Dear Anti-Hunters,

We have bad news for you: Our army is multiplying. We'll continue to stand our ground, benefit the economy, support the growth of wildlife, and fill our freezers with wild meat to feed our friends and families.

Sincerely,
American Hunters

That's right. According to the preliminary report in the 2011 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting And Wildlife-Associated Recreation released by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, hunter numbers are on the rise. And that only means great things for our nation as a whole.

In 2011, more than 14 million hunters spent an average of 21 days afield in pursuit of wild game. While we were busy taking part in this enriching, pure outdoor pastime, we collectively spent about $34 billion. In short, hunters are great contributors to the positive growth of American society.

Thankfully, we can put aside fears that hunting participation is on a downward spiral. The survey shows that hunter numbers have increased 9 percent since 2006, and 5 percent since 2001.

Pat yourself on the back, and then get back to work. Remember: It's not time to slack off. It might start to sound like a cliche, but the fact is we need to continue bringing new blood to the sport—especially youths—or the anti's will take over. And we don't want that now, do we?