Report: Hunting Gear Sales Surge
Largest
increase of all sports categories
NEWTOWN, Conn.—Hunting-related equipment
sales saw the highest percentage increase of all athletic and sports
equipment, according to new data from the National Sporting Goods
Association (NSGA).
NSGA’s report "The Sporting Goods Market in
2005" estimates sales of hunting-related equipment totaled $2.8 billion
in 2004, up 8 percent from the previous year.
The next-highest category was
tennis-related equipment sales, which rose 5 percent. Archery increased
4 percent, camping 3 percent, golf 3 percent, bowling 3 percent, fishing
2 percent, and baseball/softball 2 percent.
It’s welcome news for the hunting industry
and for conservationists, said Doug Painter, president of the National
Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for the hunting
and shooting sports industry. NSSF administers a variety of programs to
keep hunters active by increasing opportunities for them to go afield.
“These figures show that our industry is
out front in innovating new and better gear, and that hunters are
willing to spend their hard-earned dollars for further enjoyment of
their favorite outdoor pastime,” Painter said, adding, “It’s all working
together to make hunting a growing segment of the sporting goods world.”
Painter continued, “In addition, wildlife
and habitat programs are the sole beneficiaries of special excise taxes
collected from hunting products, so robust sales should be welcome news
to everyone who appreciates a healthy outdoors.”
Within the hunting-related equipment
category, firearms saw a 9.5 percent sales increase in 2004 to $1.9
billion, according to the report. Rifle sales ($722 million) showed a
16.5 percent increase, handgun sales ($524 million) increased 10.4
percent, shotgun sales ($534 million) were up 1.9 percent and air gun
sales ($120 million) rose 3 percent.
Particularly strong
sales were seen in hunting-related footwear, the NSGA report shows.
Sales in 2004 increased 21 percent, an increase unmatched in any other
category of athletic footwear.
At $2.8 billion in total sales,
hunting-related equipment ranked third among all athletic and sports
equipment categories in 2004, with only golf ($3.1 billion) and exercise
equipment ($5 billion) ranking higher, according to the report.
NSGA findings are based
on surveys and interviews with 100,000 households in America.
Learn more about the National Shooting
Sports Foundation at www.nssf.org.
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