The bipartisan Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus (GSC) has recently added two new members, bringing the total to 24 governors. Governor Mary Fallin of Oklahoma and Governor Robert Bentley of Alabama have officially joined the GSC, affirming their commitment to protecting and advancing hunting, recreational fishing and shooting and trapping in their respective states.
Governor Mary Fallin of Oklahoma stated, “As a state blessed with tremendous natural resources, Oklahoma is a great place to hunt or fish. Hunting and angling also have a significant impact on our economy, supporting more than 23,000 jobs and contributing more than $1.5 billion. As a hunter myself, I’m committed to protecting the interests of the sportsmen and women of Oklahoma.”
According to the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation’s (CSF) recently released report “America’s Sporting Heritage: Fueling the American Economy,” Alabama’s 948,000 hunters and anglers spent $1.9 billion in 2011 while engaging in these activities. Respectively, Oklahoma’s total spending on sportsmen’s related activities was $1.5 billion with 779,000 hunters and anglers in 2011.
In 2009, CSF formed the Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus (GSC), a bipartisan Caucus of governors committed to protecting and advancing hunting, recreational fishing and shooting and trapping. Guided by a bipartisan leadership team of governors and staffed through CSF, the GSC complements and enhances the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus and the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses.
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?
