National survey begins April 1

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will soon be conducting the 12th National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation.

Hunters, anglers and other wildlife enthusiasts across the nation will be asked to participate in interviewing set to begin April 1. The survey, which has been conducted every five years since 1955, will involve 53,000 households.

The survey provides a statistical database available on participation and expenditures for hunting, fishing and wildlife-watching in all 50 states.

The information is collected by the U.S. Census Bureau, primarily through telephone interviews to be conducted April to June and September to October in 2011, and January to March in 2012. Those contacted will be asked about their participation and expenditures in several categories of wildlife-associated recreation. The results will be available in a national report and in 50 individual state reports.

Preliminary survey findings will be available in the spring of 2012. Final reports will be issued beginning in the fall of 2012.