Hunters and Shooters: Help Your Sport by Taking Online Survey

A new online survey will help the outdoor industry better serve its customers who hunt and shoot. The survey is free. And respondents could win one of several $100 gift certificates to be given away each month. To participate, visit www.huntersurvey.com.

Respondent information will be used in the development of new products, better services and expanded opportunities to enjoy hunting and shooting.

Gift certificates, to be awarded monthly via random drawing, are offered as incentives for participation. Winners may use the $100 certificates at online or "brick and mortar" outdoor retailers of their choice, including local independent retail shops.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for the shooting, hunting and outdoor industry, and state fish and wildlife agencies are interested in learning more about customers' monthly sporting activities, purchases, expectations, and more.

Chris Dolnack, senior vice president for NSSF, said, "More and better information helps us learn how we, as an industry, can meet the changing needs and expectations of today's hunters and shooters. It's the key to developing and promoting our sports as well as innovating new products to fit today's lifestyles."

Huntersurvey.com was developed by Southwick Associates Inc. of Fernandina Beach, Florida. The firm tracks hunting and shooting sports trends and specializes in assessing revenue streams and business models, regularly helping state agencies and trade groups in their efforts to protect and expand hunting, shooting and other outdoor opportunities.

First-time survey visitors must briefly register. Southwick Associates assures that collected e-mail addresses will be used only for sending monthly electronic surveys, and will never to be sold, given away or used for any promotion or solicitation. Actual surveys take about two minutes to complete.

The survey is expected to reach several thousand U.S. hunters and shooting enthusiasts each month. Respondents will be asked about their hunting and target shooting activities in the past month, species pursued, types of target shooting enjoyed, products purchased, opportunities desired, and more. The survey will track responses month to month. Data will be scientifically weighted to reflect all hunters and shooters, even those who do not complete surveys or use the Internet. Southwick Associates will begin compiling reports in 2006.

For more information, contact Southwick Associates (www.southwickassociates.com) at 904-277-9765; Info@southwickassociates.com; or P.O. Box 6435, Fernandina Beach, FL 32035.