By Nick Buggia, Upper Midwestern States Manager
Newly elected Minnesota Governor, and former Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) Co-Chair, Tim Walz recently joined the Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus (GSC), a bipartisan group of governors from across the country who are dedicated to providing a voice for their state’s sportsmen and women and advancing professional fish and wildlife management policy.
“Like many Minnesotans, some of my earliest memories are from pheasant hunting with my dad,” said Gov. Walz. “Hunting and fishing are a way to connect with our friends, family, and neighbors, as well as the environment. As Governor, I am proud to advocate for responsible gun ownership and conservation programs to ensure that hunting and fishing have a safe and sustainable future here in Minnesota.”
After being elected to Congress in 2006, Walz joined the CSC in the 111th Congress. A lifelong hunter and angler, Walz has championed the priorities of sportsmen and women across the nation and was an active and dedicated CSC Member throughout this tenure in Congress. He served as Co-Chair of the CSC in the 114th Congress. Chosen to serve on the 2014 Farm Bill Conference Committee, he fought successfully to include provisions in the Farm Bill that protect land, water, and wildlife for future generations and, for the first time in American history, tie crop insurance premiums to conservation compliance. A firm believer that sportsmen and women are some of our nation’s most effective conservationists, he also co-authored the Sportsmen’s Heritage and Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Act in the 114th Congress.
Gov. Walz is joined by several other elected officials who are dedicated to providing a voice for Minnesota’s sportsmen and women: CSC Members Senator Amy Klobuchar and Representatives Tom Emmer, Collin Peterson, and Pete Stauber; as well as Minnesota Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus Co-Chairs Senators Carrie Ruud and David Tomassoni and Representative Leon Lillie.
Minnesota is home to over two million hunters and anglers who contribute nearly $100 million to fish and wildlife conservation each year.
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?
