With Christmas a mere five days away, last-minute shoppers are hitting their favorite stores in search of just the right gift. If you’re an outdoors person, why not consider giving someone an invitation to the world of hunting or shooting?

It may just be the gift that keeps on giving to the recipient — and the giver as well.

The choice of giving such a special invitation to a family member or friend is a relatively easy one, and the National Shooting Sports Foundation is making it even easier. Through their “Step Outside Program,” the NSSF is asking all outdoors enthusiasts to mentor a newcomer by inviting them to participate in these traditional outdoor activities.

By simply logging onto their Web site — www.stepoutside.org — sportsmen and women can select from a variety of hunting- and shooting-themed electronic postcards, personalize the card and send it to the recipient by e-mail. For those of you not yet cruising the Internet superhighway, simply pick out a holiday greeting card and insert your personal invitation to accomplish the same result.

Research shows that millions of men, women and kids would gladly accept an invitation to go hunting or shooting if someone would simply invite them. These are people who never have experienced all the outdoors has to offer and will never get the chance unless someone like you or I takes the initiative and gives them the opportunity.

Think about it: Most of us would never have experienced the joy of deer hunting from a tree stand on a cool fall evening or the sight of a big old tom strutting into our decoys if someone hadn’t taken the time to introduce us to the sport. Even the simple joy of plinking targets or knocking down some clays at the range would never have been possible if someone from our past hadn’t extended some sort of invitation.

A study done by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service revealed some interesting information. They found an overwhelming majority of Americans support hunting and shooting. Unfortunately, while support has been increasing, participation has not.

Overall, nearly 80 percent of our population approves of hunting and legal shooting sports, yet fewer than six percent actually get out and participate. Can you imagine how much support we’d have if each and every one of us took a moment this holiday season to invite someone new to come out and enjoy the outdoors?

In the Fish and Wildlife survey, not a single hunter claimed to have gone hunting for the first time alone. In fact, nearly 85 percent of them indicated they were invited to participate by another person or group. The same study also showed that most of those who were given an invitation to go hunting and were introduced to the sport by an experienced hunter or mentor, continued hunting on their own or with their new hunting buddy.

There are tons of opportunities to introduce someone to the amazing world of hunting and shooting. Take time out this holiday season and extend an invitation to “Step Outside.” It is truly the gift that will keep on giving.