Issues that will shape the future health of hunting and fishing focal point
Branson, Missouri - From Alaska to Florida and from New Mexico to New Hampshire and states in between, hunters and anglers were represented by their state legislators at the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses (NASC) Fourth Annual Sportsman-Legislator Summit - From Crawling, To Walking, Preparing to Run, held last week in Branson, Missouri.
Record breaking attendance of 40 state legislators, including an unprecedented number of legislators from new states, signaled that sportsmen’s issues have moved up the legislative priority list at the state level. In total, the Summit brought together a collective group of more than 100 highly recognized individuals from state legislatures, state and federal wildlife agencies, national conservation organizations and private industry to zero in on issues that will shape the future health of hunting and fishing in America.
Issues examined included, better management practices for wildlife, the need for dedicated state funding and the emerging and important issue of Marine Protected Areas, as well as creative tactics being deployed by the anti-gun and anti-fishing/hunting lobbies.
“I have attended this meeting since it first took place in 2004 and every year I learn about trends in other states that I can implement back in Idaho to benefit sportsmen, as well as being made aware of legislation that I need to be on the look out for,” commented Idaho State Caucus Co-Chair Rep. David Langhorst, who serves on the NASC Executive Council.
Attendees left Branson, Missouri with a more tangible realization that hunting and fishing are not just outdoor activities, but are also economic drivers in every state, creating jobs and contributing to the state and local tax base. With this in mind, sportsmen caucus legislators vowed to return to their home states with a concentrated effort on introducing pro-sportsman legislation during the 2008 legislative session. It is no coincidence that since NASC was launched the number of pro-sportsmen’s bills introduced and passed has more than doubled. With 34 affiliated state legislative sportsmen’s caucuses, the strength and synergy of NASC is rapidly increasing.
“The commitment and cooperative nature of this year’s summit was unparalleled by any year before, setting the stage for NASC and state sportsmen’s caucuses around the country to be more proactive than ever before,” commented Jeff Crane, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation president.
The NASC 4th Annual Legislator-Summit was hosted by the Missouri Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus and the Missouri Conservation Federation, in partnership with Bass Pro Shops. The title sponsor was the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Presenting sponsors were Anheuser Bush and American Forest Foundation.
About NASC: Launched in December 2004, the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses serves as the umbrella organization for affiliated state legislative sportsmen’s caucuses and has quickly become the most respected and trusted hunting and fishing organization working with state legislators. NASC is the leader in promoting sportsmen’s issues with state legislators. The NASC assists in the formation of new sportsmen’s caucuses and provides the venue for focused interaction and idea exchange among state caucus leaders, sportsmen’s groups, industry, media and other potential partners. For additional information, visit the NASC website at www.statesportsmenslink.org or call 202-543-6907.
