An Analysis of Economic Benefits from Wildlife Management Areas in Oklahoma

Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) provide several benefits to the recreation community that cannot be quantified with market-based approaches. Given the importance of recreational access to rural communities, this study analyzed the economic significance of WMAs in Oklahoma by estimating the net economic benefits provided to visitors by accessing WMAs and the economic contribution of WMAs to the state economy. To accomplish the study objectives, surveys were sent to a stratified sample of resident and non-resident Oklahoma hunting and fishing license or conservation passport holders during the 2020–2021 hunting season. Study results, based on travel cost analysis, showed that the net benefit of access to WMAs in the state varies between approximately $16–$28 per trip, depending on the modeling assumptions. A statewide input-output analysis showed that WMA-related spending, directly and indirectly, created a total of 7699 jobs that provided a labor income of $292.9 million and contributed a total of $35.60 million in state and local taxes and $30.74 million in federal taxes in Oklahoma in 2020. Findings are helpful in demonstrating the public value of WMAs and comparing the cost of WMA management against the benefit to the user community and Oklahoma's economy.