On September 19, members of the North Dakota Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus gathered at Capital City Sporting Clays outside Bismarck for their 3rd Annual Legislative Shoot. Attendees included legislators, members of the sportsmen’s community, industry partners, and staff from the North Dakota Department of Game and Fish.
Event participants split into teams to tackle the 10-station sporting clay course. After completing the course, teams competed in a Flurry Shoot before gathering in the clubhouse for an evening reception and dinner.
“I cannot say enough to thank and recognize our partner organizations who make events like this possible,” noted North Dakota Sportsmen’s Caucus Co-Chair Representative Corey Mock. “Of course its fun when you can bring familiar faces together to celebrate North Dakota’s rich outdoor tradition, but the real reward comes when you see the thrill and excitement in the eyes of a newcomer. Our proud outdoor heritage becomes more meaningful and timeless with each positive experience shared among new friends. That’s what these events are all about.”
The bicameral North Dakota Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, a member of the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses, is an important forum for educating legislators about the conservation and economic contributions of the state’s sportsmen and women. The Caucus plays an important role in supporting the interests of North Dakota’s 116,000 sportsmen and women, and serving as a bipartisan voice for hunting and angling issues within the State Legislature.
Title Sponsors were: Ducks Unlimited, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and Scheels. Host Sponsors were: North Dakota Bowhunters Association and the North Dakota Wildlife Federation.
Partner Sponsors included: Delta Waterfowl Foundation, Mule Deer Foundation, National Wild Turkey Federation, North Dakota Natural Resources Trust, North Dakota Soybean Growers Association, Pheasants Forever, and the North Dakota Chapter of the Wildlife Society.
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?
