Unknown Tariff Impacts Looming for The Waterfowl Industry

Unless someone has been sleeping under a rock the past month, almost every American knows at least something about the tariff war that the U.S. has been engaged in with foreign nations.

And while there has been much angst—see the U.S. Stock Market impact in early April—things have been in limbo a good bit over the past several weeks, at least in terms of consumers actually feeling tariff impacts through higher prices.

While many in the waterfowling industry are reluctant to talk about this issue as they scramble to figure out Plan B options for their companies, one that agreed to carefully do so was Jim Ronquest, the 2006 world duck calling champion and the Vice President of Development for Drake Waterfowl Systems.
Jimbo and others in the waterfowling industry are somewhat reluctant to speak, in part because there is much unknown and the news headlines are fluid from day to day. They’re also reluctant to speak because of where they are in the annual cycle of designing, making, and delivering products to retailers and consumers before fall hunting seasons arrive.

As this is written, the summer breeding duck population survey is officially underway, and the clock is ticking for pre-season kickoff events that waterfowling gear retail specialists like Mack's Prairie Wings, Roger's Sporting Goods, Final Flight Outfitters, Simmons Sporting Goods, Presley's Outdoors and others annually host in the late summer.

An insider's perspective

"We don’t know what’s going to happen, that’s the big deal," Ronquest said. “There are very few in this space that don’t have something made overseas.”
Ronquest was once a duck hunting guide, then one of the world’s top competitive duck callers, then a TV celebrity who served as the producer and host of the popular RNT-V television show on Sportsman Channel (Link), and a man deeply involved in retriever training and hunt tests.

Seeing a bona fide expert in the game being cautious about discussing an industry that he knows so well is a bit sobering, to say the least. This almost serves as proof that these are uncertain times for many waterfowling-related businesses. 
Ronquest notes that unless things change quickly in the coming days, gear that is made in China and other overseas locations will undoubtedly lead to higher prices and lower inventory heading toward fall.

"I don't think anybody has that crystal ball," he said. "I know I don't. So, unfortunately, it's still a game of wait-and-see. Some companies are probably in pretty good shape right now, sitting on a lot of stock. But there are probably others that are not (in good shape right now)."
The problem for Ronquest and others is not only what is currently happening, but also where they are in the annual timeline of designing new items, getting orders for the new and the old products, getting the product lines made, and then seeing that it is all distributed for fall duck hunting adventures. Companies are up against the clock and they know it as duck seasons, and even the Christmas shopping seasons loom down the road.
Ronquest noted that while he isn't at liberty to say much about Drake's plans, they are talking and making decisions. Even so, barring some sort of quick resolution in the escalating tariff war, there could be some unpleasant times ahead.

"You can't sit around and twiddle your thumbs," Ronquest said.

Terry Denmon, founder of MOJO Outdoors, sums the situation up pretty simply. “As of now, the tariffs are prohibiting us from bringing in product, so us and most everybody we talk to don’t have much product to sell.”

We’re now a full month out from President Donald Trump’s tariffs declaration made on April 2—something he terms “Liberation Day”— change is in the wind. Before long, as you get hunting gear catalogs and circulars advertising the latest in the waterfowling industry, there is likely to be even more change.

Understanding the big picture

To understand why that is likely to occur, we can refer to a statement put out by the Archery Trade Association at midweek. While the ATA is working to inform its archery industry partners about looming impacts, their words have plenty of weight for other segments of the outdoors market, and that includes the waterfowling industry too.

"The Trump administration is working to deliver on its campaign promise of fair international trade for the United States,” said the ATA (Link) statement on May 1, 2025. “As part of an effort to pressure trade partners into negotiations, the administration has raised tariffs on several countries with which the U.S. trades heavily, particularly China, Canada and Mexico. So far, there has been little sign of progress with China, which currently has the highest tariff rates and is responding in kind with tariffs on U.S. goods.”

If that’s as clear as the mud on the bottom of your wader boots, then read on.

"The most likely impacts to the archery industry stem from tariffs on China, steel, aluminum, and aluminum derivatives,” the ATA added. “In addition, the de minimis rule will be eliminated for all Chinese goods, including those from Hong Kong, beginning May 2, 2025. The de minimis rule allows goods valued under $800 to enter the U.S. duty, tariff, and tax-free by one person on one day. This entry exemption will also be removed for all other countries once the commerce secretary notifies the president that systems are in place to process these shipments under the new policy. As manufacturers and trade officials navigate these new regulations, both consumers and manufacturers may see price increases and supply disruptions in archery products."
Only a few years after the COVID-19 pandemic upended supply chains and brought about rising prices and numerous shortages, most everyone has an idea of what price hikes and supply disruptions might look like.

How will all of this shake out in the weeks ahead? To figure that out, it helps to take a look at other industries in the outdoors marketplace like fishing. It would seem certain that the fishing industry will be impacted heavily by Trump’s tariffs plan since the American Sportfishing Association reported in 2019  that then—months before the COVID-19 pandemic hit—60 percent of fishing equipment in the U.S. at that time was imported, more than two-thirds of that from China.

Because China makes everything from rods to reels to hooks to lines to landing nets to artificial lures—and that's not to mention some of the raw materials and tools needed by those making such products here in America—then the current tariffs being enacted by the Trump Administration promise unsettled and expensive waters ahead for the angling industry.

What will be affected? 

What might be affected in the waterfowling industry you ask? Pretty much everything, from shotguns and ammunition to decoys and waders to clothing and accessories to even boats and motors.

While Ronquest’s comments above were referencing the waterfowl clothing and accessory side of the industry, his thoughts are likely to carry weight elsewhere too. Duck decoys stand to be impacted significantly as many decoy companies have turned to manufacturing that is done overseas. But not all, since the well-known G&H Decoys Inc. company, formerly in Henryetta, Okla. and now in Corning, Ark. (Link) proudly touts its "Made in the USA" heritage.“ G&H is in good shape, all our materials are made here,” says Brent Sawyer, product developer with G&H. “Being a fully American made company, we are gearing up and increasing our staff to fill the needs of waterfowlers this year.  The shop is a bit hectic right now, but it is an exciting time to be an American manufacturer.”

How about shotguns? While many scatterguns are made domestically, a report from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) (Link) notes that annual shotgun imports into the U.S. grew by 747% from the year 2000 (332,712 imports) and 2021 (2,816,380 imports). While many of those aren’t shotguns that will find their way into a duck blind or goose pit, any such shotgun imported into the U.S. could face the same issues noted above.

Shotgun ammunition? Again, some of the waterfowl ammo supply is made overseas and that’s certainly true for plenty of necessary components and tools used in making non-toxic loads for duck and goose hunters. Just last week, I visited a factory of a well-known ammo maker here in the U.S. and they privately conceded that like Ronquest, there are concerns about what lies ahead as well as the mystery of the unknown.

In addition to clothing, decoys, shotguns, and ammo, things like boats and motors also stand to be impacted since several motor brands import their products from overseas and even American boat makers need raw materials—aluminum, anyone?—along with accessories and tools to build the latest and greatest duck boat.

So where does this leave the waterfowling industry as the tariff storyline continues to develop here in late spring? In a place of uncertainty for sure, but one where almost everyone realizes that the waterfowler’s world looks a little different now than it did a few months ago. And that uncertainty could become day-to-day and even hour-to-hour because as this was published, there were news stories suggesting that China might be softening a bit in its hardline stance in this tariff war.

Whatever the news headlines bring and whatever changes lie ahead, look to WildfowlMag.com for the latest developments as we all anticipate this year’s upcoming waterfowl hunting campaigns.

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