By John Culclasure, Central Appalachian States Manager
On October 26 – 27, the 12th Annual Governor’s One Shot Whitetail Hunt was held at the Stonewall Resort in Roanoke, West Virginia.
Hosted by Governor Sportsmen’s Caucus member Governor Jim Justice and sponsored by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources and the One Shot Committee, the Governor’s One Shot Whitetail Hunt is an annual fundraiser that benefits the Hunters Helping the Hungry program in West Virginia. Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) Central Appalachian States Manager John Culclasure attended the event.
In one of its most successful fundraising years to date, the One Shot brings together sportsmen and women from West Virginia and other states to participate in an antlerless deer hunt and banquet that raises funds to support the Hunters Helping the Hungry, a game meat donation program that works with meat processors and hunters to provide venison to food shelters.
This program allows hunters to donate deer to meat processors, which grind the meat and prepare it for distribution to over 600 charitable organizations in the state. The venison from the Hunters Helping the Hungry is often the only the meat donation that food pantries and shelters receive in a year, and the nutritious low-fat, protein-rich venison is enjoyed by families across the state.
CSF and the West Virginia Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus supported the event and donated items for the auction. Since the founding of the Governor’s One Shot Whitetail Hunt in 2007, the event has raised over $600,000.
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?
