Letter: Thank you hunters

With hunting season in full swing, hunters from across the state are walking fields.

Sportsmen and women certainly appreciate this time of year, with the opportunity to get outdoors, enjoy the sport and bring home fresh game for the dinner table! It’s not just the meat, however, that these hunters are bringing in. Businesses across the state also experience a special season — one of additional commerce.

Hospitality businesses, for example, are extremely grateful for this season as restaurants, bars and lodging locations experience a new flow of customers.

As the executive director of the North Dakota Hospitality Association, it is my responsibility and mission to represent the hospitality industry across the state. It is also my pleasure to say that our member businesses are thankful for North Dakota hunters.

The cause-and-effect relationship hunting has on North Dakota’s economy is critical. Hunters directly support more jobs in North Dakota than many of the state’s biggest employers — over 3,000 jobs, many in the hospitality industry — and indirectly support thousands more.

According to the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, $103 million is spent by North Dakota hunters each year.

Hunters are not just contributors to wildlife management or meals for individual families, but also to our local small businesses. Because hunting has become such a strong tradition and social activity for some, the hospitality industry experiences a major uptake in business during this season.

Many North Dakota hunters take the opportunity to head out for a meal or for drinks with their friends and family to talk about their hunt’s highlights.

Those who travel our state for the best locations often stay at local hotels and motels. Lodgers, as a result, also experience an upswing in business during the season and look forward to it each year. For example, the Cannonball Saloon in Regent or Andrus Outdoors in Dickinson, see additional revenue during September and October each year. They’re able to hire more people during these times, which means more jobs for those locally.

Because hunters utilize so many hospitality businesses within the state each year, a major revenue flow is generated. Hence, the hunting season is not just a time that hunters look forward to each year, but that hospitality businesses look forward to each year also and seriously appreciate. Thank you hunters.

Rudie Martinson, North Dakota Hospitality Association executive director, Bismarck

Tags: cannonball saloon, opinion, letters, hunting, andrus