Washington 11th in nation for wildlife viewing, 7th in spending

Washington draws 2,331,000 wildlife watchers annually – both resident and non-resident -- according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation.

That number ranks Washington 11th in the nation for wildlife viewing participation. (Washington is 15th in population and 18th in land area among the 50 states.)

Annual spending in Washington by wildlife watchers on travel, food, lodging, equipment and other goods and services totals $1,502,311,000, ranking the state 7th in the nation behind California, Florida, Texas, Michigan, Georgia and New York.

While the number of wildlife watchers in Washington is about the same as it was when USFWS conducted its 2001 survey, spending increased 53 percent from 2001 to 2006.

Forty-one percent of Washington’s wildlife watchers, whether they are residents or non-residents, spend time away from home to see wildlife. Average time spent per wildlife watching trip is two days. Based on the total of 9,104,000 days of wildlife watching in Washington annually, an average of $165 is spent per day, or $330 per trip.

The national survey has been conducted every five years since 1955. National results were released last year (reported in “Crossing Paths” Summer 2007 edition). State findings were released in December 2007. For complete reports, see http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/Subpages/NationalSurvey/2006_Survey.htm.