officials state that wild
l. dife herds are still far too large 70
o the available food supply both j
the Upper Selway country &
lie northern Idaho and in the Sout
!" Fork of the Flathead in Montan;
j. Through frightening the huntin
season and otherwise encouragin
( sportsmen to enter these crowde
d areas, they hold that the herds ca
e be adequately reduced to meet tn
"a need with full benefit of sport an
meat being derived