The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation and Ducks Unlimited cohosted the Annual Oklahoma Sportsmen’s Day at the Capitol to celebrate sportsmen and women; America’s true conservationists.
February 29, 2024 (Oklahoma City, OK) – Yesterday, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) and Ducks Unlimited (DU) cohosted the 2024 Oklahoma Sportsmen’s Day at the Capitol. This event brought together members of the Sooner State’s sporting-conservation community with members of the Oklahoma Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus for a celebration of Oklahoma’s storied outdoor heritage while demonstrating the community’s dedication to the “user pays – public benefits” American System of Conservation Funding (ASCF) and it’s role in supporting conservation efforts in the state.
“The success of Oklahoma’s Sportsmen’s Day at the Capitol reflects both the leadership and engagement that the Oklahoma Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus continues to demonstrate,” said CSF’s Kent Keene. “Recognizing the role of sportsmen and women as the backbone of conservation, opportunities to connect elected officials with members of our community to celebrate our shared passions and priorities as sportsmen and women have never been more important.”
Hunting and fishing play a large role in funding conservation efforts that also fuel economic prosperity. Event attendees had an opportunity to hear from Co-Chairs of the Oklahoma Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, CSF’s Kent Keene, and DU’s Randall Cole, who spoke to the tremendous contributions of Oklahoma’s 1.2 million hunters and anglers who supported the state’s economy through their spending, contributing to the $4.3 billion spent on outdoor activities in 2023 alone.
A key component of the event was a briefing on the coordinated efforts in updating Oklahoma’s hunting and fishing license structure. With the cost of natural resource management increasing yearly, hunting and fishing license fees must be regularly evaluated to ensure the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation has the necessary resources to continue its crucial conservation work. The work of CSF and DU in support of this initiative will be at the forefront during this year’s legislative session with the goal of enacting legislation to simplify the Sooner State’s license structure while increasing critical conservation funding through the ASCF.
“Sportsmen and women are the most passionate and dedicated conservationists in North America,” said Randall Cole, OK Ducks Unlimited state policy chairman. “They understand the conservation of the natural resources they hold dear is reliant upon adequate conservation funding – and they’re willing to pay their part. We appreciate the members of the Oklahoma Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus for championing policies that support our important conservation work and for sharing our passion and commitment to conserving our cherished natural places for the next generation.”
About the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation
Founded in 1989, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) is the informed authority across outdoor issues and serves as the primary conduit for influencing public policy. Working with the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC), the Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus (GSC), and the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses (NASC), CSF gives a voice to hunters, anglers, recreational shooters, and trappers on Capitol hill and throughout state capitols advocating on vital outdoor issues that are the backbone of our nation’s conservation legacy. For more information on CSF’s policy work, visit www.congressionalsportsmen.org.
About Ducks Unlimited
Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America’s continually disappearing wetlands, grasslands and other waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has restored or protected more than 18 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science, DU’s projects benefit waterfowl, wildlife and people in all 50 states. DU is growing its mission through a historic $3 billion Conservation For A Continent capital campaign. Learn more at www.ducks.org.
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