Hunting Facts

The contributions, in the form excise taxes paid on sporting firearms, ammunition and archery equipment, benefit every state and have generated approximately $5.6 billion for wildlife conservation since 1939. The contribution for 2009 is a record -- nearly $336 million, according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, which recently announced the Wildlife Restoration apportionment.

An average hunter spends $1,638 every year on the sport.

Teenage girls are the fastest growing market in sport shooting.

According to research, 72 percent more women are hunting with firearms today than just five years ago. And 50 percent more women are now target shooting.

Americans hunt 228 million days per year.

More than 38 million Americans hunt and fish.

Hunters and anglers support more jobs nationwide than the number of people employed by Wal-Mart.

Through license sales and excise taxes on equipment, hunters and anglers pay for most fish and wildlife conservation programs.

Hunters and shooters have paid more than $5 billion in excise taxes since 1939.

More Americans hunt and shoot than play golf.

Firearms are involved in less than 1% of all accidental fatalities. More Americans are killed in accidents involving vending machines than guns.

Hunting gear sales are growing faster than all other sporting goods categories.

Americans annually buy 1.1 billion shotshells.

Non-resident hunting license, tag, stamp and permit sales have risen 41.2 percent since 1993.

Top selling sporting goods: 1.) exercise equipment, 2.) golf gear, 3.) hunting gear.

Sources: US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS); 2001 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation; National Shooting Sports Foundation.