In late April, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced two important steps to implement the pro-sportsmen directives laid out in Secretarial Order 3356 and Secretarial Order 3362.
Secretarial Order 3356 aims to expand access for hunting and angling on federal lands and waters that are managed by the Department of the Interior (DOI). Secretarial Order 3362 promotes collaboration between the DOI and western state fish and wildlife agencies for the conservation of big-game winter range and migration corridors for game species.
In order to implement the directives laid out in Secretarial Order 3356, USFWS announced Regional Chiefs of Hunting and Fishing within each Service region. These new Regional Chiefs will focus their efforts on reducing the barriers to entry for hunting and fishing on public lands and waters for our nation’s sportsmen and women.
In addition, and to achieve the goals of Secretarial Order 3362, USFWS appointed Casey Stemler to serve in a newly created position as the Senior Adviser to the Director for Western States. In this position, Mr. Stemler will work to see DOI and western state fish and wildlife agencies work collaboratively to achieve the goals of the Secretarial Order to enhance and improve the habitat and populations of western big game species.
“The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation applauds the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Principal Deputy Director Sheehan for their leadership on carrying out Secretarial Orders 3356 and 3362. We are excited to work with Casey Stemler in his new role as Senior Adviser to the Director for Western States, and to work with each Regional Chief to advance hunting and fishing on public lands and waters,” said Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation President Jeff Crane.
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?
