For thousands of years, Native Americans relied on this region's wildlife for sustenance, and early settlers also depended on bison, deer, and birds drawn by reliable water and forage. As settlements expanded, unregulated hunting took a heavy toll, and by the early 1900s market hunters were harvesting tens of thousands of ducks, geese, and shorebirds annually from local marshes. New game laws curtailed commercial hunting, and private hunting clubs became established, with as many as seventeen in and around what is now the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge. In 1955, the federal government purchased much of this hunting club land to form the refuge. Hunting, especially for waterfowl, remains an important way of life along the Byway, while in recent years growing numbers of people have also enjoyed wildlife through viewing and photography. These wildlife-related activities have a major economic impact on local businesses and communities, and recreation and conservation dollars generated by hunters and anglers through excise taxes, licenses, and permits fund important local conservation work through state and federal agencies. The Nature Conservancy and other non-governmental organizations also assist in habitat restoration and land acquisition, helping assure a fertile future for wetlands and wildlife. More than 70 million Americans explore nature through watching birds, and this region's continuing conservation commitment helps keep the Byway area a haven for wildlife and wildlife watchers.