The Council to Advance Hunting and Shooting Sports recently released their 2022 Special Report on Hunting and the Shooting Sports, revealing some rather interesting statistics. It showed that hunting and target shooting participation diversity has increased in the U.S. over the past decade. The report provides a comprehensive look at the more than 30 million Americans ages six and over who participated at least once in hunting or target shooting with both firearms and archery equipment in 2021. The report identifies trends and includes detailed information about participation, including motivations, barriers, and preferences of the participants.
While the Pennsylvania Game Commission maintains records that reflect the up and down sales of hunting licenses, this report reveals a broader overall picture in the short and long term that evaluates participation trends. Some of the more noteworthy of the statistics are as follows:
Archery Target Shooting:
1 – 2.4 percent of the U.S. population ages six and above participated in archery.
2 – 39 percent of participants were female, the highest since 2016.
3 – Archery shooters are slightly more diverse than firearms target shooters.
4 – “For recreation” was the number one motivation for target shooting.
5 – 19 percent of participants shot solely on public property or ranges.
Firearms Target Shooting:
1 – 6.2 percent of the U.S. population ages six and above participated in target shooting.
2 – 32 percent of participants were female, up from 25 percent a decade ago.
3 – The number of target shooters who were Black or Hispanic increased by 5 percent and 4 percent, respectively, on average for the past three years.
4 – “For recreation” was the number one motivation for target shooting.
5 – “High cost” was the number one barrier reported to target shooting.
Hunting:
1 – 4.6 percent of the U.S. population ages six and above went hunting at least once.
2 – 27 percent of participants were female, up from 16 percent a decade ago.
3 – The number of hunters who were Black or Hispanic increased by 4 percent and 1 percent, respectively, on average for the past three years.
4 – “For food or meat” was the number one motivation for hunting.
5 – 49 percent of hunters first participated before the age of 18.
6 – 68 percent of hunters were introduced to hunting by a family member.
And there you have it. But what do all these statistics mean, and how are they useful?
Today in America, where hunting and the shooting sports are an integral part of mainstream culture, hunters and shooters are widely recognized as premier conservation contributors. Data such as the above will help promote and grow the hunting and shooting sports and further educate the public on the contributions hunters and shooters make toward wildlife conservation.
To some, most of the data provided in this report is merely information to be bantered about at hunting camp over the next several months. But to those who have a serious concern about the future of these sports, as we all should,
and to those who may find themselves speaking to groups of folks about the importance and benefits of hunting and shooting, these statistics can help support the information you present.
Sure, not everyone is going to be a public speaker, but anyone talking to a new or newly interested hunter or shooter might benefit from sharing a few of these statistics in support of the promotion of the sports.
In today’s world, where politics seems to be increasingly infesting more aspects of our lives, including the pastimes we enjoy, it is important to be well armed with information in support of our sports.
More often than not, when someone opposes the shooting sports and hunting, they simply don’t have the “big picture” and usually are not aware of just how many benefits to wildlife conservation rests heavily on the shoulders of hunters and shooters.
By arming yourself with some of the above statistics, you will become a better advocate for hunting and shooting and thus help ensure that these sports will be around for future generations to enjoy.
