OOS hunting in Wyoming

[Cotten]

Po Monkey is correct. Here is the Clarion Ledger article from just a few day ago:


April 17, 2005
Section: Main
Page: 1A


MDA chief says Miss. lakes a lure
Julie Goodman
Staff

·Hunters, fishermen from outside state spent more than $570M in '01

By Julie Goodman

jgoodman@clarionledger.com

Mississippi's economic development chief envisions stocked man-made lakes around the state, time-shares for duck hunters and summer homes for families, drawing from an untapped, out-of-state customer base.

Leland Speed, executive director of the Mississippi Development Authority, has activated a plan to market the state's recreational potential to people who want to hunt, fish or just stare at water.

People who came from outside the state to Mississippi to hunt and fish spent $571 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2001 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation. But in the neighboring states of Arkansas and Louisiana, with more developed marketing efforts in that area, expenditures by nonresidents to hunt and fish totaled $1 billion or more.

Speed said the idea for the plan struck him in December, when he crossed paths with a Gulf Stream jet in Grenada flying in a group of duck hunters.

"It hit me," he said. "These people could go anywhere and do anything and they have chosen to come to Mississippi and shoot at a duck. If we can attract one Gulf Stream, why can't we attract 10?"

He coupled that potential with the growing number of recreational purchases in the state, and began scouring maps.

Speed has begun identifying sites of 100 acres or more that would be suitable for the lakes, and enlisted some free advice from West Point-based Mossy Oak Properties, the renowned developer of hunting gear and outdoor television shows, along with other consultants.

While the state won't purchase any land itself, it will serve as a facilitator for counties, helping property owners organize locally - turning idle land into lucrative ventures, possibly with new homes and lodges. He is eyeing sites in Kemper, Pearl River and Choctaw counties, in addition to areas near Percy Quin and John W. Kyle state parks in McComb and Sardis.

He plans to help developers identify sites, estimate costs and create financing through such means as issuing bonds for sewer, water and street additions. "I want the people who are going to get rich off of this to put up the money," he said.

Bill McGinnis, a former tourism director who helped shape outdoors marketing for Mississippi, said Speed's plan would take recreational development to a new level in an environment where industry and warehousing have been the traditional recipients of support and financial help.

Marketing for recreation is unique, and while the sector's impact is difficult to quantify to a bank, it helps the tax base. "That's the way we were approaching it, but we didn't have the incentive. It's difficult for people to get the financial backing and a lot of the technical assistance necessary for recreational activity," McGinnis said.

Speed said he hopes the areas selected for this type of development will be appealing not only to people outside the state who want second homes, but also to Mississippians looking for a lakehouse.

Mississippi will continue to pursue traditional economic development deals, such as in manufacturing, but this plan will allow communities that cannot attract that industry to thrive, he said. "What's going to happen in these counties that are all between these hot spots in our state?"

Joe Parsons, general manager of Mallard Manor, a duck-hunting operation outside Drew that attracts nearly all of its business from out of state, said Mississippi's recreational industry has a lot to offer, but suffers when compared to states with well-marketed hunting opportunities like Arkansas.

"It's kind of a well-kept secret as far as what Mississippi has to offer, and I think it needs to be marketed on a national scale to try to get new people to come into Mississippi," he said.

Alton Gajan is a Baton Rouge duck hunter who visited Mallard Manor about three times last year. Even though there is duck hunting in Louisiana, he prefers Mississippi because of the scenic variety of the Delta, where he can emerge from cypress trees to shoot in rice and corn fields.

"I didn't realize there was something that special up there in northwest Mississippi," he said. "Didn't have a clue."

According to the 2001 survey, hunting by nonresidents is a $360 million industry in Mississippi, and deer hunting probably accounts for at least 90 percent of that total. Combined with hunting by residents, expenditures exceeded $966 million, according to the survey.

At Adventure Lake in Laurel, visitors can come for the weekend, take out a bass fishing boat, and relax in a lodge with a roast and blueberry pie meal. Guests include businessmen trying to impress clients and husbands on birthday trips from their wives, all of whom can soak in the view of a 75-acre lake.

The majority of the clientele are from Mississippi, but the lodge does see some from Tennessee, Alabama and Louisiana, a customer base co-owner Neil Scrimpshire believes he could expand. There is a sense of relaxation people get from watching waves, he said.

SPENDING

Money spent by nonresidents:

·Mississippi

Hunting:

$360,293,000

Fishing:

$210,697,000

Total: $570,990,000

·Arkansas

Hunting:

$517,160,000

Fishing:

$445,778,000

Total: $962,938,000

·Louisiana

Hunting:

$446,204,000

Fishing:

$703,373,000

Total:

$1,149,577,000

2001 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, U.S. Census Bureau

[Cotten]

From the article above:


Speed said the idea for the plan struck him in December, when he crossed paths with a Gulf Stream jet in Grenada flying in a group of duck hunters.

"It hit me," he (Speed) said. "These people could go anywhere and do anything and they have chosen to come to Mississippi and shoot at a duck. If we can attract one Gulf Stream, why can't we attract 10?"

[gator]

From the article above:


Speed said the idea for the plan struck him in December, when he crossed paths with a Gulf Stream jet in Grenada flying in a group of duck hunters.

"It hit me," he (Speed) said. "These people could go anywhere and do anything and they have chosen to come to Mississippi and shoot at a duck. If we can attract one Gulf Stream, why can't we attract 10?"

man, THAT'S scary.....

good points made....and after all of em, it's 0600 and i need a beer....dam shame....gator

[tunica]

Aint they been up inthe North delta that last few years Heck from the air it looks like the pothole region on the moon. I've seen fewer holes on a artillery firing range.....Lets spread the ducks out more so the Hotels can make more money for a few years until they aint no more ducks coming down the MS...Dang I feel like benny now.....thanks there BeaverBen your rubbing off on Me....