2011 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation

The National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation provides the results of interviews with U.S. residents aged 16 and older on their 2011 fishing, hunting, and wildlife watching activities in the United States. It also provides some information on participation in wildlife recreation by those 6 to 15 years of age. In 2011:

• Amongst U.S. residents age 16 and older, 90.1 million people participated in at least one wildlife related recreation activity; 33.1 million fished, 13.7 million hunted, and 71.8 million participated in at least one type of wildlife-watching activity such as observing, feeding, or photographing wildlife. Of the 6-to-15-year-olds U.S. residents, 1.8 million hunted, 8.5 million fished, and 11.7 million wildlife watched. They spent $144.7 billion on their activities, which equated to 1 percent of the Gross Domestic Product.
• Expenditures by sportspersons for fishing and hunting totaled $89.8 billion, which is composed of $32.2 billion in trip-related expenditures, including food, lodging, and transportation; $43.2 billion in equipment; and $14.3 billion in other expenditures which include magazines, membership dues, contributions, land leasing and ownership, and licenses, stamps, tags, and permits.
• Wildlife watchers spent $54.9 billion, which is composed of $17.3 billion in trip-related expenses; $27.2 billion on equipment; and $10.5 billion on magazines and books, membership dues and contributions to conservation or wildlife-related organizations, plantings for the benefit of wildlife, and land leasing and ownership for the purpose of wildlife watching.

For historical data, see the 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation and the 2001 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation.