AbstractThis paper explores the human dimensions ofrecreational hunting and fishing from a longitudinal perspective. Several sociodemographic, recreation behavior, and resource use social indicators were monitored for these two consumptive recreational activities over a 25‐year period. Six national surveys conducted under the auspices of the U.S. Department of the Interior every five years since 1955 provided the data for the analysis.For both hunting and fishing, some indicators demonstrated temporal stability while others showed dynamism. The direction of change for the sociodemographics was the same for both activities. However, hunting and fishing differed in the trends found in the other indicators. The recreation behavior indicators demonstrated a trend toward greater extensity and specialization of participation in fishing, while the opposite trend was observed for hunting. The findings for the resource use indicators suggested that participants in these two activities have utilized resources differently over the past two and one‐half decades. Hunters shifted while fishermen remained stable in resource utilization.The examination of trends in hunting and fishing suggests some present and future marketing opportunities for resource managers and service and equipment providers. Furthermore, the analysis suggests some theoretical implications for future studies on the human dimensions of wildlife and fisheries.