• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, October 2, 2015

In the blaze of orange that signals hunting season across rural America, outdoor retailers are piling on the promotions, highlighting high-tech fabrics and new optics.

And Gander Mountain, LL Bean, Cabela’s, Bass Pro Shops and Field & Stream are all hoping to tempt wider audiences into the great outdoors, with products and workshops aimed not just at hunters, but the broader world of nature lovers.

For outdoor brands, fall offerings are important even for consumers who don’t spend any time tracking deer or spotting ducks, because they add to brand authenticity.

“The outdoors, including hunting, fishing, camping, cycling, and hiking, represents a significant element of our business, both in terms of sales, but also in terms of our rich history and heritage,” an LL Bean spokesperson tells Marketing Daily -- including its classes and workshops for activities like shooting clays and archery, and partnerships with vendors like Nikon.“It's a part of who we are.”

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, which surveys outdoor activities every five years, says an estimated 13.7 million hunters spend about $33.7 billion each year, and 33.1 million fish, spending about $41.8 billion. But some 71.8 million people are wildlife watchers, who spend about $60 billion to get closer to outdoor critters. 

Gander Mountain is kicking off the season with Gander Guides, a new social media effort that offers members expert tips, gear advice, and the chance to win prizes. And this year’s marketing push is focused on hunting traditions, as well as gear and apparel. (After guns and ammunition, hunters consider boots and camou the season’s key ingredients.) 

The St. Paul, Minn.-based retailer says a survey of its customers finds that 76% of hunters say the sport is about more than getting an animal, and that almost half have some sort of annual superstition that they stick with, such as starting every hunt at 4:48 am, doing an anti-rain dance, or not shaving all season. It also found that hunters, especially older ones, are eager to help with conservation efforts.

At Field & Stream, a retail concept owned by Dick’s Sporting Goods, there is also a big push for private label, including its scent-control line and tree stands.

And later this month, Bass Pro Shops is hosting what it claims is the largest hunting and waterfowl event ever at its store at the Pyramid in Memphis, Tenn., and says it expects thousands to attend workshops and seminars, including the Big Cypress National Duck Calling Championship and the Super Retriever Series, a popular pool diving competition for hunting dogs.