COVID-19 causes losses in hunting industry

Photo Courtesy of Natural Resource Conservation Service

The hunting industry in Nebraska has been growing since the first official deer season in 1945, where 277 deer were harvested.  

For the 2020 deer season 11,000 mule deer tags and 50,000 white tail tags are being sold. 

The Nebraska hunting tourism industry brings in an average of $848 million every year according to Nebraska Game and Parks.  

The Chadron community receives hunters from all over the country for annual turkey hunts and deer hunts.  

COVID-19 restrictions in spring 2020 stopped out of state hunters from purchasing spring turkey tags, causing losses for outfitting companies. COVID-19 has continued to effect the industry with hunters not wanting to travel.  

Located west of Chadron Ash Creek Outfitters offers whitetail deer, mule deer, pheasant, grouse, waterfowl, varmints, and Merriam turkey hunts for people from out of state. Turkey and deer hunts being the most popular. 

The cost of a 3 day hunt for two turkeys at Ash Creek Outfitters is $1,575. A 4 day rifle mule deer hunt costs $3,250 and a 4 day rifle whitetail deer hunt costs $2,950. 

COVID-19 concerns led to Nebraska stopping the sale of spring turkey permits, one of the most economically successful seasons for Nebraska.

In the spring season for 2019 49.9% of turkey permits were filled by non-resident hunters. 13,373 permits were purchased by nonresidents and 14,961 permits were purchased by residents according to Nebraska Game and Parks.

Ash Creek Outfitters has seen the effect of the loss of hunters for their business. Boone Huffman, who runs Ash Creek Outfitters, estimated that they lost more than $50,000 since the pandemic hit the U.S. in spring 2020.  

“We lost $35,000 in spring turkey hunts and then another $20,000 this fall,” Huffmen said. “We have had some hunts but not as many as we have had in past fall seasons. We lost quite a bit in that spring turkey season.” 

Despite most travel restrictions being lifted for fall, Huffman has still seen losses from out of state hunters that have come for years.  

“People don’t want to come because they don’t want to risk it,” Huffmen said. “People from places like Alabama and Arkansas don’t want to come because they are worried about having to go into quarantine when they go home and they are worried about the virus.”

Turkey hunting in the Chadron area is a popular activity for people from out of state. Nebraska makes money off of turkey permits and habitat stamps.  

Fall or spring turkey permits cost $30 for residents and $109 for nonresidents tags, each hunter must also purchase a $25 habitat stamp.  

Outfitting companies are not the only businesses that have been affected by the loss of hunters. Hunters use local grocery stores, fast food, campgrounds, motels and sporting good stores when they come into an area.  

“That is 50,0000 that is not going back into the Chadron community that normally would,” Huffman said. “It’s not even just our direct business that is being affected it’s grocery stores and campgrounds too. Hunters use the community when they come to hunt with us and losing that isn’t just an issue for us.”

Ace Hardware is one Chadron business that has lost money with the loss of the spring hunting season. 

“We lost a lot of sales in the spring,” Ken Keller, general manager at Chadron Ace Hardware, said, “We literally lost thousands of dollars with the canceled season.”

With fall deer season starting on Nov. 14, Ace Hardware has begun preparing for there to be less hunters.

“I am anticipating some loss,” Keller said, “They sold less tags this season, so we have to be prepared for the fact that we will lose some.”

Despite the changes that are occurring, Huffmen said he believes that things are getting better and will get back to where they once were.

“Things will go back to the way they were, I think,” Huffmen said. “We want this to get better and I think things will heal overtime.”