On February 1, the Maryland Hunting Coalition hosted its annual “Blaze and Camo Day” at the Maryland State Capitol in Annapolis. Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) Mid-Atlantic States Coordinator Kara Hartman attended the event along with various outdoor enthusiasts to show their support for hunting in the state of Maryland.
Over 100 lawmakers were in attendance, including numerous members of the Maryland Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, and all four Caucus Co-Chairs including Senator John Astle, Delegate Wendell Beitzel, Senator Wayne Norman, and Delegate Edward Carey. Also in attendance was Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus Member (GSC) Governor Larry Hogan.
Del. Beitzel stated, “As a Co-Chair of the Maryland Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, it was great to see all of the sportsmen and women out supporting our proud hunting heritage in the state of Maryland.” Del. Beitzel is also a member of the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses (NASC) Executive Council.
During the event, Sen. Norman and Sen. Astle announced a bipartisan effort to enact statewide Sunday hunting. This newly introduced legislation, SB 817, would protect, in statute, all existing Sunday hunting allowances that have been passed on a county by county basis since 2003, while also granting regulatory authority to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to grant additional Sunday hunting opportunities for sportsmen and women in the Old Line State.
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?
