The Culture of the Outdoors Is Fading, Here’s What We’re Losing…

For years, we’ve all been told, in small talk, that the outdoorsmen are a "dying breed". As outdoorsmen, we naturally share the same passion for this topic but struggle to find a solution. Meanwhile, the issue creeps closer and closer to a pressing issue with significant underlying repercussions if not dealt with. Interestingly, however, the phrase “dying breed” often refers to the outdoor sector as a whole but, like most of the time, it’s not black and white. 

On a very basic level, most industries can be split into two different “sides” that tend to shape those industries. One side is economics, the other is culture. Think of the economics side as what drives the industry, and the culture being what keeps the purpose and identity alive. An industry cannot thrive with just one of these, though. Without economics, there are no products exchanged, very little technological advancement, and there are no investors. Without culture, there is no purpose, identity, generational continuity, and even customer loyalty. Culture and economics often overlap each other, meaning, the culture is the economics. In our case, hunters, ranchers, farmers, biologists, and many more are largely involved in the economics side. Let’s hold this thought and briefly discuss some statistics.

According to a study conducted by Wildlife for All, hunters made up 7.7% of the U.S Population in 1960. As of 2022, that percentage has dropped to 4.8%. The percentage of youth hunters fell from 10% in 1991 to just 3% in 2016. On the economics side, the BEA(Bureau of Economic Analysis) reported in 2023 that there were 5 million jobs in outdoor recreation and a total of $639.5 billion in value added which accounted for 2.3% of U.S GDP. The total value added in 2022 was $586.9 billion, which is 10% lower than 2023. There are many more statistics from across the outdoor sector that support the fact that the culture is suffering while the economics are growing. 

From a day to day perspective, we can see a generational decline in interest in the outdoors. This observation is consistent across cultures like ranchers, farmers, hunters, and anglers. The youth are increasingly choosing things like tech, gaming, and even day-trading during their free time over the outdoors. We can also see an increase in outdoor recreational activities like hiking, camping, and biking. There is absolutely nothing wrong with these things, but when are we going to see what we’re really losing when we’re not introducing the youth to ranching, farming, hunting etc? This is the underlying repercussion I was referring to.

There are certain aspects of the outdoors that teach us and can even confirm our values, morals and spirituality which can only be found in core traditions and practices of the outdoors. These core traditions and practices are what keep us grounded and connected as a culture. Without these, the culture dwindles. While the collapse of the culture, most likely, will not cause the outdoor sector to spiral completely into nothingness. I think we will likely see some of the most vital parts of the outdoor culture begin to degrade. This includes things like conservation, habitat management, proper land stewardship, and ethical hunting. I think it’s important that we ask ourselves, “Without culture, what would our land and wildlife populations turn into?”.

This isn’t just a philosophical problem, there’s real data that supports the idea that the outdoorsmen are a “dying breed” and the consequences are larger than a lot of us think. This is why it’s more important than ever to document the outdoor space. Sharing this culture with a world that spends a large portion of their time on the internet could play a significant role in reigniting the passion people once felt for the outdoors.

  If you have any thoughts on this topic, I would love to hear your feedback in the comments, and if you found it interesting or impactful, I encourage you to share this blog with your friends or colleagues.

- Walker Davis, Outdoor Focus Media