The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) released the 2022 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation on October 12. The Survey is conducted approximately every five years to capture a snapshot of the participation and economic impacts of outdoor activities like fishing, hunting, wildlife watching, recreational boating, and target shooting. In 2022, U.S. residents over the age of 16 took over 1.7 billion trips and spent an estimated $394 billion on equipment, travel, licenses, and fees. The Survey estimates that 148 million U.S. residents watched wildlife while 40 million went fishing and 14.4 million hunted.

“Time spent in nature is an important part of the human experience and can provide lifelong memories, connections to others, healthy activities, and a sense of rest and healing,” said FWS Director Martha Williams. “These numbers demonstrate how important our public lands and wild places are not just for the well-being of people who enjoy them, but as an economic engine that provides thousands of jobs and sustains businesses, economies and communities throughout the nation.”

The in-depth 2022 Survey findings are available online now and accompanying addendum reports will be produced in the coming months. Future issues of the Outdoor News Bulletin will include stories that provide more detailed information from the Survey.