Contact: Brent Miller, Senior Director, Northeastern States
On August 1, Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus Member Governor John Carney signed into law HB 156 at a signing ceremony in Laurel, Delaware.
The bill allows veterans who have been honorably discharged from the U.S. Armed Forces, and who have at least a 60% service-connected disability, to obtain complimentary hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses. Previously, only resident veterans who met those same criteria were eligible for complimentary licenses.
HB 156 was sponsored by Representative Timothy Dukes, a long-standing member of the bipartisan and bicameral Delaware Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, as well as Caucus Co-Chair Senator Brian Pettyjohn. Joining Rep. Dukes and Sen. Pettyjohn as co-sponsors were several other members of the Caucus, including Co-Chair Senator Bruce Ennis.
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?