On April 23, the bipartisan and bicameral New York Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus hosted its Annual Sportsman-Legislator Breakfast in Albany, New York. Over 40 legislative offices attended the event and were joined by members of the New York sportsmen’s community and national conservation partners to celebrate New York’s time-honored traditions of hunting and angling, and to discuss critical issues facing the New York sportsmen’s community.
“I was thrilled to see the strong turn-out from Caucus members at this event,” said Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther, Caucus Co-Chair. “Events like these are critical to ensuring that the sportsmen’s voice is heard here in Albany. I look forward to building upon this success in the years ahead to ensure that New York’s sportsmen and women know they have an ally in the Caucus.”
Key topics that were discussed at the event centered on how to encourage the next generation of New York sportsmen and women to head afield and share in New York’s storied conservation history. The Caucus is at the forefront of these efforts, and will continue to work alongside the New York sportsmen’s community to promote and protect the state’s outdoor heritage.
“The love of hunting and angling has not only been a passion shared by generations of families across New York State; it has also been key to the everlasting existence of rural communities that rely on the boost these sports give to their economies,” said Senator Joseph Griffo. “As Co-Chairman of the Sportsmen’s Caucus, I am proud to stand with the men and women who have long appreciated the outdoors for everything it has to offer. I look forward to the opportunity to do what I can to make sure that future generations of hunters and anglers continue to share in this tradition.”
Hunting and angling are big business in New York. Spending by New York’s 2.1 million sportsmen and women reaches almost $5 billion (second highest in the nation), which supports over 56,000 jobs and generates $1.3 billion in state and local taxes. Additionally, for the last three years, sportsmen and women have generated more than $70 million per year in critical conservation dollars through the American System of Conservation Funding. These dollars fund a variety of conservation projects that benefit all New Yorkers, whether they choose to participate in hunting and angling or not.
Sponsors of the Breakfast included: Energy4US, the National Wild Turkey Federation, and Safari Club International.
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?
