Why it Matters: Events such as the Pennsylvania Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus’ Annual Cigar Reception, offer forums and opportunities for candid conversations among both new and tenured Caucus members, agency staff, and industry professionals about crucial conservation-related issues within the Keystone State, while also serving to celebrate the great work that has been accomplished thus far for Pennsylvania’s sporting community. Pennsylvania is home to roughly 2.2 million acres of forestland and provides an extravagant level of natural beauty, numerous natural mineral resources, and wonderful sporting opportunities – all of which are advocated for by the Caucus and through support from the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF).
Highlights:
- On June 13, the bipartisan and bicameral Pennsylvania Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus hosted its Annual Cigar Reception at Tavern on the Hill in Enola, PA – a tradition spanning back more than a decade.
- This widely attended event saw participation from both chambers of the Pennsylvania legislature, Executive Directors from both the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Departmental Commissioners, in-state and national sponsors, and members of the Pennsylvania Sportsmen and Women’s Policy Workgroup.
- CSF worked alongside Hunters Sharing the Harvest and the Pennsylvania Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus in hosting this staple event, which has become a premier legislative cigar reception within Harrisburg.
On June 13, the Pennsylvania Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus held its Annual Cigar Reception at Tavern on the Hill in Enola, PA, representing a tradition that dates back roughly to the Caucus’ inception. CSF routinely works with the Caucus and Hunters Sharing the Harvest in facilitating this event which is a much-anticipated celebration in the Keystone State’s capital.
Caucus Co-Chairs Representatives Eddie Day Pashinski and Ryan Warner led the evening’s agenda alongside John Plowman, retired Executive Director for Hunters Sharing the Harvest, and CSF’s Joe Mullin. Mullin took the stage to thank the sponsors for making the evening’s activities possible and took the opportunity to highlight this year’s National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses Sportsman-Legislator Summit, which is being held in neighboring state Delaware this December 5-8. Later in the program, Hunters Sharing the Harvest was awarded $5,000 from Safari Club International’s Lehigh Valley Chapter, as well as $1,500 from the Pennsylvania Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus.
Highlighting the crucial role that Pennsylvania’s deer hunters have for the state’s communities, Randy Ferguson, Executive Director of Hunters Sharing the Harvest, stated the following: “Pennsylvania deer hunters fed the hungry in historic fashion during the 2022-23 hunting season – donating a total of 235,532 pounds of venison from 6,201 deer and four elk via Hunters Sharing the Harvest – Pennsylvania’s nationally emulated venison donation program.” Ferguson continued by stating that “Pennsylvania deer hunters continue to astound us with their generosity and selflessness. When that hunter generosity is combined with the efforts of our participating processors, area coordinators and financial supporters around the state, we have an extremely effective mission. And this is what we’re seeing in these historic donation numbers.”
CSF sincerely thanks the following groups who were instrumental in their support and sponsorships for this event: Coterra Energy, Energy Transfer, EQT Corporation, Feeding Pennsylvania, Hunters Sharing the Harvest, Marcellus Shale Coalition, PennAg, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Pennsylvania Game Commission, Safari Club International – Blue Mt. Chapter, Safari Club International – Lehigh Valley Chapter, Safari Club International – Pennsylvania, Safari Club International – Pittsburgh Chapter, Seneca Resources Company, LLC, and Southwestern Energy.
