Why It Matters: With sporting dollars making up the bulk of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s budget, hunting and fishing are vital to conservation and management in the state. To celebrate the importance of these activities, Governor Gordon was recently joined by local legislators, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF), conservation non-profits, and students from the University of Wyoming to celebrate National Hunting and Fishing Day (NHFD).
Highlights:
- Through the American System of Conservation Funding (ASCF), the sporting community contributed over $66 million to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department in 2023, accounting for the majority of the agency’s funding
- On September 27, 2024, GSC Member, Governor Mark Gordon, signed Wyoming’s National Hunting and Fishing Day Proclamation to celebrate sportsmen and sportswomen and their contributions to conservation through the ASCF.
- During the festivities, attendees were also introduced to the Collegiate Sportsmen and Women’s Coalition, which provides college students with the unique opportunity to engage with other sportsmen and women with a wide variety of outdoor interests while also providing them with the tools to begin effectively engaging with the public policy process.
Through the American System of Conservation Funding, sportsmen and sportswomen contributed $66,212,332 to support the conservation efforts of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) in 2023. These funds ensure that wildlife management can be prioritized while also supporting the local communities in Wyoming. In addition to this funding, activities like hunting and fishing provided an additional $2 billion to the state’s economy through outdoor related spending and travel, highlighting the importance of these activities to Wyoming’s economy.
In addition to economic support, hunting and fishing are deeply rooted in Wyoming’s traditions and culture. Recently, the sporting community turned out to celebrate National Hunting and Fishing Day, September 28, 2024, in Wyoming style. GSC member, Governor Mark Gordon, kicked off the weekend alongside state legislators, WGFD, conservation organizations, and students from the University of Wyoming with the official signing of Wyoming’s NHFD proclamation. Volunteers from the Cheyenne Trap and Skeet Club guided new shooters through their first sporting clays outing, while more seasoned shotgunners ran through a friendly clay shoot and shared stories of past hunts and outings. The picnic lunch provided students the opportunity to network with individuals working in both the sporting industry and local government to learn more about the career paths they are studying for.
During the event, attendees were also introduced to the Collegiate Sportsmen and Women’s Coalition (CSWC). CSF is continuing to expand the CSWC and had a great opportunity to connect with University of Wyoming students and faculty members at the sporting clays tournament and at a tailgate on campus the following day. Through the CSWC, CSF seeks to educate young adults from diverse interests and backgrounds about the importance of hunting, angling, trapping, and recreational shooting to fish and wildlife conservation, while also providing them with hands-on education in how to effectively engage in the policy process to protect these traditions. CSF staff were available to discuss the important role of CSWC on campus and within the outdoor sporting community with students and faculty and hopes to formally expand to the Cowboy State in the coming months.
Hunting, trapping, fishing, and sport shooting are cornerstone activities in Wyoming. The successful management of the state’s wildlife is due in large part to the efforts of sportsmen and sportswomen. The events surrounding September 28, 2024, provided a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the sporting community and highlight the importance the American System of Conservation funding. Wyoming joined 43 other states in celebrating National Hunting and Fishing Day in September, highlighting the importance and value of the sporting community. The celebration, hosted by the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, was made possible through the generosity of the American Bear Foundation, Bow Hunters of Wyoming, Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever/Quail Forever, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.
