One Of America’s Favorite Summertime Sports: Shooting
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.
Comments
I have a range on my ranch and we shoot once or twice a week when it isn't flooding like it is now. We manage to squeeze it in between softball, baseball and fishing, and, I almost forgot, work.
Posted by: Jon | July 2, 2007 09:26 PM
Jon,
I hear you with the busy life. There's too much to do and so little time to do it. Too bad work has to be fitted into our schedules. We too shoot clays and have been using the biodegradable type. They work great. I've had a go at the stripers in Long Island Sound earlier this spring and I've been meaning to dust off the golf clubs. Of course the grass in the yard is a foot tall.
Posted by: robert | July 7, 2007 12:52 PM