People America’s New Target Shooters: Younger, Female and Urban Recoil Staff August 31, 2013 Join the Conversation At RECOIL, we review every product fairly and without bias. Making a purchase through one of our links may earn us a small commission, and helps support independent gun reviews. Learn More As shooting sports continue to spread across the nation, more and more new “non-typical” shooters are continually surfacing from coast to coast. Even amidst the political posturing and debates involving gun rights, America’s youth, its females and shooting enthusiasts in urban areas are changing the statistics – for the better. According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the demographic findings of the Analysis of Sport Shooting Participation from 2008-2012 for new shooters has risen dramatically. Younger: 66 percent of new shooters fall into the 18 to 34-year-old category compared to 31 percent in the same age category for established shooters. Female: 37 percent of new target shooters are female compared to 22 percent of established target shooters. Urban: 47 percent of new target shooters live in urban/suburban settings versus 34 percent of established target shooters. The report shows that one-fifth of target shooters in America first started participating in the shooting sports between 2008 and 2012. That means 20 percent of all target shooters began participating in the past five years. Additionally, the expansion of younger, female and urban-based participants (like Natalie Foster, the competitors who belong to Team Triangle and the women of SureShots) coincides with the surge in firearms sales that occurred over the same 2008-2012 period. “The landscape of target shooters has shifted,” said Jim Curcuruto, NSSF's director of research and analysis. “This is data that everyone doing business in our industry should be aware of.” Mark Damian Duda, executive director of Response Management, pointed out, “While mentoring by family members in a generally rural setting is the traditional pathway for newcomers to participating in target shooting and hunting, the research shows that new shooters today include many who did not follow or have access to the traditional pathway.” Any new shooters who are truly invested in the education, safety, responsibility and downright fun of shooting sports are a welcome sign for the future of what we hold dear as shooting and firearm enthusiasts. The younger generation, female shooters and urban/suburban supporters are three very important groups to educate and develop the future of shooting sports and to continue the legacy of an intelligent, informed and indefatigable shooting community. Explore RECOILweb:First Look at Magpul Gloves: Core FR Breach, Patrol, and TechnicalStyrka SH-BDC Reticle and Ballistic CalculatorBest 9mm 1911 Pistols (That You Can Actually Afford) [2023]2017 NRA Annual Meeting: Constant Coverage NEXT STEP: Download Your Free Target Pack from RECOILFor years, RECOIL magazine has treated its readers to a full-size (sometimes full color!) shooting target tucked into each big issue. Now we've compiled over 50 of our most popular targets into this one digital PDF download. From handgun drills to AR-15 practice, these 50+ targets have you covered. Print off as many as you like (ammo not included). Get your pack of 50 Print-at-Home targets when you subscribe to the RECOIL email newsletter. We'll send you weekly updates on guns, gear, industry news, and special offers from leading manufacturers - your guide to the firearms lifestyle.You want this. Trust Us.