On March 27, California Outdoor Sporting Caucus Co-Chairs Senators Jean Fuller and Cathleen Galgiani and Assembly Members Brian Dahle and Jim Frazier hosted their annual Capitol Hunter Ed Course at the Legislative Office Building in Sacramento. In addition to providing state legislators and their staff with the opportunity to obtain the Hunter Education Certificate needed to purchase a hunting license, the course helps decision-makers better understand the integral role hunting plays in conservation and allows participants to become familiar with the ethical nature of hunting.
This year’s course was taught by some of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s top Hunter Education instructors, including Lieutenants Shawn Olague, Peter Blake and Bart Bundesen.
“The California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Hunter Education team have enjoyed offering this course. We 
are pleased to see the legislative staff who have attended getting a better understanding of the hunting community they wish to serve. We wish we could reach all the lawmakers and future lawmakers in Sacramento. It would be great to give them a true perspective on the great tradition of hunting and the important role hunters have on conservation in this state,” said Lt. Olague.
Assisting the California Outdoor Sporting Caucus Co-Chairs and the Department of Fish and Wildlife in hosting the Capitol Hunter Ed Course were Bill Gaines of Gaines and Associates and the Black Brant Group of Morro Bay, who sponsored the event’s lunch.
The California Outdoor Sporting Caucus is part of the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses (NASC). For more information about the California Outdoor Sporting Caucus, please contact CSF Western States Director Andy Treharne at andy@sportsmenslink.org.
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?
