2023 Special Report on Hunting

The 2023 Special Report on Hunting and the Shooting Sports provides a comprehensive look at the more than 14 million Americans ages 6 and over who participated at least once in hunting with both firearms and archery equipment in 2022.

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2023 Special Report on Fishing

Whether fishing on lakes, rivers, streams, or seas, millions of Americans were united in 2022 by the love of fishing. For the thirteenth consecutive year, OIA’s philanthropic arm, Outdoor Foundation, has partnered with the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) to produce the Special Report on Fishing.   

The report provides a comprehensive review of fishing participation trends, including detailed information on specific fishing categories and audiences. Here are some key findings from the report:  

  • In 2022, 54.5 million Americans ages 6 and over took to the nation’s waterways to enjoy recreational fishing, a 4 percent increase from 2021.  
  • Fishing participation among Hispanic people ages 6 and over has increased about 45 percent over the last decade.  
  • Over the last decade, female participant numbers grew nearly 4 million, from 16 million in 2012 to 19.8 million in 2022. Females represented 36 percent of total anglers and 42 percent of first-time participants. 
  • New anglers are younger, more diverse, and highly socially connected.  
  • Only 18 percent of anglers typically fished alone, reiterating that fishing remained a shared activity in 2022. 

Data continues to underscore the critical importance of introducing fishing at a young age, as 86 percent of current fishing participants fished before the age of 12. That’s why programs like Outdoor Foundation’s Thrive Outside Initiative are so important, as they help youth access the outdoors – youth participation in Thrive Outside increased 175% in 2022. Learn more about our work to make the outdoors more equitable and accessible here.  

For press inquiries, contact Chris@dennyink.com

Did you know? OIA members have exclusive access to our library of industry-leading research on participation trends, market forces, consumer insights, and more. You can explore all of OIA’s research benefits here.  

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2023 Outdoor Participation Trends Report

Executive SUmmary

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OIA members and Outdoor Foundation partners have exclusive access to the full 72-page report to inform their brand’s consumer and business strategy and to help drive equitable access to the outdoors nationwide. For the good of the industry, OIA and OF share key findings from the Executive Summary with the public each year.  

Here’s a sneak preview of what’s in the Executive Summary 

  • The outdoor recreation participant base grew 2.3 percent in 2022 to a record 168.1 million participants or 55 percent of the U.S. population ages six and older. 

  • Although 2022 outdoor recreation included record numbers of participants and record high participation rates (especially amongst families and youth), the number of outings per participant declined in 2022 for the first time since the pandemic began in 2020. 

  • The outdoor recreation new participant base became more diverse in 2022 including increases in participation among Black people, Hispanic people, and LBGTQIA+ people.   

  • 80% of outdoor activity categories experienced participation growth in 2022 including large categories like camping and fishing, and smaller categories like sport climbing and skateboarding. 

For over 15 years, the Outdoor Participation Trends Report has served as the most trusted and comprehensive source of insights and narratives around who’s doing what, when, and how outdoors. The Outdoor Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Outdoor Industry Association, funds the research and publishes the findings in partnership with OIA every year.  

For press inquiries, contact Chris@dennyink.com

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Ready to read the full report and get a deeper look? Contact our membership team and join our member-led collective.  

2022 Special Report on Hunting and the Shooting Sports

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The 2022 Special Report on Hunting and the Shooting Sports provides a comprehensive look at the more than 30 million Americans ages 6 and over who participated at least once in hunting or target shooting with both firearms and archery equipment in 2021. The report identifies trends and includes detailed information about participation including motivations, barriers, and preferences of participants. Highlights from the report include: Hunting:
  • 4.6 percent of the U.S. population ages 6 and over went hunting at least once
  • 27 percent of participants were female, up from 16 percent a decade ago
  • Share of hunters who were Black or Hispanic increased 4 percent and 1 percent, respectively, on average for the past 3 years
  • “For food/meat” was the number one motivation for hunting
  • 49 percent of hunters first participated before the age of 18
  • 68 percent of hunters were introduced to hunting by a family members
Firearms Target Shooting:
  • 6.2 percent of the U.S. population ages 6 and over participated in target shooting
  • 32 percent of participants were female, up from 25 percent a decade ago
  • Share of target shooters who were Black or Hispanic increased 5 percent and 4 percent, respectively, on average for the past 3 years
  • “For recreation” was the number one motivation for target shooting
  • “High cost” was the number one barrier reported for target shooting
Archery Target Shooting:
  • 2.4 percent of the U.S. population ages 6 and over participated in archery
  • 39 percent of participants were female, the highest since 2016
  • Archers are slightly more diverse that firearms target shooters
  • “For recreation” was the number one motivation for target shooting
  • 19 percent of participants shot solely on public property/ranges
This special report was developed by the Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports and the Outdoor Foundation.

2022 Outdoor Industry Workforce Assessment

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The Outdoor Industry Workforce Assessment looks to identify major trends in workforce hiring and retention, help further educational and up-skilling initiatives, and provide a snapshot of where the industry stands in its efforts to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion. Key findings from the survey include the following:
  • New hires: The industry expects to hire for a high volume of entry and skilled professional positions over the next year.
  • Work/life balance: Outdoor companies are prioritizing flexible work arrangements and work-life balance as attraction and retention strategies ahead of employee benefits and financial rewards.
  • Qualified applicants: 66% of survey respondents report having difficulty finding qualified applicants. The largest barriers to recruiting hard-to-fill jobs are finding qualified applicants, and lack of affordable housing options proximal to the job location.
  • Increasing DEI: Companies who have a diversity plan in place are utilizing a wide variety of methods and tactics to achieve their goals. However, companies that do not currently have a diversity plan in place largely do not plan to implement one or do not know where to start.
Read key takeaways from the report and areas of opportunity for organizations and the outdoor industry here. The Outdoor Industry Workforce Assessment was conducted by Oregon State University’s Center for the Outdoor Recreation Economy with input and support from Outdoor Industry Association, Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, Basecamp Outdoor, Path to Peak Education + Consulting, and the Confluence of States. Financial support for the development and execution of this survey was provided by a grant from The VF Foundation.

2022 Special Report on Fishing

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Recreational fishing is a vibrant part of America’s outdoor tradition, promoting wellness, fostering bonding with family and friends, and forging a deep connection with nature, particularly amid COVID-19 related limitations. Whether fishing on lakes, rivers, streams, or seas; from shorelines, boats, or embankments; millions of Americans were united in 2021 by the love of fishing. Using 15 years of fishing participation data, the Outdoor Foundation and the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) partnered to produce the Special Report on Fishing for the 12th consecutive year. This report provides a comprehensive look at overall trends in participation, as well as detailed information on specific fishing categories. Insights include motivations, barriers, and preferences of key groups. Special sections are dedicated to youth, Hispanic Americans, and females—populations we must engage, activate, and retain to ensure future growth. Key findings from the report include the following:
  • In 2021, 52.4 million Americans went fishing, up 4.5% over 2019.
  • 12.9 million youth (ages 6-17) went fishing in 2021, up 14% over 2019.
  • 4.7 million Hispanics fished in 2021, up 7% over 2019.
  • 19.4 million women went fishing in 2021, up 8% over 2019.
  • 86% of current fishing participants first fished before age 12, demonstrating the critical importance of introducing fishing at a young age.
  • Americans primarily fished to enjoy the splendor of nature while escaping the usual demands of life.
 

White Paper: Outdoor Sports Insurance Highlights the Necessity of Network Security

For years, Network Security Insurance (commonly referred to as Cyber Liability Coverage) was widely regarded as a boutique coverage needed only by large corporations who store and process large volumes of consumer credit card information. In the later part of the last decade, however, this perception proved inaccurate when cyber-attacks on small to midsize businesses and retailers increased nearly 600%. Cyber extortion targeting small businesses now reigns supreme.

The good news is, Outdoor Sports Insurance has access to a wide array of insurance markets that write cyber policies specifically for the small business owner. These policies are both comprehensive in protection and breach response services, and affordable in premium.

Wrapped together with policies that cover the risks associated with hiking, camping, paddling or any outdoor activity, Outdoor Sports Insurance knows the market and has the products to fit any OIA member.

By definition, a “cyber attack”, or “security breach”, refers to unauthorized access to the IT infrastructure of a company by a third party (hacker) with the intent to corrupt, steal, or destroy data. The types of attacks hackers employ to achieve these ends runs a wide spectrum; Denial of Service (DoS), Phishing attacks, Password attacks and cross-site scripting attacks are just a few of the more common means by which hackers wreak havoc on a company’s network (and subsequently the daily operation of the business itself).

The most common attack, and by far the most damaging in terms of financial impact to victims, is the ransomware attack, commonly referred to as, “cyber extortion.” When a company has been hit with a ransomware attack, malicious software infiltrates a portion, or all, of the company’s IT mainframe. As malware increases in sophistication and complexity, so, too, do the extortion demands made upon the targeted companies. Between 2019 and 2020 alone, the number of companies that reported paying a ransomware extortion demand increased more than 300%.

According to a NetDiligence 2020 Cyber Claims study, the total cost of a network breach ranges anywhere from $1,000, to more than $120 million. The average cost to businesses with less than 200 employees is estimated to be $200K – $750K. Between 2018 and 2020, it is estimated that 45% of cyber-attacks targeted businesses with less than 200 employees. Less than 25% of those businesses carried the proper network security coverage, and even fewer had a formal incident response plan in place. Of the businesses impacted that did not carry the proper protection, more than 60% were out of business within 6 months.

Outdoor Sports Insurance works across multiple carriers to make sure all OIA businesses can find the right policy with the appropriate coverage at an affordable premium. In addition to the coverage itself, Outdoor Sports Insurance supplements the policies with risk management services and third party resources curated to ensure policy holders are equipped with the tools to mitigate the threat of an attack, and expedite the response time should an attack occur.

Included in the coverage portfolio, policy holders have access to a 24/7 cyber response hotline, educational tools to help network users identify threats and phishing campaigns, recommendations for protective software implementations, and best practices for user protocol of a business’s IT property and systems.

OIA has assembled best-in-class services provider partners to offer OIA special preferred pricing on goods and services in marketing, sales, sustainability, supply chain, finance, operations, research, rep associations, and trade shows. Outdoor Sports Insurance is one of those provider partners. Learn more about the OSI partner benefit for OIA members hereIn order to receive the discounted pricing offered, you must mention and confirm your OIA membership to the service provider.

Rob Martin and Tori Hoeschler from Outdoor Sports Insurance recently sat down with Rick Saez from The Outdoor Biz Podcast to chat skiing, outdoor adventure, and risk management. Learn about how Outdoor Sports Insurance, protects businesses from inherent risks to areas of exposure that are less obvious, including how small and mid-sized businesses are increasingly becoming targets of cyberattacks. Also hear about how proper waivers and training can save a shop, and how Outdoor Sports Insurance can help you with all of it.

To learn more about cybersecurity offerings from Outdoor Sports Insurance, please contact the team at outdoorsportsins.com, or email OSI@horizonagency.com. And check out this Outdoor Biz podcast featuring Rob Martin and Tori Hoeschler from OSI