Thursday, June 17, 2021 (EDGEFIELD, SOUTH CAROLINA)—Today, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) hosted the 4th Annual South Carolina Sporting Clays Classic in partnership with the South Carolina Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus (Caucus).
Held at the National Wild Turkey Federation’s (NWTF) Palmetto Shooting Complex in Edgefield, South Carolina, the event brought together elected officials, state agency leaders, members of the sportsmen’s community, and a variety of in-state partners to participate in a sporting clays competition and to support CSF’s and the Caucus’s shared mission of protecting and advancing hunting, angling, recreational shooting and trapping.
During the event, CSF and the Caucus emphasized the connection between recreational shooting and conservation. A large percentage of the billions of dollars Americans spend on recreational shooting activities each year supports state wildlife agencies and their mission of public trust resource management. In the United States, there are over 32 million people who spend nearly $17 billion annually on recreational shooting.
Formed in 2006, the South Carolina Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus is a bipartisan group of legislators led by Chairmen Representatives Bobby Cox and Roger Kirby, and Senators Stephen Goldfinch and Thomas McElveen. With CSF’s support, the Caucus plays an integral role ensuring South Carolina sportsmen and women have a voice in the Statehouse. During this past legislative session, the Caucus worked to support Sunday hunting on public lands and ensure that hunter and angler access is incorporated into state-wide conservation planning. In 2020, the Caucus spearheaded a successful effort to pass legislation that expanded the apprentice hunting license program, creating new opportunities for future generations of hunters.
“I couldn’t be more excited to gather with our biggest partners and supporters to host our annual Southern Sporting Clays Classic with the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation again after the pandemic canceled last year’s event, but I am most excited to continue making strides with my colleagues in the Sportsmen’s Caucus to further advance the interests of sportsmen in women in our great state of South Carolina. I’d like to thank CSF and NWTF for putting on a great event,” said former Caucus Chair and current President of the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses (NASC) Executive Council Rep. Brian White.
“The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation is proud to partner with the National Wild Turkey Federation, who has been a strong supporter of the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses since day one,” said CSF President and CEO Jeff Crane. “We also applaud the efforts of the bipartisan South Carolina Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus for their commitment to giving the Palmetto State’s 847,000 hunters and anglers a strong voice in Columbia.”
An awards ceremony took place following the event.
Award winners:
2021 Top Gun: Jeb Dobbins
2021 Top Female: Merrill McGregor
Top Gun Legislator: Russell Ott
1st Place Team: Cresent High School, Anderson, SC (Eric Brown, Maddox Martain, Quaid Busby, and Jeb Dobbins)
2nd Place Team: American Resort Development Association (Franklin Knox, Mike Johnson, Drew Blackston, and Chad Blackston)
3rd Place Team: Ducks Unlimited (Tanner Quattlebaum, Will Kitteridge, Everett Stubbs, and Tony Pope)
CSF would like to thank our partners and sponsors who made this event possible.
Title sponsors include Bass Pro Shops; Cabela’s; Ducks Unlimited, HUK; National Wild Turkey Federation; and the Southern Group. Host sponsors include Blue Cross Blue Shield; Dallas Safari Club; Everest.com; FN America; Hornady; National Shooting Sports Foundation; The Nature Conservancy; Palmetto State Armory; Pure Fishing; Rather Outdoors; Reynolds American, Inc.; Richard Childress Racing; Safari Club International; Solvent Networks; Shikar Safari Club International; Shimano; Sig Sauer; South Carolina Automobile Dealers Association; South Carolina Farm Bureau; South Carolina Healthcare Association; Vista Outdoor; Wine & Spirits Wholesalers Association of South Carolina; and Wilson Tractor, Inc.
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?
