Last week, the North Carolina Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus hosted two events in Raleigh to highlight the Sportsmen’s Caucus and pertinent sportsmen’s issues for the upcoming legislative session.
On February 3, the Caucus hosted a legislative reception at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences where sportsmen-legislators and various stakeholders gathered together in support of North Carolina’s rich hunting and angling heritage. The informal event was sponsored by Land for Tomorrow and the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA).
Caucus Co-Chairs Senator Buck Newton and Representative John Bell both addressed the large crowd to thank them for their support and communicate the importance of working together in the 2015 legislative session. Nearly 70 legislators attended the reception along with representatives from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (WRC), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Governor Pat McCrory’s office staff, North Carolina Wildlife Federation, the National Rifle Association, CCA, Quality Deer Management Association, the North Carolina Sportsmen’s Caucus Advisory Council, and many others.
On February 4, the Caucus hosted an educational breakfast at the Legislative Building sponsored by the American Kennel Club (AKC) with over 30 legislators in attendance, including Speaker of the House Representative Tim Moore, to hear about specific issues of importance to AKC as well as potential Caucus priorities for the year from Senator Buck Newton. WRC Executive Director Gordon Myers also updated the group on the recent developments on the efforts regarding the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Red Wolf Recovery Program.
The North Carolina Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus is a bipartisan and bicameral caucus of North Carolina legislators united to protect and advance the outdoor traditions of hunting, angling, recreational shooting and trapping.
For more information please contact Southeastern States Manager Bee Frederick at bee@sportsmenslink.org.
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?
