On January 30, Senator Tom Whatley, Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Conservation and Forestry Committee, pre-filed Senate Bill 29, which would authorize nonresident college students in Alabama to purchase a hunting or fishing license at the same cost as a resident, under certain conditions. Previously, Representative Tommy Hanes also pre-filed the same measure in the House of Representatives as House Bill 3.
College student hunting and angling licenses measures currently exist in 22 states and are aimed at assisting with the retention and recruitment of young sportsmen and women who may consider nonresident hunting and angling licenses as cost-prohibitive. With the aging demographics of sportsmen and women, efforts to increase access for younger participants are essential to ensuring future generations continue to enjoy hunting, angling, and recreational shooting.
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?
