Contact: Ellary TuckerWilliams, Inter-Mountain Western States Coordinator
On January 10, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation’s (CSF) Inter-Mountain Western States Coordinator attended the Montana Outfitters and Guides Association’s (MOGA) Winter Convention and Big Hearts Under the Big Sky charity banquet in Bozeman, Montana.
MOGA represents the outfitting industry in all its forms in the Treasure State and sits as Vice-Chair on the Advisory Council to the Montana Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus. The Winter Convention included a tradeshow, seminars on Chronic Wasting Disease, how to be a successful outfitter, predator management, management of the Madison River, the economic impact of the outfitting industry on Montana’s economy, legislative impact and priorities, the Hunter Angler Defense Fund, and a gubernatorial candidate forum.
Five candidates for Montana’s governor seat participated in the forum. Each candidate was asked a series of question on topics such as the federal listing of grizzly bears as threatened, managing increased recreational use of the Madison River, and how to support a vibrant outdoor recreation industry that is valuable to rural Montana communities.
The convention was successful, bringing together all aspects of the sporting community, including individual sportsmen and women, Montana’s outdoor sporting industry, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Montana Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus members, Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus members Congressman Greg Gianforte and Senator Steve Daines, and others to learn about and discuss the current status of their shared outdoor heritage and natural resources.
Following the convention, Montana Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus Co-Chair Senator Jason Ellsworth was honored with the Legislator of the Year Award for his continued dedication to the sporting community. Senator Ellsworth is the first legislator to receive this award in over 10 years.
Senator Ellsworth recieved the Montana Outfitters and Guide
Association (MOGA) Award at the Winter Convention and Big
Hearts Under the Big Sky charity banquet in
Bozeman, Montana earlier this month.
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?
