Social and Economic Impacts of Organized Youth Shooting Sports

The 2022 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimated that the number of youth ages 6 to 17 that participated in firearms target shooting was just under six million. Recent reports suggest substantial increases in shooting sports participation across all ages, and numerous organized youth shooting sports programs have also reported enrollment surges. However, to date no concerted effort has been made to estimate the total youth participation in organized shooting sports nor the corresponding economic impact. Further, outside of this potentially large economic impact, anecdotal reports also suggest that youth shooting sports are affecting the individual participants, including increasing confidence, discipline, academic performance, leadership skills, and motivation. While these impacts to the individual are often reported at conferences and used in program recruiting materials, no serious investigation across programs has been undertaken to see if these claims have merit. Quantifying and sharing these impacts could potentially help youth shooting programs secure greater support for increased capacity and longevity. This project will reach youth (through their parents) and program administrators using surveys and interviews to: 1) Investigate the personal, psychological, and social impacts of participating in organized shooting sports on youth. 2) Estimate participation in and economic impact of organized youth shooting sports. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds and supports approximately 2,800 school, club, and private youth shooting programs nationally, and more than 80 state and national youth shooting organizations, the MidwayUSA Foundation (Foundation) is teaming with the Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports (Council) to produce and share results with potential sponsors, local communities, legislatures, industry, media, and the general public. The goal is to increase support and capacity for youth shooting programs, especially those reaching kids from non-target shooting families.