With countless places to roam and enjoy the great outdoors, Americans are taking advantage of these opportunities, and as they go, spending significant dollars. New economic reports by Southwick Associates reveals more than 53 million Americans consider themselves sportsmen and women, spending more than $93.5 billion in 2016 on gear, licenses, travel, clothing, gas and more.

In a series of reports released today by the American Sportfishing Association, National Shooting Sports Foundation and the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF), expenditures made for hunting, target shooting and sportfishing gear and services in 2016 supported 1.6 million jobs and provided $72 billion in salaries and wages. These monies also generated nearly $20 billion in local, state and federal taxes, much of which benefits vital conservation and educational programs that improve our outdoor areas for all who enjoy them and make hunting and shooting safer activities.

“Hunting, angling, and the shooting sports continue to be a critical and significant contributor to the nation’s economy, and to the conservation of our nation’s natural resources through the American System of Conservation Funding,” said CSF President Jeff Crane. “CSF looks forward to continuing to work with our partners and policy-makers to enhance our outdoor sporting traditions through federal and state policies.”

“If hunting, fishing and target shooting were a corporation, it would rank No. 25 on the Fortune 500, ahead of Microsoft,” said Southwick Associates President Rob Southwick. “While time spent outside may come across as something to do after the real work day is done, in reality hunting, fishing and target shooting is a critical industry, generating jobs and income for thousands of communities across the country.”

Annual Spending Report Highlights

• Each year, 35.8 million people 16 years and older take to America’s waters to fish.
• More than 28 million people over 16 years old took to our nation’s public and private lands and waters and gun ranges to hunt and target shoot in 2016.
• The number of people who participate in sportfishing, hunting and target shooting represents 16.5 percent of the total U.S. population.
• When factoring in multiplier effects, spending by sportsmen created economic activity in excess of $220 billion.
• Hunting, fishing and shooting adds $119 billion of overall value to our nation’s gross domestic product and generates $17.6 billion in federal taxes and $12.2 billion in state and local taxes.
• The 2018 edition of the America’s Sporting Heritage: Fueling the American Economyreport is sponsored by American Outdoor Brands Corporation; Pure Fishing, Inc.; and Safari Club International.

Images courtesy of Morrell Targets