Recently updated numbers on youth participation in shooting and hunting emphasize the significant influence that 7- to 17-year-olds have on the future of the outdoor industry.

 

Since 2001, the National Shooting Sports Foundation has partnered with the National Sporting Goods Association to compile trend data on hunting and target/sport shooting participation in the U.S. Combining NSGA data with complementary NSSF studies and data from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service provides an even more complete picture.

 

With regard specifically to youth participation, the following snapshot comes from a 2016 NSSF Industry Intelligence Report and includes data through 2015, the most recent year for which complete information is available.

 

The report breaks down participation in several categories: archery, hunting with firearms, paintball, target shooting with rifle, airgun, target shooting with handgun, target shooting with shotgun, hunting with bow and arrow, and muzzleloading. It further reveals the key component of trends in male vs female participation. A few standout statistics:

 

• From 2006-2015, an average of 4,378,900 youths have participated annually in hunting and shooting.

 

• In 2015, 74.1% of youth participants were male and 25.9% female.

 

• Female participation in bowhunting was 8.8% of all youth participants in 2001; it has more than doubled in recent years, now at 19.7%.

 

• The archery category shows the highest percentage of female participation, averaging 40.4% during the past three years.

 

• Target shooting with a shotgun has a 15-year annual participation average of 1,241,733 youth participants. In 2015, females made up 17.9% of total participants, compared with only 7.2% in 2001.

 

• In 2001, only 6.7% of youth hunters were reported as female. The 15-year average now stands at 21.8%. 

 

A topline summary of youth participation:

 

Activity	Avg Annual Youth Participants (7-17)	Percent Male	Percent Female
Archery	2,625,333	59.6	40.4
Hunting (Net)	2,595,267	78.2	21.8
Target Shooting (Net)	2,764,667	76.2	23.8
Hunting with Firearms	2,435,667	79.0	21.0
Paintball	2,580,533	82.7	17.3
Target Shooting – Rifle	1,968,067	78.0	22.0
Airgun	1,906,000	85.3	14.7
Target Shooting - Handgun	1,153,733	74.1	25.9
Target Shooting – Shotgun	1,241,743	82.1	17.9
Hunting – Bow & Arrow	651,533	82.9	17.1
Muzzleloading	274,733	81.0	19.0
Total Shooting (Net)	4,378,900	75.5	24.5

 

 

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