Contact: Kent Keene; Senior Coordinator, Lower Midwestern States and Agriculture Policy
On March 1, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) welcomed Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt as the newest member of the Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus (GSC) bringing the GSC membership to 29 governors. The GSC is a bipartisan group of governors from across the country dedicated to protecting and advancing hunting, angling, recreational shooting, and trapping.
“I am honored to join the Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus,” said Governor Stitt. “Oklahoma is such a diverse state when it comes to outdoor opportunities: bighorn sheep and antelope in the Panhandle, black bears in the southeast, and pheasant and quail across the state, elk, and of course world-class deer hunting. As one of the few states left that actually has a growing hunting population, my goal is to ensure Oklahomans and sportsmen alike can continue to enjoy our rich wildlife and outdoor opportunities, so I look forward to working with the caucus to protect and promote the sportsmen’s traditions in Oklahoma for future generations.”
Since assuming office in January 2019, Governor Stitt has been a staunch supporter of Oklahoma’s sportsmen and women, as well as the state’s abundant fish and wildlife resources. Governor Stitt is consistently among the first of the governors to issue a National Hunting and Fishing Day proclamation celebrating the important role that sportsmen and women play in the Sooner State. Further, he took critical steps to protect our outdoor heritage during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, deeming sporting goods retailers as “essential businesses” and working to keep Oklahoma’s outdoors open during a challenging and uncertain time.
Governor Stitt’s membership in the GSC strengthens the network of elected officials from Oklahoma, including the Oklahoma Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus and members of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus from the Oklahoma Congressional Delegation, who are dedicated to protecting the Sooner State’s rich sporting heritage.
CSF looks forward to working with Governor Stitt and his administration to support Oklahoma’s 779,000 hunters and anglers who contribute more than $1.5 billion annually to the Oklahoma economy and generated more than $42 million in 2020 alone for conservation through the American System of Conservation Funding.
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?
