On August 4, Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) staffers took a break from bustling Capitol Hill, and joined the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) and industry partners at the annual “August Recess Shoot-Out” for a day of trap, skeet, and sporting clays.
CSF President Jeff Crane welcomed 175 sportsmen and women, which included both advanced and beginner recreational shooters, to Prince George’s County Trap and Skeet in Glenn Dale, Maryland. “With over 37.4 million sportsmen and women in the country, Members of Congress are representing a group of people equivalent to the population of California. These sportsmen and women pay for fish and wildlife conservation. Every time they purchase their firearm ammunition or their hooks and bait, they are putting money into the American System of Conservation Funding.”
Delegate Johnny Mautz (MD) presented a citation to CSF, recognizing the organization for their leadership of the sportsmen’s community, through working with the CSC.
CSF Board of Directors member Jeanne Mitchell of Exxon Mobil Corporation also addressed the attendees, thanking CSC staffers for their hard work on behalf of the country’s sportsmen’s community. “Conservation began with hunters and anglers in this country. We are the original stewards of our natural resources,” said Mitchell. “The Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus is the largest bipartisan Caucus on Capitol Hill and all of you help contribute to conservation.”
Shooters competed on an individual basis for the top shot score in various categories. For beginners, the Remington experts provided lessons in firearms safety and shooting skills.
Following the competition, 10 individuals were awarded the top scores in different categories:
Top Gun: Jared Hill, Bunge North America
Top Gun Female: Stephanie Gadbois, House Judiciary Committee
Top Gun Republican: Josh Maxwell, House Committee on Agriculture
Top Gun Democrat: Mark Mozena, Office of Congressman Michael Honda
Top Skeet shooter: Tim Rupli, TR Rupli & Associates, Inc.
Top Trap shooter: Rick Schmidt, The Buck Bomb
Top Sporting Clays shooter: Dan Wrinn, Ducks Unlimited
Top Beginners: Kristin Mayhall, Garden & Gun Land; Laurie McKay, Greenberg Traurig; Kenny Palmer, Office of Congressman Mark Veasey
This year’s August Recess Shoot-Out Title Sponsors included: BP America, Inc., Exxon Mobil Corporation, Honeywell International, Inc., IceMiller Strategies LLC, ITC Holdings Corporation, National Shooting Sports Foundation, Natural Resource Results LLC, SilencerCo LLC, and Vista Outdoor Inc. Host Sponsor included: American Suppressor Association, Anheuser-Busch Companies, Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s Outdoor Fund, Ducks Unlimited, National Rifle Association, Oracle, Remington, Richard Childress Racing, Safari Club International, Shimano American Corporation, and Winchester Ammunition. Co-Host Sponsors Included: Air Line Pilots Association, Amgen, The Buck Bomb, CropLife America, Crossroads Strategies LLC, Greenberg Traurig, and the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives.
The firearm suppressor demonstration and station refreshments were provided by the American Suppressor Association and SilencerCo LLC.
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?
