Contact: Mark Lance, Southeastern States Coordinator
Why it Matters: The signing of these pro-sportsmen bills into law protect and advance hunting opportunities for sportsmen and women in the Peach State. In 2021 alone, the sporting commmunity contributed over $64 million to conservation funding through the “user pays—public benefits” structure known as the American System of Conservation Funding.
With the passage of HB 1349, Georgia updates their No-Net-Loss legislation, which limits the loss of access to hunting opportunity by establishing a minimum acreage of state-owned areas open to sportsmen and women. Georgia’s previous accounting from 2005, which protected 300,000 acres for hunting access, will be updated to reflect the more than 200,000 acres which have become part of the public trust over the past 17 years. This helps ensure that future generations of Georgians will have similar access to hunting opportunities tomorrow that exist today.
Additionally, Georgia is proactive in their fight to keep Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) from being introduced into the state through the passage of HB 1148. CWD is a progressive, fatal, degenerative neurological disease that occurs in farmed and free-ranging deer, and has been confirmed in neighboring Alabama, North Carolina, and Tennessee. The importation and possession of certain Cervidae carcasses or parts from outside of the state, except for deboned meat, antlers, skulls, skull plates, teeth, or jawbones with no soft tissue attached, hides with no heads attached, and finished taxidermy, will be prohibited.
Racoons and opossums are notorious for negatively impacting ground nesting bird populations such as turkey and quail. With HB 1147’s passage, it will not only allows for increased hunting and trapping opportunities throughout the year, but the passed legislation will also aid in further managing highly successful nest predator populations.
The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation applauds Governor Kemp and the Caucus for their continued support of Georgia’s rich sporting heritage through the passage of these bills.
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?
