ESPN  

It is a brave soul who muddles through the gray matter of the human mind to answer the question, what do women want?

But that's what researcher Mark Duda and his associates did when the National Wild Turkey Federation — with a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service — asked them for an answer.

Psychologist Sigmund Freud would be jealous. He devoted his career to that very question and died without finding an answer.

Women and men really are different, Duda and his team discovered.

As simple as the differences may seem, it is clear that not every one in the outdoor industry has paid attention. New research has found that the one-size-fits-all approach to marketing is discouraging most women's interests in outdoor activities.

Often, men are deciding how to sell products and services to the opposite sex without doing their homework, said Duda, executive director of Responsive Management, whose company specializes in research related to wildlife and outdoor recreation.

Still, females who attend the National Wild Turkey Federation's Women in the Outdoors events are more likely to pursue outside activities and immediately purchase equipment related to those interests, sometimes spending $1,000 or more, according to the study.

The Federation's program for women is successful, Duda said, because various skills, from how to read a map and compass to cooking camp biscuits in a Dutch oven, are taught by experts. The events also are noncompetitive.

Females in all 50 states were surveyed about their involvement in the outdoors and their attitudes toward wildlife.

The research revealed everything from, "I don't consider myself a hunter or an angler; I enjoy both because it allows me to be with my children" to "I am often intimidated to try new things because my husband doesn't have the patience to teach me."

Being with family and close friends were cited as motivations to spend time outdoors. Enjoying the outdoor activity is important, but it is not the main reason to participate.

The big difference

The survey also shows that women really want to participate in outdoor activities.

Forty percent said their favorite interests included hiking, backpacking, boating, birdwatching, camping, outdoor photography and planting for wildlife. All of those interests support the theory that the experience — not the end result — is the reason women pursue these activities.

A man's motivation is often different.

While boating might be equally enjoyable for men and women, females are often drawn to aesthetics. Men are drawn to mechanics.

For women, says Duda, "Satisfaction from boating, as in other types of outdoor recreation, tends to be about escapism, rest, relaxation and social issues around friends and family."

The same can be said for more traditional activities, such as hunting.

Research suggests that women who have family and friends who hunt are drawn to hunting, as well.

Furthermore, 77 percent of women in the general public approve of legal hunting. Seventy-three percent said hunters are respectful of animals, and 95 percent said it is OK for females to hunt.

Women said too many hours spent at work, both in and out of the home, limited "me time" that might otherwise be spent outdoors, particularly hunting and fishing. So if the industry has any hope of retaining female participants, Duda says it must find a way to involve families, daughters especially.

"Reaching these women may take great effort, but it will be well worth it," he said, especially since one out of five women said they were interested in hunting, although few had been in the past five years.

One of the more obvious solutions is to make women more aware of outdoor programs created for them.

Four out of five women surveyed were unaware of programs that teach them skills such as archery, primitive cooking, kayaking, hiking, camping and plant identification. Of those who are familiar with such programs, only 5 percent have participated in one.

Even if a fraction of this untapped market were reached, the results would be extraordinary, Duda said.

There is proof that at least one national effort for women is working. According to the study, Women in the Outdoors participants have increased their involvement by more than 40 percent in fishing, hiking, backpacking, camping, wildlife habitat, hunting, shooting, birdwatching and outdoor photography.

"It's almost certain that once people spend some time in the outdoors, they begin to care about their natural resources and will likely become dedicated conservationists," said Rob Keck, chief executive officer of the National Wild Turkey Federation.

After participating in a Women in the Outdoors event, many women made significant purchases for hunting, fishing and camping equipment, mainly shotguns, bows, rifles, camp stoves and fishing rods. Current members spent an average of $500 on these items. Former members spent $300.

As a result, companies that have always appreciated the buying power of men, should market more aggressively to women, Duda said, especially since 48 percent of the working wives in the United States bring home at least half of the household income. Women also control 80 percent of household purchases, according to the Census Bureau.

Trend watchers say the escalating economic power of women is emerging as one of the biggest business stories of this decade.

Women account for 38 percent of small-business owners, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A separate study found that 37 percent of women live in households with incomes of $50,000 to $100,000, and 12 percent live in households with more than $100,000 in annual income.

"The one-size-fits-all approach may apply to caps and ponchos, but it does not apply to women," Duda said. "Our research clearly shows that this market cannot be ignored."