The Bulloch County Historical Society gathered on August 22, 2025, for its monthly meeting, welcoming guest speaker Dr. Drew Swanson, the Jack N. and Addie D. Averitt Distinguished Professor of Southern History at Georgia Southern University.
Swanson, an award-winning scholar and editor of Agricultural History, holds a Ph.D. from the University of Georgia (2010) and earned degrees from Appalachian State University (MA, 2004) and Lees-McRae College (2001). He shared with a smile, “I was born in Virginia, lived all over the South, Midwest and West Coast, went to UGA, and my in-laws live in northwest Georgia. So I'm half Dawg.”
His research has appeared in leading academic journals, and is a familiar face to BCHS, having previously spoken on the history of the white-tailed deer and its reintroduction to Bulloch County.
Dr. Swanson presented “The Business of Hunting Gear: Consumerism, Culture, and Conservation,” exploring how a multi-billion-dollar industry has shaped recreational hunting and supported America’s model of wildlife restoration. He traced the industry’s growth from simple tools and catalogs to today’s $50 billion outdoor market.
Historical Society President and Georgia Southern University Museum Director Dr. Brent W. Tharp introduced Dr. Swanson, noting the fascinating connection between recreational hunting, conservation, and wildlife management.
“Such long arcs of historical evolution that create the world around us are fascinating and often go unnoticed in our daily activities as a shopping trip to Cabela's,” Tharp added.
About 50 members and guests attended this informative program. Prior to Dr Swanson's presentation, attendees enjoyed a delicious Southern buffet served by A Touch of Class by Annette, featuring chopped pork barbecue, traditional sides, and cheesecake.
Dr. Swanson explained that bows, arrows, and knives were once essential survival tools, becoming recreational as modern hunting developed in the early 20th century. Figures like Saxton Pope documented the archery skills of his Yahi friend Ishi, and helped revive bowhunting as heritage and sport. Roy Weatherby’s innovative rifles and ballistic designs defined post-WWII hunting culture, while Horace Kephart’s wilderness writings and his famous “Kephart knife” symbolized the blending of utility and craftsmanship in outdoor life.
By 1904, the hunting industry expanded through catalogs, sporting clubs, and equipment makers, laying the foundation for today's national retailers. The 1937 Pittman-Robertson Act directed excise taxes on firearms and ammunition to conservation, creating one of the most effective funding models for wildlife management worldwide.
By the 21st century, the industry reached $50 billion annually, with $26 billion in direct spending on firearms, ammunition, and hunting gear. The rise of retailers such as Cabela’s, founded in 1961, fueled the culture of outdoor consumption. In the early 2000s, sprawling outlets became destinations; the Fort Worth, Texas location drew more annual visitors than the Alps.
Swanson said his interest began when he spent hours as a boy thumbing through Cabela’s catalogs and imagining the gear he might own one day. Later, his work in conservation showed him how consumerism helps fund wildlife protection.
He emphasized two key points about consumer culture of hunting: it is “big business,” on par with industries like cars and electronics, and it has directly supported wildlife conservation. Swanson concluded, “We may be a little suspicious of rampant consumerism, but the tax dollars and conservative conservation efforts of outdoor companies have aided more remarkable wildlife comebacks in Georgia and elsewhere. The wildlife conservation funding model has worked more often than it has failed. A success story even if an imperfect one.”
The program concluded with an engaging Q&A session that blended humor, insight, and audience participation. Another memorable meeting for BCHS.