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Dogwood Canyon, an 8,000 acre nature park; Big Cedar Lodge, a 

 top ten resort — a wilderness resort in this country. 



I see "Teaming with Wildhfe" and our company, our associates, 

 and our customers see "Teaming with Wildhfe" as an investment 

 in the future, bringing positive benefits to, one, outdoor recreation; 

 two, conservation; three, conservation education; four, to the out- 

 door enthusiasts and outdoor recreation customers; and, five, the 

 outdoor recreation products and the industries that they represent. 



One of the reasons that Bass Pro Shops is so successful is that 

 we have kept an eye on the customer. We are constantly reading 

 customer comment cards. Bass Pro Shops customers tell us time 

 and time again they will support a user fee if it benefits the re- 

 source. "Teaming with Wildlife" benefits the resource. 



This is also important to us from a business perspective. The out- 

 door recreation industry is dependent on a natural resource base — 

 no fish, no wildlife, no Bass Pro Shops, no many outdoor recreation 

 products companies or industry-related business. 



We also feel that it is good because this program will allow users 

 to have a financial stake in the resources they enjoy, and I think 

 that is important. I also want to relate to you that our company 

 feels very strongly that this initiative would be a profitable one for 

 our company, and we are a for-profit corporation. And I assure you 

 that we would not be endorsing this initiative if we didn't think it 

 had a return on investment. Of course, just from the natural re- 

 source perspective that this will bring, it brings a very powerful re- 

 turn on investment. 



We also see it as a capital investment. With more recreational 

 opportunities being created through trails, access points, land ac- 

 quisition, instructional guides, nature centers, and stronger con- 

 servation education, we feel that this is actually the way of the fu- 

 ture and, again, the right thing to do. 



We especially like the concept of the green logo, which is a tag 

 that would allow customers to really know what their user fee in- 

 vestment is going for. We are spending some extra time this year 

 to support wildlife restoration and sportsfish restoration so the cus- 

 tomer knows what it is doing because it has done significant 

 things. 



And it is very important for the customer to know what is hap- 

 pening related to any legislation. The informed customer is the best 

 customer. We also feel the excise tax is fair and equitable and has 

 worked well with wildlife restoration and sportsfish restoration. 



If I could sum up why we feel this initiative is so important, it 

 is probably because I have had the opportunity to see it in Mis- 

 souri. There is a conservation tax in Missouri, and if I could bring 

 each of you and the constituents that you represent to my neigh- 

 borhood to see the kind of conservation programs that are there, 

 I could have the opportunity to go to a shooting sports range, an 

 opportunity to fish, to hunt, to bird-watch, and to go to the nature 

 center to participate in family outdoor programs. 



And I can learn anything from how to find my way in the out 

 of doors to knowing how the butterfly plays a real key indicator 

 role in our environment. So what I would like to say is that it pro- 

 vides a full service conservation menu for the outdoor enthusiasts 

 and definitely for our customer. 



