By Brett Stayton, Mid-Atlantic States Coordinator
Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) Mid-Atlantic States Coordinator Brett Stayton joined the Delaware Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus for their first meeting of the year on January 10. Riding a wave of momentum after establishing a very successful track record over the past few years, the Caucus Co-Chairs have once again developed an ambitious yet attainable list of goals for 2019.
A number of proposed bills are likely to be introduced in the coming weeks. In addition to discussing policy priorities, Caucus members also proposed a schedule for monthly meetings during the 2019 legislative session. The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) will work closely with Caucus members and conservation partners to protect and advance hunting, angling, and recreational shooting policies in The First State again throughout the year.
Representatives from the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) joined the meeting to provide updates on the agency’s policy priorities for the year, and officials from the Delaware State Forest Service (DFS) provided updates on their plan to increase opportunities for hunting on state forests.
In 2018, DFS added seven new gates and trailheads in previously inaccessible tracts of forest and they plan to add additional access points with hunters in mind during the year ahead.
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Delaware Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus leaders: Senator Bruce Ennis, Representative Jeff Spiegelman and Senator Brian Pettyjohn.
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?
