Why It Matters: The South Carolina Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus (Caucus) works diligently throughout the year to engage Caucus members with the sporting-conservation community. The bipartisan Caucus works under the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses (NASC) umbrella that serves to protect and advance our hunting, fishing, trapping, and shooting sports in South Carolina. Whether it’s policy or events, the Caucus continues to keep the Palmetto State’s time-honored traditions front of mind year-round.
Highlights:
- On October 16, the Caucus hosted the South Carolina Southern Sporting Classic at the National Wild Turkey Federation’s Palmetto Shooting Complex in Edgefield, SC.
- Over 100 members of the sporting-conservation community joined members of the South Carolina and Georgia Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucuses for a day of camaraderie and friendly competition on the sporting clays course, followed by dinner and a reception.
- CSF and Caucus leaders were able to discuss past policy wins, like the opening of public land Sunday hunting in 2023, and focus on upcoming policy priorities such as getting House Bill 3872 (No Net Loss of Public Lands) across the finish line in 2026.
While legislators are not in session in South Carolina in the fall, there is still work to be done. The quickly approaching 2026 legislative session is set to kick off in under three months, and members of the sporting-conservation community want to ensure that their voices are heard. The Caucus remains active throughout the year by hosting events like the SC Southern Sporting Classic to hear from members of the sporting conservation community. And with hunting seasons in full swing, whether participants admit it or not, most could always use a few extra reps at the sporting clays facility before heading afield.
Caucus Co-Chair Senator Russell Ott spoke on behalf of the Caucus and its effectiveness in Columbia over recent years, as well as highlighted upcoming efforts. The Caucus celebrated the recent expansion of public land Sunday hunting being opened in 2023 for the first time in South Carolina’s history. Looking ahead, Senator Ott expanded on upcoming efforts in 2026, like getting House Bill 3872, a bill that passed the House of Representatives unanimously last session and would protect public hunting lands in the Palmetto State, across the finish line when the legislature reconvenes in early 2026.
On the events front, Caucus leadership highlighted a very successful policy reception held in Columbia during session earlier this year. Additionally, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation’s (CSF) Senior Coordinator, Southeastern States, Conner Barker discussed the highly anticipated 22nd Annual NASC Sportsman-Legislator Summit scheduled to take place in Memphis, Tennessee December 9 – 12th. South Carolina sends a strong attendance of partners and Caucus members to the NASC Summit each year and this year is expected to be no different.
Also in attendance were members of Collegiate Sportsmen and Women’s Coalitions (CSWC) from Clemson University and the University of South Carolina. The CSWC is a network of individual student-led organizations, supported and guided by CSF, that offers a new approach to sporting-conservation student organizations on campus focused on policy education and engagement.
Finally, CSF and the Caucus thanks all of its partners that sponsored this year’s SC Southern Sporting Classic including: The Southern Group (Presenting Sponsor), South Carolina Automobile Dealers Association (Title Sponsor), BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, Ducks Unlimited, South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation, FN Firearms, Local Boy Outfitters, The Nature Conservancy of South Carolina, Nucor, National Shooting Sports Foundation, Santee Development Corporation, South Carolina Sporting Dogs Association, and 1101 Public Affairs (Host Sponsors) for generously supporting the Caucus.
