Consumer Plannlng Section Comprehensive Plannlng Branch, Parks Division Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Austin, Texas Texans Outdoors: An Analysis of 1985 Participation in Outdoor Recreation Activities By Kathryn N. Nichols and Andrew P. Goldbloom Under the Direction of James A. Deloney November, 1989 Comprehensive Planning Branch, Parks Division Texas Parks and Wildlife Department 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744 (512) 389-4900 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Conducting a mail survey requires accuracy and timeliness in every single task. Each individualized survey had to be accounted for, both going out and coming back. Each mailing had to meet a strict deadline. The authors are indebted to all the people who worked on this project. The staff of the Comprehensive Planning Branch, Parks Division, deserve special thanks. This dedicated crew signed letters, mailed, remailed, coded, and entered the data of a twenty-page questionnaire that was sent to over twenty-five thousand Texans with over twelve thousand returned completed. Many other Parks Division staff outside the branch volunteered to assist with stuffing and labeling thousands of envelopes as deadlines drew near. We thank the staff of the Information Services Section for their cooperation in providing individualized letters and labels for survey mailings. We also appreciate the dedication of the staff in the mailroom for processing up­ wards of seventy-five thousand pieces of mail. Lastly, we thank the staff in the print shop for their courteous assistance in reproducing the various documents. Although the above are gratefully acknowledged, they are absolved from any responsibility for any errors or omissions that may have occurred. ii TEXANS OUTDOORS: AN ANALYSIS OF 1985 PARTICIPATION IN OUTDOOR RECREATION ACTIVITIES TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ............................................................................................................ Motives and Limitations to Recreation .................................................................... 3 Popular Activities..................................................................................................... 4 Analysis of Activities................................................................................................ 5 Walking for Pleasure................................................................................. 7 Bicycling .................................................................................................... 9 Jogging ..................................................................................................... 11 Pool Swimming ......................................................................................... 13 Playground Use ........................................................................................ 15 Softball ...................................................................................................... 17 Baseball .................................................................................................... 19 Football ..................................................................................................... 21 Soccer ....................................................................................................... 23 Basketball ................................................................................................. 25 Tennis ....................................................................................................... 27 Golf ........................................................................................................... 29 Horseback Riding ..................................................................................... 31 Off-road Vehicle Riding ............................................................................. 33 Open Space Activities ............................................................................... 35 Camping .................................................................................................... 37 Picnicking .................................................................................................. 47 Hiking ........................................................................................................ 57 Nature Viewing .......................................................................................... 67 Freshwater Swimming .............................................................................. 77 Freshwater Fishing ................................................................................... 87 Freshwater Boating ................................................................................... 97 Saltwater Swimming ................................................................................. 107 Saltwater Fishing ...................................................................................... 117 Saltwater Boating ...................................................................................... 127 Hunting ...................................................................................................... 137 Appendix A: Methodology ............................................................................................. 147 Appendix B: Resource Sites Merged for Analysis of Destination Participation ............. 153 Appendix C: Demographics of Sample Pool, Survey Respondents, and 1985 Population of State Planning Regions ...................................................... 159 Appendix D: 1986 Origin-Destination Participation Survey Instrument ......................... 167 Appendix E: Activity Analysis Survey Instrument (Examples) ....................................... 177 iii LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1 Reasons Why People Enjoy Outdoor Recreation......................................................................... 3 2 Reasons Why People Do Not Recreate More Often..................................................................... 3 3 Projected Outdoor Recreation Participation by Texas Residents in Texas by Activity in Annual User Occasions, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000 ........................................................................ 4 4 Percentage of Texans Participating in Outdoor Recreation Activities........................................... 5 5 Outdoor Recreation Participation by Texas Residents in Texas by Activity in Annual User Occasions Per Participant, 1985. .... .. ... .... ..... ..... .. ..... .. .... .. ...... .... ........ .... .. ...... .... ....... ............... 5 A-1 Walking for Pleasure: Percentage Participating, Annual Participation Occasions Per Participant, and Total Annual Participation Occasions by Planning Region, 1985 ....................... 8 B-1 Bicycling: Percentage Participating, Annual Participation Occasions Per Participant, and Total Annual Participation Occasions by Planning Region, 1985 .......................................... 10 C-1 Jogging: Percentage Participating, Annual Participation Occasions Per Participant, and Total Annual Participation Occasions by Planning Region, 1985 .......................................... 12 D-1 Pool Swimming: Percentage Participating, Annual Participation Occasions Per Participant, and Total Annual Participation Occasions by Planning Region, 1985 ....................... 14 E-1 Playground Use: Percentage Participating, Annual Participation Occasions Per Participant, and Total Annual Participation Occasions by Planning Region, 1985 ....................... 16 F-1 Softball: Percentage Participating, Annual Participation Occasions Per Participant, and Total Annual Participation Occasions by Planning Region, 1985 .......................................... 18 G-1 Baseball: Percentage Participating, Annual Participation Occasions Per Participant, and Total Annual Participation Occasions by Planning Region, 1985 .......................................... 20 H-1 Football: Percentage Participating, Annual Participation Occasions Per Participant, and Total Annual Participation Occasions by Planning Region, 1985 .......................................... 22 1-1 Soccer: Percentage Participating, Annual Participation Occasions Per Participant, and Total Annual Participation Occasions by Planning Region, 1985 .......................................... 24 J-1 Basketball: Percentage Participating, Annual Participation Occasions Per Participant, and Total Annual Participation Occasions by Planning Region, 1985 .......................................... 26 K-1 Tennis: Percentage Participating, Annual Participation Occasions Per Participant, and Total Annual Participation Occasions by Planning Region, 1985 .......................................... 28 L-1 Golf: Percentage Participating, Annual Participation Occasions Per Participant, and Total Annual Participation Occasions by Planning Region, 1985 .......................................... 30 M-1 Horseback Riding: Percentage Participating, Annual Participation Occasions Per Participant, and Total Annual Participation Occasions by Planning Region, 1985 ....................... 32 iv Table Page N-1 Off-road Vehicle Riding: Percentage Participating, Annual Participation Occasions Per Participant, and Total Annual Participation Occasions by Planning Region, 1985 ............... 34 0-1 Open Space Activities: Percentage Participating, Annual Participation Occasions Per Participant, and Total Annual Participation Occasions by Planning Region, 1985 ....................... 36 P-1 Camping: Percentage Participating, Annual Participation Occasions Per Participant,