On March 29, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) hosted the “”Maryland Sportsmen’s Reception”” to celebrate the time-honored traditions of hunting and angling in the Old Line State. Over 75 guests, including more than 35 members of the General Assembly, gathered in celebration of the various social, cultural, economic, and ecological benefits hunting and angling provide for all Marylanders — consumptive and the non-consumptive users alike.
The 445,000 sportsmen and women in Maryland support more than 10,700 jobs across the state and contribute $815 million to the state’s economy, generating $84 million in state and local taxes. Further, through the American System of Conservation Funding, a “user-pays, public-benefits” program, sportsmen and women provide the vast majority of critical conservation dollars in Maryland. In 2015, nearly $26 million from the sportsmen’s community went directly to conservation efforts in the state.
Several members of the Maryland Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus were in attendance, including all four of the Co-Chairs: Senators John Astle and Wayne Norman, and Delegates Wendell Beitzel and Ned Carey. Since its inception in 2001, the Caucus has acted as a voice for the sportsmen and women of Maryland in the halls of government. Also in attendance were Maryland Department of Natural Resources Director Paul Peditto and, representing Governor Hogan’s office, Deputy Chief of Staff and former Maryland Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus member Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio. Governor Hogan became the 34th member of the bipartisan Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus just prior to the event.
Delegate Beitzel stated, “[CSF’s] Alana Barricks, Brent Miller and other members of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation did a great job putting the event together and we hope this can become an annual event to bolster support for our hunting, fishing and trapping priorities and issues in Maryland.””
CSF would like to thank the Host Sponsor of the event, Capitol Strategies; and Co-Host Sponsors American Sportfishing Association, Ducks Unlimited, Pascal Family Group, and Reynolds American Incorporated.
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?
