Recently, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) Central Midwestern States Coordinator Joel Hodgdon traveled to Nebraska and Missouri to join events hosted by sportsmen-legislators in each state.
On February 27, the Nebraska Legislative Sportsmen’s Forum hosted a conference and wild game luncheon, which gathered senators from around the state to learn more about current legislation that could affect their sportsmen and women constituents.
Nebraska Sportsmen’s Foundation Executive Director Scott Smathers greeted attendees. “To have such strong attendance from lawmakers, conservation groups, and Nebraska Game and Parks shows the tremendous impact that Nebraska’s sportsmen and women have in our state,” said Smathers. “In 2015, hunters and anglers provided over $36 million dollars for in-state conservation efforts, and supported over 12,000 jobs in our state.”
On February 28, Hodgdon traveled to Jefferson City, Missouri to attend the Missouri Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus annual Squirrel Gravy Breakfast with the Missouri Department of Conservation. Legislators gathered to discuss the state’s sporting heritage and contributions to the American System of Conservation Funding over gravy made with squirrels harvested in Missouri.
“This breakfast is an event I look forward to every year, and not just because of the gravy,” said Missouri Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus Co-Chair Representative Robert Ross. “Our state’s roughly 1.3 million hunters and anglers spend billions of dollars a year on their outdoor pursuits. This event provides an annual opportunity for us as legislators to discuss the issues important to Missouri’s sportsmen and women.”
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?
