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NWTF Supports Hunting Heritage Globally

EDGEFIELD, S.C. - Thanks to the hard work of dedicated hunters and conservationists, Peru recently passed groundbreaking legislation that will allow sportsmen to hunt more than 100 species of wildlife including big game and bird species found only in Peru.

This legislation establishes a framework where hunting provides conservation funding and wildlife awareness in Peru, a system similar to that found in the United States. Prior to the regulations being passed, hunting laws restricted even the most law-abiding citizens from complying, no ways to fund wildlife conservation activities existed in Peru and many species were poached to near extinction.

Backed by the National Wild Turkey Federation, the Asociación Cinegética del Perú (ASOCIPE), referred to in English as the Peruvian Hunters Association, and the Central Peru Chapter of Safari Club International were the driving force behind these regulatory changes. The organizations worked to legalize hunting and create formal conservation guidelines for more than five years.

"The new regulations provide for the sustainable use of wildlife and usher in a new era of sport hunting and management not only in Peru but also in Latin America," said J. Thomas Saldias, founder of the Peruvian Hunters Association and ASOCIPE's Representative for the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Saldias established the Peruvian Hunters Association in 2004 to encourage legal hunting in Peru. As the Peruvian Hunters Association lobbied the government of Peru to establish new rules for hunting, the NWTF was contacted to support the endeavor through signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and providing technical assistance and support.

"When the Peruvian Hunters Association first asked the NWTF to help promote their mission to establish hunting guidelines in Peru, the request seemed unusual since there are no wild turkeys in Peru," said James Earl Kennamer, Ph.D, NWTF's chief conservation officer. "However, the more we thought about our mission to promote hunting heritage, the more sense it made to endorse their efforts."

Saldias added, "NWTF was the first U.S.-based organization to publicly endorse the Peruvian Hunters Association's efforts. The Federation provided a network of contacts that helped us further our cause and gain much needed support."

Economic Benefits of Hunting
In the U.S., hunters alone spend $23 billion annually pursuing their sport, support 600,000 jobs and pay $9.2 billion in federal, state and local taxes.

A 2007 report by the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation says hunters and anglers in the U.S. are the greatest contributors to government wildlife conservation programs. As of 2007, these outdoorsmen had contributed more than $10 billion dollars to conservation through excise taxes and license revenues, and annually provide more than 80 percent of the funding for most state fish and wildlife agencies.

"With new regulations in place, Peru is set to reap some of the same economic benefits America enjoys thanks to hunter contributions," said Scott Vance, NWTF assistant vice president of conservation programs administration. "The NWTF recognizes that hunting is a valuable wildlife management tool and is proud to have played a small part in enacting this change."

In addition to paying taxes, hunters also purchase hunting licenses and spend money on lodging, guide services, food and transportation; all of which will bolster Peruvian communities that cater to hunters.

"In Peru and other countries where subsistence hunting is still prevalent, wildlife must have a direct economic value to local people in order for them to provide adequate protection and management," Saldias said. "When wildlife populations are managed for hunting, their perceived value is much greater to local communities. When wildlife is viewed as an economic resource, locals will work to create better habitat and protect wildlife. It's a win-win situation for everyone involved."

A national nonprofit conservation organization that was founded in 1973, the NWTF has worked with wildlife agencies to restore wild turkey populations from 1.3 million wild turkeys in 1973 to nearly 7 million today. Now, NWTF volunteers raise funds and work daily to improve critical wildlife habitat, increase access to public hunting land and introduce new people to the outdoors and hunting.

To date, the NWTF and its partners have spent more than $286 million upholding hunting traditions and conserving nearly 14 million acres of wildlife habitat.

Hunting in Peru
Before hunting regulations were changed, hunting in Peru was so restricted that even native Peruvians could barely hunt in their home country. Subsistence hunting was allowed, but wildlife populations have declined severely due to a lack of regulations and hunting seasons.

"Sport hunters, like subsistence hunters, hunt game for its meat, but they are more selective in their pursuits," Saldias said. "Sport hunters hunt within a specific seasonal framework, adhere to strict limits and harvest certain portions of the population. All of this allows wildlife populations to sustain themselves and grow, providing additional hunting opportunities."

Besides allowing local and international hunters to obtain licenses more easily, the new hunting regulations also allow hunters to legally export trophies from Peru and impose a five-year jail sentence for convicted poachers.

Though Peru is not home to wild turkeys, the country offers a multitude of huntable birds including quail, partridge, doves, pigeons, ducks and geese. Big game such as South American white-tailed deer, puma, wild goats, collared peccary, capybara and gray brocket may be available for hunting.

Peru also offers inland and offshore fishing opportunities, excellent and diverse cuisine, plus one of the New Seven Wonders of the World: Macchu Picchu.

For more information on hunting in Peru, visit www.cazaperu.com
For general information about the country, visit http://www.peru.info/default.asp?leng=2
For more information about the NWTF visit www.nwtf.org or call (800) THE-NWTF.

About the NWTF:  In 1973, Tom Rodgers founded the National Wild Turkey Federation in Fredericksburg, Va., as a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation and education organization with a mission dedicated to conserving wild turkeys and preserving hunting traditions. Shortly thereafter, Rodgers relocated the NWTF to Edgefield, S.C., where it's still headquartered today.
 
At the time NWTF was established, there were only 1.3 million wild turkeys. Today that number stands at more than seven million birds throughout North America, thanks to the efforts of state, federal and provincial wildlife agencies, the NWTF and its members and partners.

Growth and progress define the NWTF as it has expanded from 1,300 members in 1973 to nearly a half million today. With that growth has come impressive strides in wildlife management as the NWTF has forged dynamic partnerships across the country to further its conservation mission. Together, the NWTF's partners, sponsors and grassroots members have raised and spent more than $286 million upholding hunting traditions and conserving nearly 14 million acres of wildlife habitat.
 
While wild turkey restoration is nearing completion, the NWTF still has much work to do. Across North America, supporters are working to enhance habitat for wild turkeys and other wildlife while providing hunters with more opportunities and access to public and private land. In addition, NWTF volunteers and partners are introducing youth, women and people with disabilities to the outdoors through special educational events.
 
To become a member of Team NWTF, join a committee or start a chapter, please visit our Web site at www.nwtf.org or call us at 800-THE-NWTF.