On January 16, Congressional Sportsmen’s Fondation (CSF) States Program Team staff and members of the Indiana Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus (ILSC) gathered with representatives from Indiana’s sportsmen’s community to recognize the positive impacts that hunting and angling provide to the Hoosier State.
Led by Caucus Co-Chairs Senator Jim Tomes, Senator Dave Niezgodski, Representative Terry Goodin, and Representative Sean Eberhart, the event provided attendees the opportunity to exchange ideas on how best to protect and advance the state’s hunting, angling, recreational shooting, and trapping traditions, as well as time to swap stories from recent hunting seasons.
“The Caucus looks forward to this event every year,” said Senator Tomes. “Supporting our state’s natural resources – along with hunting and fishing – is a bipartisan cause that everyone can get behind.”
Indiana sportsmen and women spend close to $925 million annually which supports about 15,000 jobs in the state. In addition to their economic contributions, the state’s hunters and anglers support the conservation of Indiana’s fish and wildlife through the American System of Conservation Funding.
“Together, the economic and conservation impact of our state’s sportsmen and women is astounding,” said Representative Goodin. “I’m proud to be a member of this important caucus and help represent our state’s true conservationists.”
Title Sponsors for the event were the National Wild Turkey Federation and Reynolds American Inc.
Host Sponsors were Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, and the Ruffed Grouse Society.
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?
