View and download the complete report at sportsmensalliance . org / reports .
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE REPORT INCLUDE :
100
• Just less than a third of military personnel ( 31 percent ) are active hunters .
• More than half of military members are active sport shooters , with 58 percent going sport shooting in the past 2 years ( using firearms or archery ).
• About two-thirds of military personnel show robust interest in hunting with firearms , three-quarters in sport shooting with firearms , and about half show robust interest in bowhunting and target archery shooting . This includes those already doing the activities .
• The types of sport shooting with the greatest interest are plinking with rifles ( both non-AR and AR platform rifles ) and handguns .
• An audience ripe for R3 efforts are those who expressed interest in the activities but who had not done them in the previous 10 years . In general , Hispanics / Latinos , Blacks / African Americans , National Guard members , and those serving for 10 years or less are the groups have the highest interest but who have not done it .
• Deer are the most popular species among active hunters ( 91 percent hunt deer ), with wild turkey ( 47 percent ) at about half that rate . About a third hunt small game ( 33 percent ) and waterfowl ( 30 percent ), and about a quarter hunt upland game birds ( 27 percent ).
• The top motivations for hunting among active hunters are to be in nature , for sport / recreation , for the challenge , for a mental health break , and for food .
• Lack of time , access and Sunday hunting bans were some of the top constraints to hunting .
• Access and invitations to go hunting , as well as being asked to take a child hunting , are all top encouragements among lapsed hunters .
• The top constraint to hunting participation among non-hunters with robust interest is lack of knowledge / experience and lack of time .
• Camaraderie and the potential to be mentored could play a key part of recruitment among non-hunters .
80 60 40 20 0
PERCENTAGE OF RESPONDENTS
TOP REASONS FOR NOT HUNTING
Active-Duty Military Members , Interested Non-Hunters
27 26
Lack of Knowledge / Experience
Lack of Time
16 14 10 10
No One to Go With / Learn From
Access / Distance to Hunting Areas
Interest Not Strong Enough
Lack of Equipment
HUNTING PARTICIPATION Active-Duty Military Members
Active Hunters Non-Hunters
37 31
12
20
Short-Term Lapsed Hunters Long-Term Lapsed Hunters
The report defines active hunters as those who have hunted with a firearm or bow in the past 2 years ; short-term lapsed hunters as those who have hunted in the past 10 years but not in the past 2 ; long-term lapsed hunters as those who have hunted at some point in their lives but not in the past 10 ; and non-hunters as those who have never hunted .
100 80 60 40 20 0
PERCENTAGE OF RESPONDENTS
INTEREST IN HUNTING WITH FIREARMS Active-Duty Military Members
45
Very Interested
SPORT SHOOTING PARTICIPATION Active-Duty Military Members
17 6 58
19
21
Somewhat Interested
14 14
A Little Interested
Not At All Interested
Active Sport Shooters Non-Sport Shooters Short-Term Lapsed Sport Shooters Long-Term Lapsed Sport Shooters
The report defines active sport shooters as those who have shot recreationally with a firearm or bow in the past 2 years ; short-term lapsed sport shooters as those who have shot in the past 10 years but not in the past 2 ; long-term lapsed sport shooters as those who have shot at some point in their lives but not in the past 10 ; and non-sport shooters as those who have never shot recreationally .
6
Do Not Know
SUMMER 2022 17