American Sports Data (ASD), a consumer research firm for the sporting goods, fitness and health club industries, has just release a report that says target shooting—with rifle, handgun and shotgun—is actually more popular than many pastimes historically considered mainstays of warm-season recreation. In fact, participation in shooting sports tops tennis, softball, jet skiing, water skiing, mountain biking, most team sports and virtually all of the seasonal technical sports like rock climbing and kayaking. Look at the data on the National Sport Shooting Foundation website and check out the state-by-state run down. Some of it is obvious—of course jet skiing is low in Arizona. And, no fooling, tennis ranks as the number one pastime in Connecticut, but what was surprising is shooting ranked second edging out softball. I’ve always held the belief summer shotgun sports take the rust off for fall bird hunting season, and a friendly game of Annie Oakley helps subsidize the cost of shells.