NEW ULM, MN — The Archery Trade Association, in partnership with Responsive Management, has released a new national research study examining the role of crossbow hunting in the United States and its implications for recruitment, retention and reactivation (R3) across the broader hunting and archery landscape.
Titled Crossbow Hunting in the United States: Understanding Crossbow Hunters’ Participation, Characteristics, and the Factors That Contribute to Their Retention in Hunting, the study was conducted to fill a critical gap in existing research by focusing specifically on crossbow hunters—an increasingly important segment of the bowhunting community.
Developed through a partnership between ATA and Responsive Management and funded by a Multistate Conservation Grant (F25AP00345) from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, jointly administered with the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, the study draws on more than 10,000 completed surveys from licensed bowhunters across 13 states, representing all four regional fish and wildlife agency associations.
Initial findings reveal that crossbow use often begins much later in a hunter’s life, frequently following years, or decades, of firearm and vertical bow participation. The data also points to high levels of continued engagement among crossbow hunters, including regular participation in multiple hunting methods, ongoing equipment investment and strong retention within hunting overall.
The research was designed to support state fish and wildlife agencies, industry stakeholders and conservation partners by providing objective, data-driven insight into how crossbow hunters enter, participate in, and remain engaged in hunting. These insights can help inform season structures, outreach strategies, and R3 initiatives that reflect the evolving realities of today’s hunting population.
“This study gives agencies and the industry a clearer understanding of who crossbow hunters are, how they participate and why they remain engaged,” said Jennifer Mazur, sr. director of outreach and education for the Archery Trade Association. “By better understanding this segment, we can make more informed decisions that support hunter retention and long-term participation.”
The full report includes a detailed review of participation trends, equipment ownership and spending, regulatory perceptions, hunting preferences and demographic characteristics, along with regional and state-level insights.
The complete study is available at archerytrade.org. ATA members can also access it through the ATA Resource Library at archerytrade.org/resource-library.
Questions? Contact Jennifer Mazur, ATA’s sr. director of outreach and education, at [email protected].
Serving our members since 1953, the Archery Trade Association is the leading organization for manufacturers, retailers, distributors, sales representatives and others working in the archery and bowhunting industry. The ATA works to increase the recruitment and retention of new, current and once-active archers and bowhunters, while serving as a driving force in defending, educating and lobbying for the greater good of the industry and sport. The ATA preserves and promotes archery and bowhunting’s rich heritage to ensure active consumer participation, and successful manufacturing and retailing for generations to come. The ATA owns and operates the ATA Show, the archery and bowhunting industry’s largest and longest-running trade show worldwide.
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