Contact: Kent Keene, Assistant Manager, Lower Midwestern States and Agriculture Policy
Why it matters: Finding unique ways to recognize and highlight the importance of our time-honored traditions is critical to ensuring that the future for sportsmen and women remains bright. By declaring archery as the official state sport in Missouri, hunters, target shooters, and other archers can take additional pride in their passion for a sport in which all Americans, regardless of gender, age, and physical ability, can participate.
On the first day of July, Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus Member Governor Mike Parson signed Missouri House Bill 1738 into law. Though HB 1738 contains a variety of state designations, one designation in particular should resonate with sportsmen and women throughout the Show-Me State and across the country. Originally introduced as a standalone bill (HB 1672) by Missouri Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus Member Representative Tim Taylor, the final version of HB 1738 included a provision designating archery as the official state sport in Missouri.
As previously reported, archery has a strong history in Missouri which serves as the home state for the inventor of the compound bow, Holless Wilbur Allen, and the home of the Archery Hall of Fame and Museum in the Bass Pro Shop Outdoor World in Springfield. Additionally, there is a strong and growing interest in archery in Missouri’s public schools via the Missouri National Archery in Schools Program. As you can see, recognizing archery as the official state sport holds significant meaning for archers of all ages and skill-levels.
The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF), who supported HB 1672 and its incorporation into HB 1738, applauds this recognition for one of our oldest time-honored outdoor traditions and we are excited to help continue promoting our legacy as sportsmen and women.
Studies conducted at both the state and federal level have found that the number of hunters and trappers have been on a generally declining trend over the past several decades. To increase recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) of hunters and trappers, which initiative do you think would have the greatest impact?
