Hunting License Sales Drop 3.1 Percent in 2022 – Back to Pre-Pandemic Levels

Attendees of the 88th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference, which wrapped up recently in St. Louis, Missouri, got the first look at the results of the Hunting License Sales 2021 - 2022 Report that documented a 3.1 percent decline in hunting license sales in 2022.

“We continued to track hunting license sales as one indicator of participation, and our results indicate that the impacts of COVID on getting people outdoors may be waning,” said Swanny Evans, the Council’s Director of Research and Partnerships. “Hunting license sales are settling back to pre-pandemic levels.”

The study was a follow-up to the past two Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports studies that documented a 4.9 percent increase in hunting license sales from 2019 to 2020 (otherwise known as the COVID-Bump) and a 1.9 percent decrease the following year from 2020 to 2021. To continue monitoring sales trends in the wake of the pandemic impact, the Council revisited this study in early 2023 to identify ongoing changes and emerging trends in hunters’ rates of license purchases.

Working with Southwick Associates, the Council collected monthly resident and nonresident hunting license sales data from 46 state wildlife agencies to quantify and compare 2022 to 2021 sales.

Among the 46 reporting states:

• Overall, hunting license sales decreased by approximately 3.1 percent in 2022 compared to 2021. Coincidentally, resident and nonresident license sales each were also down 3.1 percent.
• Just six of 46 states saw an overall increase in the number of licenses sold in 2022 compared to 2021.
• License sales were down overall in each of the four geographical regions (Northeast, Southeast, Midwest and West), with percentages ranging from -2.4 to -4.8 percent.
• The only months that saw overall increases in license sales – and slight ones at that – were February, and September.
• The surge in nonresident license sales seen in 2021 receded in three of the four geographical regions, with the only increase seen in the Northeast.
• The Hunting License Sales 2021 - 2022 report, which provides the most representative data on the current state of hunting license sales nationally and regionally, can be accessed by clicking here.

 

S3DA Hosts Second Annual Western Indoor National Championship

Scholastic 3-D Archery (S3DA) recently hosted the second annual Western Indoor National Championship at Vernal Rod & Gun Club in Vernal, Utah. Nearly 200 archers from nine S3DA teams across five states competed for their chance to be crowned the next “Western Indoor National Champion” in their respective class and age division. The S3DA program is seeing a significant increase in youth memberships across the western United States as state chapters are developing and becoming more robust. Registration numbers for regional, state, and national events are continuing to increase at a rapid pace as these western states take off.

The participants shot their first round on Saturday and finished their second round on Sunday. There were some great scores all-around, but especially in the Young Adult Male Open class with 10 archers shooting a 150, and seven of those going on to shoot a 300. Various collegiate archery programs provided archery scholarship certificates to first-, second- and third-place young adult archers.

S3DA National Outreach Coordinator Kristi Wilson said, “To experience first-hand a Western S3DA event was amazing! The host facility and our western state coordinators were welcoming and everyone really had a blast. I learned that the terrain and travel modes to an event can be vastly different in the west compared to archery events in the eastern United States. Speaking with multiple state coordinators, coaches, and parents, I feel like we learned a lot from this event, and we have a better understanding of what we need to do to grow the sport of archery in the west.”

S3DA thanked Utah State Coordinator, Mindy Mair, and the Vernal Rod & Gun Club for hosting and facilitating this event. The Western Indoor National Championship was a huge success due to the hard work and support of dedicated parents, coaches, Regional/State Coordinators, and countless volunteers. S3DA also thanked the parents and coaches of S3DA youth participants for taking time off work and coordinating their schedules to make the Western S3DA Indoor National Championship a one-of-a-kind youth sports experience.

 

Lancaster Archery Foundation Continues Its Collegiate Support

The Lancaster Archery Foundation has established its second collegiate archery scholarship program. James Madison University was gifted $26,880 to be awarded over the next 5 years to a student athlete who competes on the University’s archery team. A goal of the Foundation is for James Madison University to use the scholarship as a recruiting tool for future student-athletes. Scholarship information can be obtained by contacting James Madison University.

Lancaster Archery Foundation’s first collegiate archery scholarships were given to Texas A&M University; $32,000 was awarded to eight student-archer athletes for 2023. Each student received $4,000 to put toward their 2023 tuition fees.

A stipulation of the scholarship funds provided by the Lancaster Archery Foundation is that recipients must participate in the university’s competitive archery program.

 

TenPoint Promotes Brian Flaherty to Director of Marketing

TenPoint Crossbow Technologies recently announced the promotion of Brian Flaherty to director of marketing. Flaherty joined the company upon graduating college in 2009 and has previously served in various sales and marketing roles, most recently as the marketing manager.

As director of marketing, Flaherty will manage all functions of the marketing operation within TenPoint, including creative direction, social media, website design and function, eCommerce and advertising.

"I'm excited to see Brian advance to the next chapter in his career," said Phil Bednar, president and CEO of TenPoint Crossbows. “Brian has been a crucial part of the company’s success since he started 15 years ago – pioneering an entire category of social media and internet marketing for the company over the past 12 years. I have the utmost confidence in his ability to lead TenPoint’s marketing direction into the future."

Prior to working at TenPoint, Flaherty earned his MBA in management from the University of Akron in 2009, and his bachelor of arts in education in 2008. While at Akron, he was a 4-year letterman on the football team. He resides in Florida, is a dedicated husband and father, part-time football coach, and enjoys the outdoors.

“I am honored to be a part of the team that continues to set the standard for crossbow innovation,” Flaherty said. “The unprecedented growth I’ve seen during my years at TenPoint is a testament to the Bednar family and their founding principles that are deeply rooted in the company – family-owned, Built in America, and hunter-focused. With incredible ownership, management, and employees, we will continue to exceed the expectations of retailers, customers, and crossbow enthusiasts around the world.”