Contact: Joe Mullin, New England States Senior Coordinator
On April 7, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) submitted a letter of support to the New Hampshire Fish and Game (NHFG) Department regarding the proposed 2020 Wildlife Seasons Biennial Rulemaking. If adopted by the Department, this pro-sportsmen’s rules package would authorize the use of 28 gauge and .410 shotguns for turkey hunting, and would also reauthorize science-based methods for preventing the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), among other actions.
By allowing New Hampshire’s sportsmen and women to use .410 and 28 gauge shotguns during the turkey seasons, the Department would be taking an active measure towards accommodating and recruiting populations of hunters who may be inclined to use these reputable firearms. With modern developments and advancements in shot shell technology, the .410 and 28 gauge, which have smaller chamberings, have the ability to deliver ethical and efficient results in harvesting turkeys (with special consideration given to shot placement). Youth and smaller-framed hunters would have the ability to participate in the state’s turkey seasons without the need to use a larger shotgun with significantly higher recoil.
The 2020 Wildlife Seasons Biennial Rulemaking also seeks to reauthorize safeguards against the spreading of CWD – a progressive, fatal, degenerative neurological disease. The Department plans to prohibit the import of any cervid carcass/parts of a cervid carcass from CWD positive states into New Hampshire. By restricting movement, preventative measures such as this assist in mitigating the spread of this disease to previously unaffected areas.
With the public comment deadline having closed, the NHFG Department will now work to obtain an amended fiscal impact statement from the State’s Legislative Budget Assistant (if needed) and will then file the final proposal with the Office of Legislative Services for a fine-tuned legislative analysis. CSF supports this proposal, as it brings forth greater opportunities and protections to the Granite 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?
