SHOT Show Opening Marks 35 Years

An estimated 60,000 industry professionals attended the 35th anniversary of the Shooting Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show (SHOT Show) at the Sands Expo and Convention Center this week. While there was widespread concern about the future of the country there was also an unspoken bond among all attendees. From the manufacturer's perspective, concern about potential legislation notwithstanding, there were countless new products introduced and business has never been better. Deals were being made in every nook-and-cranny of the convention center. The $4.1 billion industry is coming off a strong year and is cautiously optimistic about the year ahead. More background checks, which are an indicator of firearm sales, were conducted in 2012 than ever before, and statistics show that more people are hunting and target shooting. Another driver of sales is the purchase of firearms for personal and home protection. Even as Americans purchase more firearms, the industry points out that violent crime continues to decline, demonstrating that more guns do not lead to more crime, as anti-gun groups often claim. Also, the industry's success during the economic downturn helped maintain jobs from the manufacturer through retail levels. [Source: NSSF]

Sportsmen's spending continues to rise

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) and The Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation (CSF) released two new reports during the SHOT Show documenting the importance of sportsmen's activities in America. NSSF's Hunting in America: An Economic Force for Conservation and CSF's America's Sporting Heritage, Fueling the American Economy reports provide detailed information about participation and expenditures by American sportsmen and women. "Many people may not fully comprehend how important hunting and fishing are to the fabric of this country. Yet there are more people who hunt or fish than go bowling, and their spending would land them at #24 on the Fortune 500 list," commented Jeff Crane, President of the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation. The report notes that the 15.5 million hunters age 6 and up could fill every NASCAR track, NFL stadium, NBA arena, MLB ballpark and NHL rink in the country more than twice (15.5 million vs. 7.2 million combined capacity). In addition, anglers spent $47.7 billion in 2011, which is more than the revenues for Lockheed Martin that year ($46.9 billion). Similar comparisons for many other participation and spending statistics are found throughout the CSF report. [Source: NSSF]

Exclusive California Desert Bighorn Tag Auction

Serious hunters take note - a coveted California Desert Bighorn Sheep tag is one of the premium auction items being offered during the 41st Annual Safari Club International (SCI) Hunters' Convention in Reno, Nev., Jan. 23-26. Proceeds from the sale of the tag will be used to fund conservation efforts in California through the SCI Foundation. "The SCI Foundation is pleased to be part of this great effort and we appreciate the premium participation that every hunter makes for all 9 Conservation Tags being auction," said Foundation Executive Director Bob Benson. The Bighorn Sheep tag is for the Kelso Peak/Old Dad Mountains Zone where hunters have been taking record book quality specimens. The winning bidder of the tag must meet all the conditions required to obtain a California resident or non-resident hunting license and license tag for taking a Bighorn Sheep including any required hunter orientation programs. Other tags being auctioned off include: Zimbabwe Bull Elephant; Tiburon Island Big Horn Sheep; White Mountain Apache Nation Elk; Delta Bison; Roosevelt Elk; Mexican Coues

Glock ID introduced at SHOT Show

Glock has announced a brand new, exclusive online community for gun enthusiasts and loyal fans, Glock ID. The community offers members several key components: a virtual gun safe to keep track of range time, cleaning dates and more; training lessons; a community Q&A for peer discussion; an engaging process for earning points and 'patches' to rank up and earn Glock rewards. Glock ID members have the opportunity to contribute and participate with other Glock enthusiasts while earning points, which ultimately lead to Glock rewards that can only be earned by interacting with Glock ID and its members. By participating in various activities (watching a training video, answering fellow members' questions, logging time at the range, etc.), members of Glock ID can earn patches. Those patches translate into points, which then designate a member's rank within the community. Finally, those rank levels determine tangible rewards from Glock. The pre-registration process will continue until the initial community launch in February and a limited number of memberships are available. First access was given to Glock's social media fans on the company's Facebook and Twitter pages.