HUNTING, SHOOTING AND SOCIAL ANALYSIS

The refrain of social theorists has always been that the world is changing, and that the imprint of social change should be visible on all of life's major landscapes. If the observation post is high enough, the broad contours of social change are unmistakable: the world is becoming less formal, more casual, less authoritarian, but also less civil; at the same time, people are becoming kinder, gentler, and also smarter about their planet, their bodies, and their relationships with other living things.

If any of these lofty propositions are true, evidence of such truths should abound. We can test some of these hypotheses on various sports and fashion domains, beginning with the very timely subjects of obesity and physical fitness.

Our national concern for health and fitness has reached epidemic proportions. In and of itself, this is a good thing; and in that it also affirms a key values trend (that we are increasingly concerned about our bodies) it is a resounding affirmation of social theory…until the fitness revolution is washed away by another highly-publicized megatrend — the obesity epidemic.

We find a more suitable match between megatrends and sports in the fashion arena. Though they rarely witness perspiration, the ubiquity of warmup suits and athletic shoes are ringing testimonials to a less formal world — but not to physical fitness. To complicate things, formal dress-up is making a small comeback; but this minitrend poses no danger to the new casual milieu, and at least one aspect of social theory appears vindicated.

Much less supportive of social theory is the near-lunatic behavior of some parents and coaches at Little League, Hockey and Soccer games. This contradiction flies in the face of a kinder, gentler nation, leaving few traces of humanistic evolution.

Steroids use by celebrity athletes does not attest to a more enlightened world order; neither does the unrelated phenomenon of player/fan violence in professional basketball. These behaviors point to another megatrend: the massive collapse of authority and a weakening of our social fabric.

By advancing female equality in sports participation, Title IX embraces the new humanism; but at the same time, opponents argue, the movement fosters intolerance and unfairness to male participants in certain secondary sports, (e.g. wrestling and gymnastics) who cry foul at the progress of Title IX toward the humanistic ideal of gender equity.

"Extreme Sports" such as Skateboarding, Snowboarding, Wakeboarding and BMX are solitary and decidedly antisocial; it can easily be argued that the major motivational ingredients of thrill, danger and the adrenaline rush are categorical advertisements for an angry, alienated youth culture which has no place in the new humanistic framework.

What then of the Hunting and Shooting Sports? If ever there were a microcosm of social change, we should find it here. In the capacity to enrage, enflame or simply stir the passions, no sports-related issue comes even close to the Shooting Sports drama — in either magnitude or emotional volatility.

On issues of national importance, the collective impacts of all other sports issues and controversies can barely move the needle of public opinion — much less influence a Presidential election. In 2000, Al Gore displayed too much fervor for Gun Control; in 2004, John Kerry — until the last days of the campaign — was too reticent in his affections for the Shooting Sports. Both were strategic blunders which may have altered the course of American history.

Nonetheless, Shooting Sports in the U.S. are in severe decline. From 1987 - 2003, the number of Hunters in the U.S. plummeted from 25.2 million to 15.2 million — a loss of 40%. Were it not for population growth, this fall would have been even more precipitous. Target Shooting on the other hand has remained stable, edging up 4% during the same period. But if we consider the inexorable 1% annual growth of the U.S. population, this companion activity will also register a deficit, albeit one not so drastic (-11%). The issuance of Hunting licenses and civilian Handgun production are by no means synonymous with trends in Hunting and Shooting; but neither do these "hard" statistics offer solace for the world of Shooting Sports.
In 2002, 14,996,406 Hunting licenses were sold in the 48 continental United States, down 10% from an aggregate 1975 tabulation of 16,597,807. The population-adjusted loss becomes (-37%).

The trend in civilian firearms production between 1982 - 2001 is even less comforting. Rifle and Shotgun manufacture in the U.S. has dropped by 21% and 23% respectively. Handgun production has suffered even more — down 64% during the same period. On the other hand, some of these "losses" have been replaced by foreign imports, considerably improving the overall sales picture. But the net downtrend in both Hunting/Shooting sports participation is unmistakable. And contrary to opposition nightmares, NRA membership — though still a robust 3.4 million in 2003 — has dwindled 20% from its peak of 4.3 million in 2000.

Armchair sociologists are inclined to link the demise of Shooting Sports with the cascade of new social values spawned by the 1960's counterculture. But the problem is more complex, and like most social issues, defies quantification. Indeed, a wide array of forces — most beyond its control — militate against the industry. These include perceptions of street crime, animal rights, school shootings, gun safety, a disappearing rural heritage, population trends, changing lifestyles, vanishing parental encouragement, competition from newer sports, not to mention the seismic shift from outdoor to indoor recreation. According to some observers, Hunting, Fishing, Trapping, Bullfighting, Boxing or any other activity with even the remote scent of a "blood sport" — is swimming against the inexorable tide of humanistic evolution. The truly barbarous diversions of Cockfighting and Dogfighting have not yet followed into oblivion the ancient ritual of Bear-Baiting — but they have been banished to arcane underground subcultures. In a far more humane context, the mainstream sport of Fishing — with nearly 53 million participants — is the top U.S. "blood sport", but it too has declined since 1987 (-9%).

Against this tidal wave of opposition, the substantial legal, political and media assaults on the industry are almost obscure footnotes. Yet, the gun business survives; and if we believe more optimistic appraisals — Shooting Sports thrive! At a time when many trade shows are stagnating or withering, the premier industry trade event — the S.H.O.T. show — was the largest ever in 2004. On the other hand, the fortunes of a trade show can be unrelated to the vitality of its industry…

According to ASD, there were, in 2003, 28.5 million people over the age of 6 in the U.S. who participated at least once in any form of Hunting or Shooting with firearms — a huge constituency, by any reckoning. ASD also finds that Hunting has a higher percentage of devotees than any other sport; in 2003, 32% of all Hunters claimed the activity as the "favorite".

The truly remarkable paradox of a thriving subculture "in decline" is best illustrated in a survey of 2,438 adult Americans conducted by ASD in July 2004. 82% agreed with the statement: "In general, I support the right of citizens to bear arms". This mandate is endorsed by a solid cross-section of the population, including 76% of all women, not to mention 68% of all Liberals, and — somewhat astonishingly — by 86% of Generation X (aged 18-34). This lofty American value is far more than the quaint bluster of an immature nation; it is embraced by 82% of all people holding Master's degrees, and is upheld across all economic strata and geographic regions. For most Americans, the "right to bear arms" is bedrock!

At the same time, Americans are intensely practical, recognizing that this monumental privilege is accompanied by an equally large responsibility. 9 out of 10 Americans (91%) agree that "people who buy guns should be required to report information about their backgrounds" — an imperative that cuts across all demographic, economic and geographic lines. 88% of all Conservatives and 83% of all NRA members are in favor of background checks.

Interestingly, 13.8 million individuals were Handgun Target Shooters — of which 8.9 million had no current interest in Hunting participation. It is conceivable — though far from certain — that this "secular" group of Handgun Users points to a new direction in the future of a declining Shooting Sports industry. Immune to the "blood sport" critique, these better-educated, upmarket individuals are motivated principally by Target Shooting and/or personal security concerns — motives that cannot be assailed by humanists, animal rights activists or any other "ethical" objectors.

Which leads us to 9/11, and the generally accepted belief that the grotesquerie of that day spawned a profound global awareness of terrorism, and for indeterminate numbers during an indefinite period — a frightful concern for personal safety and security. "Spikes" in retail gun sales and increased activity in background checks simmered in the aftermath of 9/11; but the terror was never absolutely linked to long-term public anxiety or to the stockpiling of personal weapons.

A heightened concern for personal security could help shore up coffers in the coming years; but a more sporting and upbeat path to industry profitability may be Target Shooting. According to ASD, the vast majority of Americans (84%) regard Target Shooting as a "legitimate pastime, just like any other sport". This near-consensus spans the entire political spectrum: Liberals (81%), Moderates (87%), and Conservatives (83%).

With the abolition of Professional Boxing, the glacial footprint of humanistic evolution has been visible in Sweden since 1970. A similar prohibition has existed in China since 1949, but in both countries, the bans may soon be reversed — major setbacks for evolution. In Portugal, the advent of the "bloodless" Bullfight is a step toward humanity, but one not sufficient to satisfy animal rights advocates.

In the U.S., the emerging sport of Paintball (a hybrid in which paint pellets are harmless substitutes for bullets) is one of the fastest-growing sports in the nation, advancing from 5.9 million players in 1998 to 9.8 million in 2003 — a surge of 66%.

Sporting Clays — or one of its descendants — could be the ultimate Hunting/Shooting hybrid. With 3.9 million adherents in 2003, the sport has recorded a growth rate of 41% since 1998 — the only Shooting Sport in positive territory, according to the ASD SUPERSTUDY®. This new blend, which allows mobile shooters to enjoy nature, and test their shotgun skills against a variety of simulated birds and animals (clay targets) hurled through the air or bounced across the ground, also enables participants to gratify their Hunting instincts — without exposure to the ethical criticism or social stigmas arising from the wounding or killing of wildlife. The Shooting Sports may survive humanistic evolution and extinction.