Over the weekend, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) hosted the “Georgia Low Country Boil & Shoot-Out” southeast regional event in Douglasville, Georgia. Held at the Foxhall Resort and Sporting Club, the event included an afternoon of sporting clays, fishing, and archery, followed by a low country boil and auction.
Members of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) and National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses (NASC) joined representatives from the hunting and angling community to celebrate conservation and discuss the future of our sportsmen’s heritage. CSC members Congressmen Jack Kingston (GA) and Austin Scott (GA) were in attendance along with Georgia Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus Co-Chair and NASC Executive Council member Senator Bill Heath.
CSF President Jeff Crane addressed the crowd: “I would like to thank our partners and members of the CSC, our newly launched CSC Alumni Association, as well as the Georgia Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus for joining us today in celebrating Georgia’s hunting and angling heritage. With 43 states in the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses, we are able to focus on sportsmen’s policy priorities throughout the country.”
CSF Honorary Board of Directors member and CSC Alumni Association Co-Chair, The Honorable Lindsay Thomas, spoke on the importance of the sportsmen’s community: “I don’t know any group that contributes to protecting our natural resources more than those who love, enjoy, and are committed to our outdoor traditions. Hunters and fishermen are the reason we have the wildlife resources we have today. Sportsmen finance it when purchasing fishing tackle and ammunition, and work together in a collaborative effort with Congress, governors’ offices, and state legislatures around America so that we meet challenges to our outdoor traditions today and in the future.”
The 1.06 million Georgia hunters and anglers spend $2.3 billion per year on their hunting and angling pursuits and support 39,640 related jobs, ranking 10th in the country.
Congressman Kingston praised the bipartisan nature of the CSC: “The Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus is a great organization. As you know, it brings together all of America’s hunters and anglers and is one of the only times in Washington when everyone with this interest comes together, Democrats and Republicans alike.”
The Title Sponsors of the event were Bell Plantation and Cox Enterprises, Inc. The Host Sponsors included Stoddard’s Range and Guns and Yamaha Motor Corporation. The Co-Host Sponsors included: ATK, Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s Outdoor Fund, National Shooting Sports Foundation, Remington, Shimano American Corporation, Richard Childress Racing, and Safari Club International.
Supporters of the event included: Alpha Cat Charters, Balch & Bingham LLP, BPI Outdoors, Browning, Cold Steel, Colorado Mountain Adventures, CVA, Dallas Safari Club, Daniel Defense, Inc., Dr. David Allen, Dublin Construction, FNH USA, Georgia Natural Resources, GLOCK, Inc., Hi-Caliber Firearms, Hornady Manufacturing Company, Joe Tanner & Associates, John McCloskey, Leupold & Stevens, Inc., Lipsey’s, LLC, Metro Arms, Milton Sundeck, National Rifle Association, Obsession Bows, O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Over Under Clothing, Paul Babaz, Paul Miller, Pure Fishing, Pyramyd Air, Remington, River Through Atlanta, Scott Tanner, SkyJacker Defense, Smith & Wesson, Southern Ionics Incorporated, Tanner Health System, Tech Exec., Inc., Troutman Sanders Strategies, The Babaz Group at Morgan Stanley and The Honorable Lindsay Thomas.
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?
