With Virginia’s 2014 legislative session coming to a close, the Virginia Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus held its final Caucus Meeting on Thursday, February 27. While in session, the Virginia Caucus meets once a week to be briefed on critical sportsmen’s issues and to discuss current legislation. At this final meeting, Brent Miller, the Northeastern States Director for the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, briefed the Caucus on the staggering economic impact of hunting and angling in Virginia, as well as the contributions of sportsmen and women to the American System of Conservation Funding. “2014 has been a great year for the Virginia Caucus, with bills related to Sunday hunting, hunter education in the schools, and many other critical issues being sent to the Governor’s desk,” said Miller.
At this final meeting, both Co-Chairs of the Caucus, Senator Emmett Hanger and Delegate Scott Lingamfelter, were joined by Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam, leadership and staff of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, and many members of the sportsmen’s community to celebrate the recent successes, and to plan a course of action to further strengthen the Caucus and bolster its effectiveness in the years ahead.
For more information on the Virginia Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, please contact CSF Northeastern States Director Brent Miller at brent@sportsmenslink.org.
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?