Bowfishing Anglers: A Missing Piece of the Angler Recruitment Pie

Bowfishing anglers are a traditionally under-sampled portion of the angling population in many states.   They are not surveyed in conventional creel survey methods, frequently represent a small proportion of the population, and are often not characterized well by large statewide surveys.   However, the few surveys of this population that have been completed indicate that bowfishing anglers are younger, more active, and more harvest-oriented than the traditional hook-and-line angling population.   As such, these anglers represent an important portion of the angling population for which managers account.   We conducted an email survey of licensed anglers in the tidal region of Virginia specifically focused on tidal river fisheries and the potential influence of bowfishing on the non-native Northern Snakehead population.   The survey was also distributed to a non-random sample of members of the Virginia Bowfishing Association for comparison to the random sample.  Our survey results indicate that the bowfishing population in this area is indeed young, active, and effective at assisting with management of a non-native species.   We conclude with ways to include this under-sampled proportion of the population into further human dimensions surveys and expand on the potential recruitment possibilities of this group.