By Jeff Rawlinson
National Archery in the Schools Program
Bowhunting’s future in Europe faces significant challenges, as my good friend Jay Pinsky recently described in last week’s article in the Archery Wire. In free societies, it is ultimately the people who decide what they value. The question is: when did Europe’s connection to hunting and the outdoors begin to shift?
Some trace it back to 1215, when the Magna Carta vested wildlife ownership in England’s wealth land barons rather than the people. Unlike in the United States, the idea of wildlife belonging to all citizens never took hold in Europe. By contrast, our nation’s deep respect for wild things and wild places became woven into our identity, strengthened by the belief that wildlife is a public trust.
This difference helps explain why bowhunting thrives in America. For decades, hunters, conservation leaders, educators, and industry partners have worked intentionally to teach the value of hunting and shooting sports. Because of the immense reach of programs like the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP®), that investment is paying off.
Launched in 2002, through the leadership of Mathews, Inc., the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Kentucky Department of Education, NASP® set out to introduce students nationwide to the fun and simplicity of archery. Today, with leadership from state fish and wildlife agencies, industry partners, and schools, NASP® has reached more than 24 million students and changed the trajectory of archery participation in the United States.
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2024 Shooting Sports Addendum, the largest age group for firearm sports is 30–35, but the largest for archery is now 6–15—thanks in large part to NASP®. Each year, 1.3 million students take part in the program, building skills and connections that ripple far beyond the classroom.
NASP® continues to evolve and expand its reach because it continually asks its students for feedback to better understand participant perceptions and successes. Two major student surveys, first in 2017 and most recently the 2024 Student Survey have helped to support this. While both surveys were completed by different students, their feedback has resonated loud and clear throughout the conservation community. Because of NASP®:
- 39% have purchased their own bow, and 27% want to.
- 28% are active in 3D archery, with 21% wanting to participate.
- 14% have started bowhunting, while 26% aspire to.
- 17% have hunted big game with a firearm, and 19% want to.
- 13% have hunted small game while 19% want to.
- 22% have encouraged a family member to start archery.
- 27% have participated in target shooting with firearm while 19% want to.
- 37% have begun participation in other outdoor activities while 18% want to.
These aren’t just numbers—they represent a generation of young people moving from the classroom to the woods, to the range, and into outdoor traditions. Just as importantly, they represent the doctors, attorneys, tradespeople, parents, and political leaders of tomorrow. These same students will be the ones deciding how families spend their time, how communities invest resources, and how our nation’s conservation legacy is upheld.
Exposure to shooting sports also yields many intrinsic benefits, not the least of which include an increase in confidence, patience, focus and mental health benefits. Participation also connects students to quality role models and mentors in the form of their school’s archery coaches. Because of this, NASP® is shaping student character and academic success. The same 2024 Student Survey revealed that because of NASP®:
- 68% feel more connected to their school.
- 34% work harder in school.
- 34% are more likely to pursue new skills.
The study also suggested that NASP® is helping students build essential life skills that they will need in the coming years. Because of NASP®:
- 34% fell more confident in other areas of life.
- 25% are better able to handle emotions or things bothering them.
- 34% are better able to focus on the task at hand
- 32% are better able to deal with success and setbacks.
This is why NASP® matters. It is not only introducing young people to the outdoors but also preparing them for future leadership roles where they will appreciate and respect the roles that hunting and shooting sports play in our culture and model of conservation.
Our program continues to seek like-minded individuals and organizations who share this vision and want to help expand NASP® to even more students—regardless of location, background, or circumstance. At a time when many hunters worry about the future of our traditions, NASP® stands as both a powerful opportunity for investment, and a shining example of what can be achieved when people that care about youth and our outdoor heritage come together and invest in tomorrow.
In 1842, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed that when Americans took the reins of government from the King of England, the ownership of wildlife became theirs, to be managed in a Public Trust. Today, NASP® supports that legacy by ensuring millions of young people build a lifelong connection to archery, the outdoors, and conservation. The result will be a stronger future for hunting, wildlife, and the democratic ideals that protect them.
