Academics Afield

Academics Afield is focused on removing participation barriers while providing training and opportunities to students new to target shooting and hunting. Game species biology, hunting strategy, firearm training, a guided hunt, animal processing and a wild game meal are a component of every workshop. There are internships and volunteer opportunities at each participating school.

The Academics Afield program began in 2019 at two colleges in Georgia. Since then, it has expanded across the United States to include programs in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas. In 2022, Georgia schools saw 190 participations at 46 events. Across all institutions, 57% of participants were women, 29% of participants were BIPOC, 53% of participants came from a medium to a large city, and 100% of participants now agree that hunters contribute to wildlife conservation. The Academics Afield program is an R3 effort to recruit, retain, and reactivate hunters and target shooters. After participating in the program, 90% of participants said they will probably or will definitely hunt in the future.

As of 2024, five programs across the southeast have been launched at Historically Black Colleges and Universities with the goal of enhancing diversity, inclusion, and equity in the hunting and shooting community. The program strives to help underrepresented communities forge stronger relationships with the outdoors and our natural resources.