After years of writing about the downward trend in hunting and fishing participation, it's kind of neat to be able to offer some positive news: More people are taking to the woods and water.

This according to the recently released U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's 2011 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation. In 2011, the number of anglers rose 11 percent compared to the 2006 survey and the number of hunters rose 9 percent.

The 2011 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife‑Associated Recreation is the twelfth in a series of surveys conducted since 1955.

Coordinated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Survey was requested by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and was developed with assistance from state agencies, national conservation organizations, and wildlife‑related recreation industries. The data was collected by the U.S. Bureau of Census.

A preliminary report was issued in August of this year and focused on nationwide data. A second report featuring a break-down of state and multi-state regions was released in late September. The final national report will come out in November and state reports will start trickling out in December.

The following are some highlights of the recently released state focused report:
  • Nationally there was an 11 percent increase in anglers from 2006 to 2011. The biggest increase, 37%, was in the Middle Atlantic Region. The number of anglers did not change significantly in the West North Central, South Atlantic, and East South Central Regions.
  • There was a 9 percent increase in hunters nationwide from 2006 to 2011 and the region with the biggest increase in hunters was the East South Central Region, with a 39% increase. Regions with no statistically significant change in hunters were the Middle Atlantic, West North Central, South Atlantic, and West South Central.
  • The participation of Americans in wildlife‑related recreation is extensive and increasing, from 87.5 million in 2006 to 91.1 million in 2011. At the state level 28 States had increases in the number of wildlife‑related recreationists from 2006 to 2011, with the biggest percentage increases in Alaska (47%) and Louisiana (40%).
  • In 2011 over ninety million U.S. residents – 38% of the population 16 years old and older – enjoyed recreational activity related to fish and wildlife.
  • Over 37 million people spent time fishing and/or hunting and nearly 72 million people engaged in wildlife‑watching activities such as closely observing, photographing, and/or feeding wildlife.
  • Expenditures related to wildlife‑related recreation totaled $145 billion nationally, 1% of the nation’s gross domestic product.
  • Sportspersons spent $90 billion and wildlife watchers spent $55 billion in 2011.
  • In Minnesota in 2011, 3,266,125 was spent on fishing and hunting.
  • 14% of the national population 16 years old and older fished in 2011. Regional participation rates ranged from 9% of the population in the Pacific Region to 23% in the West North Central Region. The East North Central, West North Central, East South Central, West South Central, and Mountain Regions were above the national average of 14%.
  • Anglers averaged 17 days of fishing for the year. At the state level average days per year by in‑state anglers ranged from 8 days in Alaska and Arizona to 28 days in Arkansas. Total days ranged from 736,000 in North Dakota to 57.6 million in Florida.
  • The State with the most anglers, both resident and nonresident, was Florida (3.1 million).
  • The average angler spent $1,262 in 2011. The average in‑state expenditures by anglers ranged from $441 in Pennsylvania to $1,546 in Minnesota. Total expenditures ranged from $71 million in North Dakota to $4.6 billion in Florida.
  • Nationwide, 6% of the population 16 years old and older hunted in 2011. Regional participation rates ranged from 3% in the Pacific Region to 11% in the East South Central Region. Regions with participation rates above the national average of 6% were East North Central, West North Central, East South Central, and West South Central.
  • Hunters averaged 21 days. At the state level average days per year by in‑state hunters ranged from 8 days in Colorado to 35 days in Kentucky. Total days ranged from 380,000 in Delaware to 20.4 million in Texas.
  • The State with the most resident and nonresident hunters was Texas (1.1 million).
  • The average hunter spent $2,484 in 2011. Total expenditures ranged from $18 million in Rhode Island to $2.5 billion in Wisconsin.
For more information see http://library.fws.gov/Pubs/natsurvey2011-prelim-state.pdf