Free market wildlife management: A plus for landowners, hunters, and the environment

Free market wildlife management is a concept whose time has come. Now more than ever, landowners have a higher stake in how effectively their property is managed. With traditional livestock practices coming under more scrutiny and being less profitable in recent years, and quality hunting and additional outdoor recreation opportunities seeing an upswing in popularity, the trend is far landowners to treat wildlife as an economic base. If wildlife has economic worth, it is argued, the wildlife as well as the private landowner will prosper. Three States currently offer programs with incentives to landowners to actively manage their land for wildlife. These programs show that positive results occur for the landowner, the hunting public, and the environment.