News & Events

The Missing Link in R3: Making Mentorship Work

On November 4, 2020 / News & Events, Newsletters

The Wildlife Management Institute recently teamed up with Southwick Associates and D.J. Case & Associates to examine the practice of “mentoring” in both the hunting and shooting sports. The R3 community has long assumed that using existing hunters and target shooters to introduce potential participants in an apprentice-like relationship, whether by personal invitation or programmatic paring, is key to producing new hunters and target shooters when family or friends support is not available.

Motivations of First-Time Firearm Owners

On November 4, 2020 / News & Events, Newsletters

By 2016, 24 million Americans held interest in purchasing their first firearm to either go hunting, target shooting or to own for protection. With the demographics and attitudes of today’s and tomorrow’s firearm owner rapidly changing, NSSF partnered with Southwick Associates to understand who these potential customers are and how best to connect with them. A survey was conducted among the general U.S. population that identified those who do not currently own a firearm but are very likely to do so in the next five years. [Given the surge in new hunters and target shooters in 2020, we felt the time was right to share an NSSF grant-funded report released in late 2019 explaining the motivations new firearm owners have regarding hunting, target shooting and personal protection:]

Angler Personas Now Available

On November 4, 2020 / News & Events, Newsletters

The ‘Average Angler’ doesn’t exist. People are drawn to sportfishing for a variety of reasons, many of which include escape, social engagement, challenge, and relaxation. For state agencies, angler organizations and industry, the ability to recognize the unique angler personas and also tap into their motivations directly correlates to more effective marketing and communication efforts, driving increased sales and greater participation.

Females, Younger Audiences Driving the 2020 Sales Surge

On November 4, 2020 / News & Events, Newsletters

Outdoor recreation has been one of the safest ways to escape COVID-19’s related restrictions and shut-downs. While we know fishing and hunting participation has increased, there has been a distinct lack of empirical evidence explaining the types of people driving 2020’s “COVID-surge” in license sales. The mid-year national/regional license sales dashboard provides initial insights into license sales and buyers.

Southwick Associates is Hiring

On August 12, 2020 / News, News & Events

We recently began the search for a Senior Research Analyst who is knowledgeable and experienced in quantitative socio-economic and human dimensions research. Our company provides a collaborative work environment with aRead more →

Report on the 2019 Hunting & Shooting Market Size

On July 16, 2020 / Press Releases

Southwick Associates today released a report detailing the size and trends of the 2019 hunting and shooting sports market. Overall, retail revenues declined 8% in 2019 across all categories, according to a new market size report, while overall units remained in line with 2018. The overall value of the market in 2019 dropped to $19.5 billion.

24 Million People Want to Buy Their First Firearm. Who Are They?

On April 15, 2020 / News, News & Events, Newsletters

In our Fall 2019 newsletter, we introduced a new study completed by Southwick Associates for the National Shooting Sports Foundation that describes the eight segments that comprise the 24 million Americans interested in buying their first firearm. With these results, companies and the industry’s marketing programs can enhance their customer recruitment efforts. In this issue, we provide greater insights into these potential new firearm owners.

Top Fishing, Hunting and Target Shooting Brands for 2019

On April 15, 2020 / News, News & Events, Newsletters, Uncategorized

Anglers, hunters and recreational shooters continue to spend billions of dollars for equipment each year, but what are the brands they are purchasing the most? Southwick Associates surveyed more than 9,000 anglers and 20,000 shooting sports enthusiasts in 2019 through our online outdoor consumer panels to identify the top brands in the market. The most frequently purchased brands for selected products in 2019 include:

Covid-19: What Do the Restrictions Mean for Hunting, Target Shooting and Fishing Businesses?

On April 15, 2020 / News, News & Events, Newsletters

The shooting sports and sportfishing industries plus conservation funding may not suffer as much as other economic sectors from the Covid-19 restrictions now in place across the nation. As seen in past times of uncertainty, participation and sales frequently increase. What’s happening now?

Top Sportfishing Equipment Brands in 2019

On March 31, 2020 / News & Events, Press Releases

Anglers continue to spend millions of dollars on fishing equipment each year, but what are the brands they are purchasing the most? Southwick Associates surveyed more than 9,000 anglers in 2019 through their online AnglerSurvey consumer panel to identify the top brands in the market.