The ATA held the Archery and Bowhunting Summit in concurrence with the ATA Show in January. Various state representatives and members of the archery and bowhunting industries gathered to hear the most current industry information and discuss the latest efforts from colleagues and experts. Participants attended various seminars, networked and shared best practices for how they can apply these new ideas in their states. The Summit is an invaluable opportunity for state wildlife agencies and archery practitioners to unify and connect under one roof. State agency representatives get face-to-face meetings with archery industry professionals they might not otherwise meet or collaborate with. The ATA plans to hold the Summit at the same time as the ATA Show every year, moving forward.
Topics at the 2024 Summit included:
- Archery/Bowhunting Participation and State Data
- National Archery in the Schools Program Updates
- Archers USA Program
- National Field Archery Association Range Certifications and the Explore Bowhunting Program
- USA Archery’s Campaigns
- Scholastic 3D Archery Updates
- The ATA’s Grant for Diverse and Inclusive Photoshoots
- How to Reduce Archery Range and Participation Barriers
For example, the ATA conducted a survey with the goal of compiling the latest on archery and bowhunting from across the country to provide best practices for the archery and bowhunting community to recruit, retain and reactivate participation in the sports. The survey results were discussed during the Summit, and we’d like to share some of the findings with our industry members. Kristen Black, a human dimensions specialist contracted by the ATA, hosted the seminar. Though the Multi-State Conservation Grant Program provided the initial funding, the ATA is committed to continuing the research. The ATA sent the survey out to state agencies and asked them to report their findings in several areas, including hunter education, bowhunter education, and archery participation trends. The data in the survey reflects numbers from the last five years.
Hunter education programs are starting to come back strong. Photo Credit: NWTF
“COVID had a significant impact on bowhunter education,” Nicole Nash, ATA’s senior manager of outreach, noted. This fact is reflected by a sharp drop in program participation in 2020, going from over 160,000 students in 2019 to 121,295 students in 2020. “Educational offerings and participation are still recovering from that impact, but the trend remains in a positive direction of continuing to increase in participation. We are bouncing back!” This sentiment is further affirmed by the data. The report shows that participation rose significantly, to 178,208 students in 2022, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. To break it down by state: Eight out of 22 states reported an overall increase in the number of students over the past five years. As those stats include COVID years, the numbers are encouraging.
The states also reported that the number of bowhunter education classes being offered is on the rise again. There were 544 classes offered in 2019; it dipped to 262 classes in 2020, and it’s on the rise again with 298 classes reported in 2022. This information is important for the industry because if there is an increase in education offerings and student participation, there will be a higher demand for archery equipment, which helps not only state agencies but manufacturers, retailers and the archery industry as a whole.
Knowing how many hunter education programs are available and how many students are attending them helps identify industry needs. States that aren’t doing as well as others can reach out to the successful states and collaborate on ideas, since successful ideas in one state could also work for another.
Texas hired nine new archery-specific employees. Photo Credit: Texas Parks and Wildlife
The number of archery-specific state employees is also on an upward trend. The report notes that “according to 19 states, there has been a steady increase in the number of employees dedicated to archery programs between 2006 and 2022.” It goes on to highlight that Georgia and Wisconsin each added eight staff members in 2022. Texas has the most employees working in the archery field, with nine.
If a state has multiple archery-specific employees, they can offer more archery-specific resources and opportunities. Instead of one archery director trying to implement programming for 10 different regions and giving 10% of their time to each of them, you can have 10 different archery employees each giving 100% to their own region.
WE ARE HERE TO HELP THE INDUSTRY, TO HELP INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES GET THE MOST OUT OF THE INDUSTRY, AND TO HELP YOU.
NASP programs are in a great place and continuing to grow. Photo Credit: NASP
NASP is seeing an excellent upward trend. The number of schools participating in NASP in 2018 came in at 8,062, then dropped to 5,829 during COVID. As of 2022 it’s reached 8,449, exceeding pre-COVID levels. This data reflects information from all 50 states.
S3DA numbers, as reported by 37 states, have been steadily increasing since 2019. The growth is continuous; the numbers did not decline during the COVID years, which is impressive. The number of participants sits at 4,518 as of 2023.
Knowing that the data is trending in the right direction after COVID should give the archery industry a sense of relief and pride. Let this motivate you to give your all to programming, because the data shows that students are looking for it. Whether the students started practicing at outdoor ranges during lockdown and they’re looking forward to trying indoor archery post-COVID or they didn’t participate in any sports during lockdown and they’re itching to try something new, the data shows archery students are out there, and they’re ready to learn.
The ATA hopes to continue collecting the valuable data reflected in this survey so that we can continue to offer our members all the tools necessary to grow the archery and bowhunting industries. Becoming an ATA member and attending the Summit will provide you with unique access to industry trends and participation findings for your state. Data is one of our most valuable business tools; the more we know about the consumer, the better equipped we are to provide them with what they need. Attending the Summit will give you members-only access to industry data and face-to-face meetings with archery professionals. Access to data and networking opportunities are invaluable tools for growing an industry. The ATA’s mission is to grow the sports of archery and bowhunting, and we know it’s yours too. The Summit is a place where we can continue achieving that goal together.
Note that by attending the ATA’s Archery and Bowhunting Summit, you will have full access to the ATA Show floor during all three days of the Show. Make the most out of your ATA experience by attending both events and expand your knowledge and gain tips to grow the industry in your states to the highest level possible.
Questions? Contact Nicole Nash, the ATA’s senior manager of outreach, at nicolenash@archerytrade.org.
