FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. — One in five anglers surveyed by AnglerSurvey.com reported having to cancel or quit fishing a particular location last year because they had lost access to a favorite fishing spot. While most were able to shift their fishing to a different location, about a third of the affected anglers – or seven percent of all survey respondents – said it caused them to quit fishing altogether.

Access issues occur almost evenly across fresh and saltwater bodies of water. In fact, with three out of four anglers fishing freshwater, three out of four access problems affected freshwater anglers. Twenty-one percent affected saltwater anglers and less than five percent affected anglers fishing brackish waters.

While lost or reduced fishing access to prime fishing areas is a concern to all anglers, many anglers were able to find another place to fish. Of those who lost access to a lake, stream or other body of water, nearly 60 percent said they were able to continue fishing. Besides the seven percent who said it caused them to quit, 35 percent admitted they fished a little less frequently.

“While access issues can often be overcome by fishing somewhere else, we are still losing some anglers each year due to problems with fishing access. When we add up the anglers lost year after year, whether as a result of marine fishery closures or dilapidated boat ramps, access remains a major long term problem for sportfishing and fisheries conservation.” says Rob Southwick, president of Southwick Associates, which designs and conducts the surveys at AnglerSurvey.com.

To help prevent the loss of more fishing areas to development, budget cuts or government closures of fishing areas, anglers need to speak up and let leaders know that quality fishing access is important to them.

They should also participate in surveys such as the ones at HunterSurvey.com, ShooterSurvey.com and AnglerSurvey.com. Each month, participants who complete the surveys are entered into a drawing for one of five $100 gift certificates to the sporting goods retailer of their choice.

About AnglerSurvey.com, HunterSurvey.com and ShooterSurvey.com: Launched in 2006, AnglerSurvey.com, ShooterSurvey.com and HunterSurvey.com help the outdoor equipment industry, government fisheries and wildlife officials and conservation organizations track consumer activities and expenditure trends. The information above represents only a small sample of the vast amount of data collected from the complete survey results and available to government agencies, businesses, the media and other interested parties. Results are scientifically analyzed to reflect the attitudes and habits of anglers and hunters across the United States. Find them on Facebook at http://facebook.com/huntersurvey and http://facebook.com/anglersurvey .
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FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. — This year marks the 75th anniversary of the passage of the landmark Pittman-Robertson (also known as Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration) Act, which directs excise taxes collected on the sale of firearms and ammunition to be used exclusively by state wildlife agencies for improving wildlife populations, hunter education and public access to the outdoors. The benefits of this program to state agencies, sportsmen, sporting goods retailers and manufacturers and anyone who enjoys and appreciates wildlife and the outdoors have been abundant since its creation.

Taking a look at the state of wildlife and hunting opportunities when Pittman-Robertson was passed compared to now can be startling. In 1937, 11 states had no open seasons for deer and three others only had local seasons. Missouri’s deer season was only three days long, while Colorado only had a seven-day elk season. Grouse season in Wisconsin was completely closed, South Dakota only had local pheasant seasons and no states had dedicated archery or muzzleloader seasons.

Today, virtually every state boasts lengthy deer seasons including special archery and muzzleloader seasons that can extend a deer hunter’s time outdoors. Missouri boasts more than 123 days of hunting for deer each year, elk hunters can now potentially hunt more than 120 days in Colorado, Wisconsin enjoys a 136-day grouse season and South Dakota is recognized as the pheasant hunting capital of the world with abundant opportunity and an 86-day statewide season. Even considering recent declines in the total number of hunters, there is still more than twice the number of hunters in 2010 than there were in 1937.

“Wildlife was in danger of disappearing in many areas and hunting opportunities were not nearly as abundant as they are today despite the modern perception among many non-hunters that those were the good old days,” says Rob Southwick, president of Southwick Associates, a leading researcher of fish and wildlife economics and statistics.

Southwick Associates teamed up with Andrew Loftus Consulting on behalf of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies to develop the report, “Financial Returns to Industry from the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Program.” The report details many of the benefits to various stakeholder groups since the inception of the program prevented excise taxes on firearms and ammunition from being diverted to the general treasury. It also protected the funds raised through license fees paid by hunters from being diverted for any other purpose than the administration of state wildlife agencies.
The benefits of the program extend far beyond providing much-needed funding for state wildlife agencies to carry out programs that restore and maintain healthier wildlife populations and habitats and provide greater hunting opportunities. It also helps the bottom lines of the manufacturers and retailers who build and sell the products on which the excise taxes are placed.

“Since 1937, the Wildlife Restoration Act has provided nearly $7 billion to state fish and wildlife agencies to support wildlife and habitat conservation, hunter access, hunter safety education and shooting range development,” says Ron Regan, Executive Director of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. “Ultimately, it’s a cycle of success where Wildlife Restoration-funded conservation creates better hunting opportunities, which leads to more hunters, which translates into more consumers for hunting, archery and shooting sports manufacturers and retail outlets.”

Hunting license sales and collected excise taxes annually result in approximately $1.27 billion to fund state wildlife agencies. When adjusted for 2009 dollars, consumer retail purchases of tax-related hunting and shooting equipment ranged between a low of $2.8 billion in 1970 to $5.2 billion in 1996.

Go to reports http://www.southwickassociates.com/clients/client-project-links/

About Southwick Associates: Southwick Associates (http://southwickassociates.com) was founded in 1989 to serve state fish and wildlife agencies, as well as the sportfishing and hunting industries. We specialize in economic and business statistics related to fish and wildlife. Our expertise includes measuring retail expenditures by anglers, hunters, wildlife viewers and other outdoor recreationists; quantifying the jobs, tax revenues and other economic impacts of outdoor recreation; tracking trends within outdoor industries as well as identifying major distribution channels and the overall structure of specific outdoor-related industries; and analyzing the value of fish and wildlife resources and their uses including land transactions, new business ventures, fish kills and more.

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Welcome to the Southwick Associates Newsletter focusing on the economics, business and statistics of fish and wildlife and their associated outdoor recreation.

On the Fence About Fishing: Why Anglers Lapse & Fishing’s Competition

Previous examinations of state fishing license sales by Southwick Associates revealed many Americans who consider themselves anglers don’t necessarily fish or buy a fishing license every year. It begged the question: “Why and what do they do in place of fishing?” That question has now been answered following a study Southwick Association was involved in for the American Sportfishing Association (ASA). The findings are summarized in the ASA report “On the Fence about Fishing,” which was just released in March.

Key highlights include:

• Top reasons why people fish: fun, relaxing, a great way to spend time with family and friends, catch something to eat, and to be outdoors. Reasons such as catching large fish, the challenge, or tradition are minor reasons.

• Key outdoor activities found to compete with fishing include hunting, camping, hiking, golfing, gardening and trail running or walking for fitness. Indoor activities included watching television, cooking and reading.

• Though “not enough time” is cited as a major reason for fishing less, this response in many cases indicates a preference for other recreational efforts. People state they will make time for activities they want to do, often at the expense of other activities, such as fishing.

• Anglers—whether active or lapsed—still mostly prefer outdoor activities to indoor ones.

• Most anglers don’t live in rural areas, thus fishing opportunities and access in urban and suburban locations must be provided, promoted and protected.

• To help reverse declines in angler numbers, industry and agency fishing promotions must keep fishing convenient, with few hassles and high levels of enjoyment, and a prime way to spend time with others. If not, anglers will find other activities that provide these outdoor experiences.

• The single biggest thing that would encourage many lapsed anglers to return to the water for some fishing would simply be if someone invited them to go.

Inviting a person to go fishing is that easy in stemming the drop in angler numbers and can be the most effective and affordable way to retain or recruit new anglers to fishing’s ranks. To check out the report summary or the full technical report presenting complete details, visit southwickassociates.com. This project was produced in partnership with Responsive Management.

Crazy About Camo

HunterSurvey.com recently confirmed what many retailers and manufacturers have long suspected—camouflage matters when put on many of the items hunters buy. The survey found 94 percent of those hunters and shooters surveyed had purchased at least one camo item in 2011. Only six percent said they had bought none.

Taking a deeper look at the numbers found, 18 percent of sportsmen said between 71 to 80 percent of the items they bought were in camo, 11 percent said between 81 and 90 percent were camo and 15 percent said at least half of their purchases were camo. A camo-dedicated 7 percent reported everything they purchased for hunting had some camouflage on it.

View the full press release.

Many Anglers Spend Less Time Fishing Than Desired

Closely related to Southwick Associates’ research on why anglers quit fishing and what they do instead are the findings by AnglerSurvey.com that found many anglers yearn for more time on the water yet are unable to make that a reality despite their best intentions. In a survey conducted late last year, when asked if they fished more, less or as much as expected, 45 percent of participating anglers said they made it out “less.” Less than 27 percent of anglers made it out more than expected and only 28 percent made it out as much as expected.

Reduced angler days translate into fewer dollars spent on fishing.

View the full press release.

Hunting Then & Now: Celebrating 75 Years of the Pittman-Robertson Act

This year, 2012, marks the 75^th anniversary of the passage of the landmark Pittman-Robertson Act, also more properly known as the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration) Act.

In 1932, Congress authorized an excise tax on firearms and ammunition that went into the general treasury of the United States. Five years later, with the passage of Pittman-Robertson, those excise taxes had to be passed on to state game agencies for the exclusive use of funding programs designed to improve wildlife habitat, as well as improve hunter access. The benefits of this program to game departments, sportsmen, sporting goods retailers and manufacturers, as well as non-consumptive users who still enjoy and appreciate wildlife and the outdoors have been abundant.

Here’s a look at the state of game populations and hunting opportunities at the time

Pittman-Robertson was passed:

• In 1937, 11 states had no open seasons for deer and three others only had local seasons. Missouri’s deer season was only three days long.
• Colorado only had a seven-day elk season.
• Grouse season in Wisconsin was completely closed.
• South Dakota only had local pheasant seasons.
• No states had dedicated archery or muzzleloader seasons.

Here’s how things stand now:

• Today, virtually every state boasts lengthy deer seasons.
• Missouri hunters enjoy more than 123 days of hunting for deer each year.
• Elk hunters in Colorado can potentially hunt more than 120 days.
• Wisconsin boasts a 136-day grouse season.
• South Dakota has become the pheasant hunting capital of the world with abundant bird numbers and an 86-day, statewide season.
• Special archery-only and muzzleloader-only seasons are held in nearly every state.

Even considering recent declines in the total number of hunters, there is still more than twice the number of hunters in 2010 than there were in 1937. Celebrate the passage of the Pittman-Robertson Act and all it has done for hunters and wildlife. It has even indirectly helped anglers as the program served as the model for the Dingell-Johnson Act (or Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act) passed in 1950 and designed to attach an excise tax to various types of fishing equipment to help fund sport fish restoration and opportunities.

A number of highlights and impacts of this landmark legislation are covered in the report “Financial Returns to Industry from the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Program,” which was compiled by Southwick Associates in conjunction with Andrew Loftus Consulting under funding coordinated through the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. These reports provide additional “Then and Now” comparisons for most states and most popular game species.

View the full report here.

2011 Hunting & Shooting Trends and 2011 Angler Trends Now Available

If you or your organization is involved in the media and would like to keep abreast of and report on the important economic, social and participation findings from Southwick Associates’ monthly AnglerSurvey.com, HunterSurvey.com and ShooterSurvey.com, then you need to get on our mailing list. These reports are provided as a courtesy to those who are willing to offer links and promotional mentions of these surveys in their publications and on their websites to help us grow participation in the surveys and provide even more market depth analysis.

The “December and Annual 2011 Angler Trends” report as well as the “December 2011 Hunting and Shooting Participation and Market Trends” report are both available.

Highlights from these reports include:

• In 2012, 42 percent of those surveyed would like to purchase a handgun.
• 81 percent of those who went hunting in December, hunted deer.
• 47 percent of respondents went shooting at a range.
• The most frequently purchased firearm in December was a rifle (45 percent).
• The top brand of rifle purchased was a Remington (18 percent).
• Of those surveyed by AnglerSurvey.com, 29 percent freshwater fished in December, while 11 percent saltwater fished.
• Fifty-six percent of those who fished did so from land, pier, dock or wading.
• Thirty-seven percent of those surveyed, purchased fishing equipment in December.
• In 2012, 80 percent of survey participants expect to purchase lures.

To help continually improve, protect and advance the shooting sports and outdoor recreation, all sportsmen and sportswomen are encouraged to participate in the surveys at HunterSurvey.com, ShooterSurvey.com and AnglerSurvey.com. Southwick Associates also urges media outlets to help get the word out about the surveys to encourage their readers, viewers and visitors to participate as well. If you or someone in your organization is looking for information or data specific to a story you are working on, but don’t readily find it in our monthly trend reports, contact us. We can most likely help.

To sign up to receive these monthly reports, contact Donna Leonard at donna@southwickassociates.com.

Coming In The Next Issue:

• Southwick Associates Media Monitor: What Media is Most Popular Among Hunters, Shooters and Anglers
• Top Fishing Brands of 2011
• Top Hunting Brands of 2011
• The Effects of Rising Fuel Prices on Outdoor Recreation
• Electronic Means to Successfully Boost Hunting and Fishing License Sales

Southwick Associates, Inc. specializes in natural resource & environmental economic, business and statistical research. Our staff is comprised of economic, business and statistics professionals throughout the U.S. who have in-depth experience measuring the values, benefits and revenues possible from fish, wildlife, and water-related natural resources plus their associated industries. We can help clients better address many business, legal, legislative and public communication issues through the practical application of reliable and accurate economic information and statistics.

For information and other reports, visit our Web site at www.southwickassociates.com

If you wish to be removed from our distribution list, please send an email with “remove from newsletter” added in the subject line, to donna@southwickassociates.com.

Newsletter Editor: Doug Howlett, Source Stream Media, LLC, Virginia Beach, VA

FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. — When it comes to finding time to fish, many anglers dream big at the beginning of each year. However, making all of their plans happen is a bit more of a challenge. That was the case last year as reported by anglers in a survey conducted by AnglerSurvey.com. When asked if they fished more, less or as much as expected, 45 percent of participating anglers said they made it out “less.”

Conversely, less than 27 percent of anglers made it out more than expected and only 28 percent made it out as much as expected.

“There are so many ways for people to spend their free time. Every year, we see people’s best intentions to fish waylaid by other activities,” says Rob Southwick, president of Southwick Associates, which designs and conducts the surveys at AnglerSurvey.com.

Southwick Associates recently provided key research for “On the Fence About Fishing: A Study of Why Anglers Do and Don’t Fish and What Will Get Then on the Water,” a study that examined the reasons anglers fish less or quit fishing altogether, as well as what activities they participated in instead of fishing. The study was conducted on behalf of the American Sportfishing Association. The key factor cited in the report was “not enough time.” That report can be viewed at southwickassociates.com.

To help continually improve, protect and advance the shooting sports and outdoor recreation, all sportsmen and sportswomen are encouraged to participate in the surveys at HunterSurvey.com, ShooterSurvey.com and AnglerSurvey.com. Each month, participants who complete the survey are entered into a drawing for one of five $100 gift certificates to the sporting goods retailer of their choice.

About AnglerSurvey.com, HunterSurvey.com and ShooterSurvey.com: Launched in 2006, AnglerSurvey.com, ShooterSurvey.com and HunterSurvey.com help the outdoor equipment industry, government fisheries and wildlife officials and conservation organizations track consumer activities and expenditure trends. The information above represents only a small sample of the vast amount of data collected from the complete survey results and available to government agencies, businesses, the media and other interested parties. Results are scientifically analyzed to reflect the attitudes and habits of anglers and hunters across the United States. Find them on Facebook at http://facebook.com/huntersurvey and http://facebook.com/anglersurvey .
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Contact: Donna@southwickassociates.com

FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. – Southwick Associates’ AnglerSurvey.com announced the brands and products anglers purchased most frequently in 2011. This list has been compiled from the 29,495 internet-based surveys completed by anglers who volunteered to participate last year in AnglerSurvey.com polls.

In 2011, the top brands include:

• Top rod brand: Shakespeare (9.6% of all purchases)
• Top reel brand: Shimano (21.4% of all purchases)
• Top fishing line producer: Berkley Trilene (13.1% of all purchases)
• Top hard bait brand: Rapala (21.8% of all purchases)
• Top soft bait brand: Zoom (15.2% of all purchases)
• Top spinner bait brand: Strike King (16.4% of all purchases)
• Top sinker brand: generic (28.8%), Bullet Weights (12.1% of all purchases)
• Top fly rod brand: Orvis (10.4% of all purchases)
• Top fly reels brand: Orvis (16.5% of all purchases)
• Top fly combo brand: Cabela’s (31.5% of all purchases)
• Top fly line brand: Scientific Angler (3M) (23.8% of all purchases)
• Top fly leader brand: Rio (28.9% of all purchases)
• Top tackle box brand: Plano (45.8% of all purchases)
• Top landing net brand: Frabill (24.5% of all purchases)
• Top fishing knife brand: Rapala (25.2% of all purchases)

* Largemouth bass remain the number one targeted species of freshwater fish, with 52% of fishing activity targeting largemouth bass.

* Saltwater anglers were more varied, with 31% of trips targeting redfish/red drum, followed by any saltwater fish that bites (25%), flounder (24%), spotted seatrout or weakfish (23%) and striped bass (20%). Please note these refer to species targeted on trips and not the number of fish actually caught.

A comprehensive 2011 fishing tackle market review will be presented in the April issue of the Fishing Tackle Retailer.

The marketing data presented here is a summary of a 150-page market report just released by Southwick Associates that details consumer behavior including what products and brands are purchased, where they are bought, how much customers spend, and demographics of freshwater and saltwater anglers broken out by each product category. Current information about what gear and brands anglers prefer, how many days they spend on the water and what type of fishing they enjoy most is vital to businesses trying to build their customer base.

You can stay abreast of consumer buying patterns and overall market trends by purchasing an annual subscription to Southwick Associates’ monthly AnglerSurvey.com reports. Reports are available for specific product categories including fishing rods, reels, line, lures, tackle, electronics, apparel, fly-fishing and ice fishing gear, and more. To purchase a report or subscription, contact John DePalma at  jdepalma@brandintelligent.com.

About AnglerSurvey.com and HunterSurvey.com

Launched in 2006, AnglerSurvey.com, ShooterSurvey.com and HunterSurvey.com is a non-scientific survey designed to help the outdoor industry, government fisheries and wildlife officials and conservation organizations track consumer activities and expenditure trends. The information above represents only a small sample of the vast amount of data collected from the complete survey results and available to government agencies, businesses, the media and other interested parties. Results are scientifically weighted to best reflect the attitudes and habits of anglers and hunters across the United States.

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Contact: Donna@southwickassociates.com

FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. — Southwick Associates has announced the brands hunters and shooters purchased most frequently in 2011. This list has been compiled from the 41,923 internet-based surveys completed by hunters and target shooters who volunteered to participate last year in HunterSurvey.com and ShooterSurvey.com polls. In 2011, top brands included:

• Top shotgun brand: Remington (24.6% of all purchases)
• Top muzzleloader brand: CVA (37.2% of all purchases)
• Top rifle brand: Remington (16% of all purchases)
• Top handgun brand: Sturm, Ruger (17.1% of all purchases)
• Top scope for firearms: Bushnell (16.7% of all purchases)
• Top rifle ammunition brand: Remington (25.5% of all purchases)
• Top shotgun ammunition brand: Winchester (32.1% of all purchases)
• Top handgun ammunition brand: Winchester (20.7% of all purchases)
• Top blackpowder brand: Pyrodex (47.9% of all purchases)
• Top balls, bullets, or shot brand: Hornady (31% of all purchases)
• Top arrow brand: Carbon Express (39.6% of all purchases)
• Top fletching brand: Blazer (23.6% of all purchases)
• Top broadhead brand: Rage (28.7% of all purchases)
• Top archery target brand:  The Block (14.1% of all purchases)
• Top decoy brand:  Mojo (16.5% of all purchases)
• Top game call brand: Primos (28.7% of all purchases)
• Top reloading bullet brand: Hornady (33% of all purchases)
• Top reloading powder brand: Hodgdon (36.7% of all purchases)
• Top binocular brand: Bushnell (31.3% of all purchases)
• Top holster brand:  Blackhawk (15.1% of all purchases)
• Top knife brand: Buck (19.1% of all purchases)
• Top cover scent brand:  Wildlife Research Center (25.7% of all purchases)
• Top shooting target brand: Shoot-N-C (29.5% of all purchases)
• Top clay brand: White Flyer (42.4% of all purchases)

The marketing data presented here is a summary of a 239-page report that details consumer behavior including what products and brands are purchased, where they are bought, how much customers spend, and demographics of hunters and shooters broken out by each product category. Current information about what gear and brands hunters and shooters prefer, how many days they spend afield and what type of hunting and shooting they enjoy most is vital to businesses trying to build their customer base.

You can stay abreast of consumer buying patterns and overall market trends by purchasing an annual subscription to Southwick Associates’ monthly HunterSurvey.com, ShooterSurvey.com and TargetShootingSurvey.com reports. Reports are available for specific product categories including firearms, ammunition, blackpowder, bowhunting and archery equipment, decoys, game calls, apparel, optics and more. To purchase a report or subscription, contact John DePalma at  jdepalma@brandintelligent.com.

About AnglerSurvey.com and HunterSurvey.com

Launched in 2006, AnglerSurvey.com, ShooterSurvey.com and HunterSurvey.com is a non-scientific survey designed to help the outdoor industry, government fisheries and wildlife officials and conservation organizations track consumer activities and expenditure trends. The information above represents only a small sample of the vast amount of data collected from the complete survey results and available to government agencies, businesses, the media and other interested parties. Results are scientifically weighted to best reflect the attitudes and habits of anglers and hunters across the United States.

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FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. — From clothing and firearms to wallets, flashlights and even furniture, hunter-styled camouflage has become an essential feature of the products hunters buy for use in the field and at home. Asked by HunterSurvey.com and ShooterSurvey.com what percentage of their hunting equipment purchases were in camouflage patterns, less than six percent of respondents said none. That means a whopping 94 percent of the sportsmen surveyed purchased at least one camouflage item in 2011.

As such, it is no surprise that the second most deciding factor is brand loyalty itself, which was the second most selected factor on HunterSurvey.com (56 percent) and AnglerSurvey.com (57 percent).  In breaking down the larger numbers, 18 percent of sportsmen said between 71 to 80 percent of the items they bought were in camouflage, 11 percent said between 81 and 90 percent were camo and 15 percent said at least half of their purchases were camo. Just over 7 percent reported everything they purchased for hunting had some camouflage on it.

This just goes to show how sporting consumers identify with the look and perceived benefits of camouflage products. Since its initial development in the 1980s, camouflage can be found on virtually every product a hunter wishes to own,” says Rob Southwick, president of Southwick Associates, which designs and conducts the surveys at HunterSurvey.com and ShooterSurvey.com.

While the survey did not question the motivations behind purchasing camouflage-covered equipment, likely reasons include the concealment benefits of camouflage products while in the field and the prevalence of hunting products on store shelves in camouflage. Many sportsmen also identify with and prefer the look of camouflage on items, which help them announce to others that they are proud sportsmen. “Wearing or displaying camo is a lifestyle choice, announcing to others they are a proud hunter or closely associate with the hunting lifestyle,” reports Rob Southwick.

Interestingly, professional endorsements by sporting and other celebrities were only chosen by 9 percent of sportsmen as having an impact in their purchase of a particular brand.  To help continually improve, protect and advance the shooting sports and outdoor recreation, all sportsmen and sportswomen are encouraged to participate in the surveys at HunterSurvey.com and ShooterSurvey.com. Each month, participants who complete the survey are entered into a drawing for one of five $100 gift certificates to the sporting goods retailer of their choice.

About AnglerSurvey.com, HunterSurvey.com and ShooterSurvey.com: Launched in 2006, AnglerSurvey.com, ShooterSurvey.com and HunterSurvey.com help the outdoor equipment industry, government fisheries and wildlife officials and conservation organizations track consumer activities and expenditure trends. The information above represents only a small sample of the vast amount of data collected from the complete survey results and available to government agencies, businesses, the media and other interested parties. Results are scientifically analyzed to reflect the attitudes and habits of anglers and hunters across the United States. Find them on Facebook at http://facebook.com/huntersurvey <http://facebook.com/huntersurvey> and http://facebook.com/anglersurvey <http://facebook.com/anglersurvey>.

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Sportsmen Offer Insight on What Influences Purchase Decisions

FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. — When it comes to choosing particular hunting, shooting or fishing brand products, nothing influences sportsmen more than their own personal experiences. Research conducted by HunterSurvey.com, ShooterSurvey.com and AnglerSurvey.com found that a whopping 78 percent of hunters and shooters and 77 percent of anglers cited “personal experience” as the number one deciding factor that affected their selection of a particular brand.

As such, it is no surprise that the second most deciding factor is brand loyalty itself, which was the second most selected factor on HunterSurvey.com (56 percent) and AnglerSurvey.com (57 percent).

“This is a clear message to companies that if they provide a product that delivers on its promises every time a sportsmen uses it, they may well have made that hunter, shooter or angler a customer for life,” says Rob Southwick, president of Southwick Associates, which designs and conducts the surveys at HunterSurvey.com, ShooterSurvey.com and AnglerSurvey.com.

Ranking almost as high as brand loyalty was the suggestion from an experienced sportsman they know, meaning respected friends also hold sway over how a person views a particular product.

Where advertising and media are concerned, despite suspicion in the news that print publications, such as magazines, are on the decline in popularity and influence, participants in the surveys put them ahead of television, radio and the internet as sources of information that most influenced their buying decisions. In fact, 23 percent of hunters, shooters and anglers said magazine ads or feature articles influenced their buying decisions, just slightly ahead of 20 percent for internet articles, 12 percent for TV commercials and programs and 3 percent for internet ads.

“The value of a written article that discusses the merits of a product certainly still holds a lot of influence with today’s sportsmen,” Southwick says.

Interestingly, professional endorsements by sporting and other celebrities was only chosen by 9 percent of sportsmen as having an impact in their purchase of a particular brand.

To help continually improve, protect and advance the shooting sports and outdoor recreation, all sportsmen and sportswomen are encouraged to participate in the surveys at HunterSurvey.com, ShooterSurvey.com and AnglerSurvey.com. Each month, participants who complete the survey are entered into a drawing for one of five $100 gift certificates to the sporting goods retailer of their choice.

About AnglerSurvey.com, HunterSurvey.com and ShooterSurvey.com: Launched in 2006, AnglerSurvey.com, ShooterSurvey.com and HunterSurvey.com help the outdoor equipment industry, government fisheries and wildlife officials and conservation organizations track consumer activities and expenditure trends. The information above represents only a small sample of the vast amount of data collected from the complete survey results and available to government agencies, businesses, the media and other interested parties. Results are scientifically analyzed to reflect the attitudes and habits of anglers and hunters across the United States. Find them on Facebook at http://facebook.com/huntersurvey <http://facebook.com/huntersurvey> and http://facebook.com/anglersurvey <http://facebook.com/anglersurvey>.

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For Immediate Release:  Nov. 11, 2011

FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. — With challenging economic times lingering and more activities vying for people’s attention and hard-earned dollars, government agencies, manufacturers and retailers more than ever need to understand precisely what their constituents and consumers want. Then they must deliver—or risk becoming irrelevant, underfunded and ultimately out of operation. And while gut instinct and direct consumer feedback certainly serve leaders in the decision-making process, nothing beats solid, empirical data. One of the best ways to obtain this data remains through detailed surveys of the very people an organization or business hopes to serve.

In the outdoor industry, the survey information collected and provided by AnglerSurvey.com, ShooterSurvey.com and HunterSurvey.com, designed and conducted by Southwick Associates of Fernandina Beach, Fla. since 2006, is recognized as a top source for measuring and understanding the habits and interests of dedicated sportsmen and sportswomen. Each month, hunters, shooters and anglers from across the United States participate in surveys that explore a variety of purchasing decisions, their participation in particular outdoor activities, their opinions on wildlife-related issues and legislation and more.

This information is vital in aiding game departments, nonprofit organizations, recreational program managers, the media, manufacturers and service providers in creating programs and products that will better protect outdoor opportunities and best serve the hunting, shooting and angling public.

It’s just as important for sportsmen and sportswomen, who truly care about protecting the outdoor opportunities available to them and who want to see better products that serve their interests, to participate in these fun, easy-to-take surveys where they can be heard and share their honest opinions in a format that has the power to effect true change.

“Surveys remain one of the best tools available to measure the pulse of an entire constituency or consumer base and make the most informed decisions based on real data, not just anecdotal evidence,” says Rob Southwick, president of Southwick Associates. “As a company seeking to deliver the best outdoor survey information available, it is important to design surveys in a way that attracts a broad cross-section of sportsmen by being fun and easy to take, yet still delivers the accurate data necessary for solid decision making.”

Sportsmen interested in participating in the surveys can visit AnglerSurvey.com and/or ShooterSurvey.com and HunterSurvey.com (the Hunter Survey and Shooter Survey direct to the same site) and simply click on the “Take the Survey” button if a first time participant. Surveys are designed to take only a few minutes to complete. Once you complete the survey, you will receive an email invitation each month when a new survey is ready to be taken. It’s that easy to make a real impact in the future of hunting, shooting and angling.

About Southwick Associates: Southwick Associates (http://southwickassociates.com) was founded in 1989 to serve state fish and wildlife agencies, as well as the sportfishing and hunting industries. We specialize in economic and business statistics related to fish and wildlife. Our expertise includes measuring retail expenditures by anglers, hunters, wildlife viewers and other outdoor recreationists; quantifying the jobs, tax revenues and other economic impacts of outdoor recreation; tracking trends within outdoor industries as well as identifying major distribution channels and the overall structure of specific outdoor-related industries; and analyzing the value of fish and wildlife resources and their uses including land transactions, new business ventures, fish kills and more.

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