Target shooting by hunters and their use of shooting ranges: 1975, 1991, and 2011. Addendum to the 2011 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation

Target practice is a common activity for shooters preparing for hunting season. Whether it is plinking at a pop can on a hillside after a day of hunting or signing up at a shooting range for a lane, target shooting for many people is an integral part of getting ready for hunting. Improving the aim of a weapon is part of the standard procedure to prepare for hunting. The extent of target shooting by hunters is the subject of this report. The 1975, 1991 and 2011 National Surveys of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation (FHWAR) asked hunters about their target shooting and usage of shooting ranges. The hunting respondents were first asked if they target shot in preparation for hunting. If yes, they were asked if they used a shooting range. In 2011, further questions were asked about what kind of weapons were used at the shooting range. A nuance of the data is that in 1991, it was target shooting in the state of residence that was measured. In 2011, it was target shooting anywhere. Since most hunters both hunt and target shoot in their state of residence, this difference in the questions is not significant. There is no information on how big the range was, who owned it, or if it was indoor or outdoor.