On April 14, the Florida Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, in conjunction with Ducks Unlimited and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC), held a reception at FWCC Commissioner Chuck Roberts’s plantation. Ten legislators joined House Sportsmen’s Caucus Co-Chair Representative Frank Artiles, FWCC Director Nick Wiley, FWCC Commissioners, FWCC personnel, and sportsmen’s representatives to gather for the conclusion of the legislative session and a day before the Commission meeting in Tallahassee.
The Caucus announced the creation of the Daphne F. Wood Conservation Award which was named and awarded to Wood in the inaugural year for her long-standing support of the Florida Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus and hunting and fishing conservation efforts in the state. The award will be given annually by the Caucus moving forward.
Rep. Artiles briefly addressed the crowd. “The Sportsmen’s Caucus exists to support the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and educate legislators on the importance of protecting and promoting hunting, angling, wildlife conservation and the policies that impact those issues.”
Florida is the top state in the country in numbers of sportsmen and women, days afield, spending, and jobs created by hunting and angling.
The Florida Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus is part of the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses (NASC). For more information on the Florida Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, please contact CSF Southeastern States Manager Bee Frederick at bee@sportsmenslink.org.
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?
