Highlights
Why it matters: The Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Council builds off previous versions of similar Federal Advisory Councils that have been facilitated to advance the interests of America’s sportsmen and women. These Federal Advisory Councils serve as a unique opportunity to develop and provide recommendations to the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior to promote and advance hunting and the shooting sports. In previous years, the Council has addressed issues related to wildlife disease, closures of federal land to hunting and recreational shooting, federal land management planning decisions, among other issues of importance to sportsmen and women.
This morning, the Department of the Interior announced the establishment of the Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Council, a Federal Advisory Committee dedicated to advancing the interests of America’s sportsmen and women.
For well over a decade and spanning numerous Administrations, similar versions of the Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Council have been in existence to promote the interests of our sporting heritage. During this time, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) has served on every iteration of the Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Council. Most recently, CSF President and CEO Jeff Crane served as the Chairman of the Hunting and Shooting Sports Conservation Council for its entire existence, a role in which he spearheaded over 30 meaningful recommendations to the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture.
In DOI’s announcement of the Council, the Department stated, “the Council will focus on and recommend policies that benefit wildlife resources, encourage partnership among the public, sporting conservation organizations, and federal, state, Tribal and territorial governments, and benefit fair chase recreational hunting and safe recreational shooting sports.”
More information regarding the formation of the Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Council will be made available in the future and noticed in the Federal Register.
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?
