The Economic Impact of
Hunters in Runnels County
Hunting is an important part of Texas culture and the Texas economy. The opportunity
to enjoy nature and wildlife, spend time with family and friends, and perhaps harvest a
trophy animal attracts hunters from across the state and US to rural counties in particular.
These hunters spend money on hunting fees, food, lodging, gasoline, retail purchases, and
other expenditures.
Runnels County and the Ballinger Chamber of Commerce welcome hunters by hosting
the Ballinger Hunter’s Appreciation Dinner. Approximately 1,500 people attended the
event in 2010. Event organizers surveyed 137 attendees about their hunting habits and
expenditures. Eighty-one percent of respondents reported Runnels County as their primary
hunting destination with another 6.6% reporting Runnels County as a secondary hunting or
lodging location. Twenty-four percent of those surveyed were non-local (not residents of
Runnels County). When local residents hunt, they may be redirecting their expenditures
from another local activity, although hunting at home may prevent locals from spending
money outside the county. Expenditures by non-locals are new money in the county
economy.
Table 1. Average spending by non-local and all hunters in Runnels County.
Category
Hunt fees
Food service
Auto expenses
Lodging
Retail
Miscellaneous items
Runnels County Total
Overall Total
% of spending in
Runnels County
Spending by NonLocal Hunters
$574.17
$54.09
$104.64
$30.36
$56.03
$22.62
$841.90
$1,312.14
Spending by All
Hunters
$360.61
$200.38
$106.30
$133.43
$263.32
$50.29
$1,114.34
$1,366.40
64.2%
81.6%
The average visiting hunter reported
spending $841.90 annually in Runnels County
(Table 1). The average non-local hunter spent an
additional $470.24 outside Runnels County, for a
total average annual hunting expenditure of
$1,312.12. The average annual expenditure across
both local and non-local hunters was $1,114.34 in
Runnels County, suggesting that local residents
spent more on hunting in the county (including
the food service and lodging categories) than did
non-locals. Most Runnels County residents did not
report their hunting expenditures and were therefore excluded from the average spending
calculation. Thus the average local expenditure may have been influenced by outlier
responses. Still, the spending levels were consistent with spending in surrounding counties.
Direct spending by hunters is not the only benefit to the local economy. A hunter’s
direct expenditure at a local store, café, or hotel is multiplied as firms purchase inputs
(indirect effect) and pay employees who also make regional purchases (induced effect).
The total effect on employment, labor income, value added (contribution to gross regional
product), and output in the county is greater than the initial dollar spent. Of course, some
of the original expenditure leaks out of the regional economy, for example as inventory is
imported from other regions, employees commute from other regions, and businesses and
households pay state and federal taxes.
Table 2. Economic Impact of Non-Local Hunters to the Runnels County Economy.
Direct Effect
Total Effect
Employment
2.4
3.3
Labor Income
$42,800
$65,600
Value Added
$68,600
$120,800
Output
$304,200
$389,300
Hunting by non-local game dinner attendees alone contributed 2.4 direct full- and
part-time jobs and $304,200 in gross sales (output) in Runnels County (Table 2). Using the
IMPLAN modeling system (Minnesota IMPLAN Group, 2010, Hudson, WI), these visiting
hunters expenditures resulted in 3.3 jobs across the entire economy. The $389,300 in gross
sales generated across the economy included a $120,800 impact on gross regional
product (value added) and $65,600 in labor income. Labor income is a subset of value
added, which is part of output, so these figures cannot be summed.
Table 3. Economic Contribution of All Hunters to the Runnels County Economy.
Direct Effect
Total Effect
Employment
24.3
28.0
Labor Income
$461,800
$565,700
Value Added
$739,400
$960,300
Output
$1,671,500
$2,040,800
Most survey respondents were Runnels County residents. Although residents’ hunting
expenditures do not represent new economic activity, they do make a contribution to the
local economy. When local and non-local game dinner attendees’ expenditures were
combined, they supported 24.3 direct jobs and $1,671,500 in output in Runnels County
(Table 3). These overall expenditures contributed 28.0 jobs, $565,700 in labor income,
$960,300 in value added, and $2,040,800 in output across the entire economy annually.
Of course, these figures represent only the economic contributions of hunters
attending the game dinner. Hunting expenditures and economic contributions by all
hunters over the year are likely larger. The average hunter reported hunting 22.1 days over
the year. The average hunting party included 6.7 people. Most survey respondents (56.2%)
visited hunting land as a guest or family member, 42.3% owned their hunting land, 32.8%
leased hunting land, and 10.9% hunted public lands. The most popular reason for hunting in
Runnels County was spending time with family and friends (58.4% of survey respondents).
Rebekka Dudensing and Marty Gibbs
CED11-10
June 2011