On February 16, the Oregon Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus held its first meeting of the year, discussing upcoming Caucus priorities with representatives from a wide range of sportsmen’s groups. The Caucus also welcomed new Senate Co-Chairs, and thanked the outgoing Senate Co-Chairs for their leadership during the previous two legislative sessions.
The newly announced Senate Co-Chairs for the bipartisan Oregon Sportsmen’s Caucus are Representatives Lew Frederick (D) and Senator Dennis Linthicum (R). The outgoing Senate Co-Chairs are Senator Betsy Johnson (D) and Senator Herman Baertschiger (R). Senators Frederick and Linthicum join current Oregon Sportsmen’s Caucus House Co-Chairs Representative Brad Witt (D) and Representative Sal Esquivel (R).
Representative Sal Esquivel, who also serves as a member of the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses (NASC) Executive Council, welcomed the new Caucus leaders and remarked on the goals of the Oregon Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus. “I look forward to working with Representative Witt and the new Senate Caucus Co-Chairs, and for the Caucus to continue to serve as an effective venue for discussion and action on issues of critical importance to our sportsmen and women.”
Representative Witt noted, “The Oregon Sportsmen’s Caucus looks forward to continuing to work with our partners in the sportsmen’s community to advance hunting, angling, and trapping in the state of Oregon, and stands ready to combat threats to conservation and our treasured outdoor heritage.”
State and national sportsmen’s groups and partners in attendance included B.A.S.S., the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF), Healthy Forests, Healthy Communities, Oregon Hunters Association (OHA), Oregon Outdoor Council (OOC), Pac/West Communications, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Trout Unlimited.
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?
