Click here to download the catalog as a PDF file. To view this site you need Adobe Flash Player and your browser must allow javaScripts. Go here to get the latest Flash Player. A Lady In Charge — page 28 Firearm Sales On Record Pace, Despite Obstacles F irearms sales continued at a record pace through October, despite softer long-gun sales and an overall downturn in consumer spending across all markets. Through October, the number of firearm background checks conducted by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) was up 13.85 percent over the same period in 2006. For the first 10 months of 2007, NICS conducted 8,866,887 checks, compared to 7,787,899 for the same months the year before. Up until October, the number of checks conducted each month set records, exceeding each month’s total going back to 1999, the first full year of NICS. In October, there were 1,025,123 background checks, a 5.58 percent increase over the 970,030 checks in October 2006. The October 2007 total, however, did not surpass the highest number for the month. In October 2001, there were 1,029,691 checks. Warmer weather during the early months of hunting season had a significant impact on long-gun sales, industry experts say, along with a loss in consumer confidence, which continued into the holiday buying season. Despite the slowdown, the industry is on pace to set a record for firearm sales, as reflected in the number of customers undergoing background checks. The industry enjoyed a remarkable summer, with sales defying the traditional summer slump. In June, there was a 28.7 percent increase in NICS checks over the same month in 2006. That was followed by a 20.08 percent increase in July. There also are encouraging signs of growth in the youth market, reversing a downward trend. New data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service show that young people represent ever-larger portions of America’s growing hunting population. The ratio of hunters age 6-15 has grown nearly 4 percent since 2001. Of the three outdoor activities tracked by the federal conservation agency, only hunting showed an increase in the percentage of youth participation. Big Rock Sports Announces Buyout T he management team for Big Rock Sports, headquartered in Newport, N.C., has acquired a majority interest in the company from JP Morgan Partners and Key Principal Partners. The buyout, which closed Oct. 12, 2007, was supported by a minority investment by Bison Capital Asset Management. “This buyout demonstrates the commitment Big Rock Sports’ management has to our customers, vendor partners, associates and the sporting goods industry overall. Our team is extremely committed to growing our business by continuing to provide world-class service,” said Ed Small, Big Rock president and CEO. Bison Capital invested on a non-control basis, allowing the company the freedom to execute its business plans, according to a Big Rock Sports announcement. Big Rock Sports is the parent company of All Sports, AWR Sports, CSI Sports, Henry’s and MT Sports. The companies service more than 15,000 shooting sports and fishing retailers internationally. F o r m o re i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t www.bigrocksports.com. Academy Of Excellence Entry Deadline: Feb. 15, 2008 10 SHOT SHOW EXTRA SUPER ISSUE 2008 • www.shootingindustry.com National Wildlife Turkey Federation Youth Hunters A Bright Spot The statistics are part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation. The survey shows that hunters age 16 and over slipped more than 3 percent to 12.5 million since the previous survey in 2001, while hunters age 615 held steady at 1.6 million. “These new data suggest that hunter attrition between 2001 and 2006 centered on aging hunters. Participation among youngsters hasn’t wavered, which makes them a larger subset within the total,” said Chris Dolnack, senior vice president of the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF). “That’s welcome news because hunters have long emphasized the recruitment of youth as critical to the future of hunting and conservation.” According to Dolnack, some of the most innovative and promising youth hunting initiatives, such as Families Afield, are only beginning to bear fruit. Families Afield, launched in 2004 by NSSF, the National Wild Turkey Federation and U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, urges states to eliminate unnecessary hunting age restrictions and ease hunter education mandates for firsttime hunters. Twelve states have changed laws and regulations to enhance future hunting opportunities for youths and their families. Half of those states are already reporting a significant climb in new hunters. Data from Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi and Ohio reveal that apprentice hunting license programs brought nearly 34,000 new hunters to the field (without a single hunting-related shooting incident) in just two years. For more information on Families Afield, visit www.familiesafield.org.