Deer season is underway in Pennsylvania — and we hope all hunters find success in our forests and fields.

The economic impact of hunting for our state cannot be overstated.

According to WJAC-TV in Johnstown, economic reports show deer hunters spend about $980 million in our state each year. That money helps businesses both large and small — sporting goods stores, gun shops, restaurants and motels and other lodging — continue to create jobs.

In a typical year, the state’s revenues from hunting licenses exceeds $150 million according to the state Game Commission’s website, in addition to the revenue from the sales taxes on the aforementioned $980 million in annual spending.

Beyond the immediate impact of hunters’ spending, the hunting season helps control deer population levels, keeping the ecosystem in balance while reducing the damage hungry deer inflict on farms and gardens. In one recent year — 2017 — the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated deer caused $20 million in losses for corn farms and $15 million for soybean farms.

“The deer issue is literally catastrophic,” Fayette County farmer Mark Duda told a reporter for Washington County’s Observer-Reporter in August.

“The deer problem is so bad now. They are eating us out of house and home,” Fayette County farmer Rich Burd said. “Deer are coming in and eating half of your paycheck.”

While we can only speculate that the waning in hunting’s popularity in recent years contributes to the greater number of deer and to the woes of these Pennsylvania farmers, we can be certain that deer hunting remains more than a valued tradition — it is an important tool for ensuring our state’s economy thrives.