In schools, camps and backyards, kids are gaga for archery since “The Hunger Games” opened March 23 at the box office.

“All of a sudden sales of bows have, like, tripled,” said Paul Haines, a salesman at the Ramsey Outdoor store in Paramus, N.J. Archery ranges around the country have enjoyed a steady uptick among kids of both sexes, though heroine Katniss — a deadly shot with an arrow — seems to resonate more with girls.

“We’re thrilled with the awareness and the excitement that ‘The Hunger Games’ has brought to the sport of archery,” said Denise Parker, CEO of USA Archery, the U.S. training and selection body for the Olympics, Paralympics, Pan American Games and other world events. “We’re already receiving feedback from our youth clubs that interest in archery programs in their areas is up significantly,” she said. — ap