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Sell 'Em Lock, Stock and Barrel
By Lisa Yorgey Lester
Hunting is an American tradition shared by the young and old, rich and poor. It has no geographic boundaries and crosses all racial and ethnic groups, according to Economic Importance of Hunting in America, a 2001 report conducted on behalf of the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (IAFWA).
Demographics, however, do point to a decidedly male market. Of the more than 15 million active hunting participants in the United States, 88.2 percent are male.
While hunters come from all walks of life, their demographics might vary slightly according to the type of game they pursue. Upland bird hunters tend to earn slightly higher incomes than deer hunters, for instance. However, taken as a sum, the typical direct response buyer of hunting products is a male between the ages of 35 and 50 with an income of $50,000 or more, according to Paul Zelin, senior account executive with MKTG Services, a data solutions provider based in Philadelphia. They also are homeowners and may have a motorcycle or truck.
Bag a Buck or Two
The economic impact of hunting in the United States is huge. On average, a hunter spends $1,896 per year on hunting, according to the IAFWA report. Conducted every five years, the IAFWA study reports that in 2001, hunters spent more than:
According to Matt Chilcutt, president of Chilcutt Direct Marketing, a list management and list brokerage company based in Oklahoma City, approximately $832 million is spent annually on hunting products purchased via direct mail and the Internet, and the number of hunting-related purchases made via the Internet continues to expand. Indeed, The Sportsman's Guide, a marketer of outdoor gear and general merchandise that mails approximately 45 million catalogs annually, recently reported its net sales increased 9.1 percent over the second quarter of 2004 as a result of higher Internet sales.
While the purchase of bullets and guns by mail is somewhat limited by legal constraints, according to Chilcutt, hunters buy a laundry list of products from mail-order merchants. This includes obvious hunting accessories, such as apparel, tree stands and decoys, to less obvious needs, like meat processing equipment and spare bladders.
The Mailing Season
Because hunting season runs from the fall through early winter, the bulk of hunting-related marketing efforts are mailed mid- to late summer. Orvis, for example, mails a strictly shotgun sports version of its catalog, called The Hunting Book, in late summer.
By Lisa Yorgey Lester
Hunting is an American tradition shared by the young and old, rich and poor. It has no geographic boundaries and crosses all racial and ethnic groups, according to Economic Importance of Hunting in America, a 2001 report conducted on behalf of the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (IAFWA).
Demographics, however, do point to a decidedly male market. Of the more than 15 million active hunting participants in the United States, 88.2 percent are male.
While hunters come from all walks of life, their demographics might vary slightly according to the type of game they pursue. Upland bird hunters tend to earn slightly higher incomes than deer hunters, for instance. However, taken as a sum, the typical direct response buyer of hunting products is a male between the ages of 35 and 50 with an income of $50,000 or more, according to Paul Zelin, senior account executive with MKTG Services, a data solutions provider based in Philadelphia. They also are homeowners and may have a motorcycle or truck.
Bag a Buck or Two
The economic impact of hunting in the United States is huge. On average, a hunter spends $1,896 per year on hunting, according to the IAFWA report. Conducted every five years, the IAFWA study reports that in 2001, hunters spent more than:
- $469 million on lodging;
- $139 million on decoys and game calls;
- $182 million on camping equipment;
- $172 million on binoculars, field glasses and telescopes;
- $543 million on special hunting clothes; and
- $124 million on books and magazines devoted to hunting.
According to Matt Chilcutt, president of Chilcutt Direct Marketing, a list management and list brokerage company based in Oklahoma City, approximately $832 million is spent annually on hunting products purchased via direct mail and the Internet, and the number of hunting-related purchases made via the Internet continues to expand. Indeed, The Sportsman's Guide, a marketer of outdoor gear and general merchandise that mails approximately 45 million catalogs annually, recently reported its net sales increased 9.1 percent over the second quarter of 2004 as a result of higher Internet sales.
While the purchase of bullets and guns by mail is somewhat limited by legal constraints, according to Chilcutt, hunters buy a laundry list of products from mail-order merchants. This includes obvious hunting accessories, such as apparel, tree stands and decoys, to less obvious needs, like meat processing equipment and spare bladders.
The Mailing Season
Because hunting season runs from the fall through early winter, the bulk of hunting-related marketing efforts are mailed mid- to late summer. Orvis, for example, mails a strictly shotgun sports version of its catalog, called The Hunting Book, in late summer.
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