Future-Proof Your Preserve

Hunting Club Conference Agenda Feature: Get With the Times!

A key part of sustaining a successful business is always keeping one eye on the future, even as you’re maintaining successful business practices. History tells us that the Eastman Kodak Company rejected information suggesting the future of photography would be digital instead of anchored in their highly successful film processing model. They didn’t buy it because things were going so well, and they worried that further investment in digital would take away from their current model. That series of decisions over a 20-year period doomed the once-dominant market leader.

Today, demand for hunting preserves is sky-high. The turnkey aspect of hunting at a one-stop shop with guides and dogs, firearms and ammo, bird processing and even food preparation makes gamebird hunt clubs a popular place to be. The question is whether the gamebird industry is taking advantage of these high times while preparing for the future.

Research has shown that each younger generation is progressively more connected to receiving and producing information digitally. This poses a challenge for hunting-related businesses with customers whose average age is in their high 40s, many of whom still respond to traditional marketing messages.

The 4th Annual NAGA Hunting Club Conference (July 21 – 23, 2025) at the Horseshoe Hotel & Casino in Tunica, Mississippi) will examine this question as part of two presentations during the Tuesday afternoon session, sponsored by the Kuhl Corporation.

In a nod to both the present and the future, Britt Jill, owner of Walk 2 Marketing, will present “Successfully Social Media Strategies to Attract Prospective Clients and Corporate Customers.” Britt is a rising hunting and outdoor influencer with a marketing firm specializing in social media and the outdoors.

“This presentation has value for both the present and future,” explained NAGA Executive Director Rob Sexton. “Corporate clients are a big customer segment for gamebird hunting preserves, with many used to receiving information digitally and through social media channels. In the meantime, as our younger generations take a greater market share, hunting clubs can prepare for the transition in communicating that will be key to continued success.”

Reaching that younger generation takes center stage in the presentation directly following Britt as Pass it On Outdoors Mentoring will present “Attracting High Schoolers to Try Gamebird Hunting.” High school-age people are the next generation of consumers, and as such, need to be the focus of hunting preserves looking to the future.

“Preparing hunt clubs to effectively attract and communicate with young adults is truly “roosting a bird” for the future customer segment that will keep the hunting preserve industry thriving for the next generation,” said Sexton. “We’re excited for both of these presentations, which are just a small part of this year’s agenda full of red meat for hunting preserve businesses!”

Registration remains open for the Hunting Club Conference sponsored by NSSF – The Firearm Industry Trade Association and can be found at: https://northamericangamebird.com/hunting-club-conference/event-details.