In less than a month, the report has generated more than 180 print articles and 350 internet articles. Circulations of the print venues exceeded 8.6 million readers. In this election year, the report is especially helpful to define not only the economic impact of sportsmen, but their political clout as well. The list of publications where articles appeared is available upon request.
Jeff Crane, President of CSF, since the report was released has been interviewed on numerous outdoor radio shows around the country. Hunting and fishing advocates nationwide continue to request the information from the report.
Crane’s message points out, "Because sportsmen enjoy hunting or fishing alone or in small groups, they are overlooked as a constituency and as a substantial economic force. When you compare spending by hunters and anglers to other sectors, their impact on the nation’s economy becomes more tangible."
On a state-by state scale, Crane said, "The economic impact that sportsmen have on state economies should be a wake-up call to state governments to welcome and encourage hunting and fishing in their states. The evidence is clear: States that encourage hunting and fishing benefit many times over through jobs and taxes as well as a boost to tourism.”
The report is in the hands of the nearly 300 members of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus on Capitol Hill and many state legislators including the leadership of the 34 states that comprise the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses (NASC).
Downloads of the 16-page report, state press releases and state fact sheets are available on the home page of http://www.sportsmenslink.org/. The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), Safari Club International (SCI), National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers were partners on the report.
Congressmen Putnam and Thompson Receive Safari Club International Awards
Former Co-Chairmen of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus received awards form Safari Club International at their recent 36th Annual Hunter’s Convention in Reno, Nevada. The ‘Federal Legislator of the Year’ Award was presented to Representative Adam Putnam (R-FL) and the ‘Hunting Heritage’ Award went to Representative Mike Thompson (D-CA).
Jeff Crane, President of CSF said “These awards went to two outstanding members of Congress who recognize the importance of conservation and sportsmen’s issues. It’s our pleasure to work with them and their colleagues in the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus to protect and advance hunting and fishing in the U.S. Congress.”
For more information contact SCI’s Nelson Freeman at nfreeman@sci-dc.org.
TEXAS STATS
There are 2.6 million hunters and anglers spending $18 million a day in Texas. Total spending = $6.6 Billion.
Casting Benefits throughout the economy
Sportsmen support twice the jobs in Texas as Dell Computer Corporation,
Lockheed Martin, Electronic Data Systems, and Dow Chemical Company
combined (106,000 jobs vs. 49,000).
• Annual spending by Texas sportsmen is more than the revenues of Dallas-based
Blockbuster, a Fortune 500 company ($6.6 billion vs. $5.6 billion).
• Annual spending by Texas sportsmen is greater than the combined cash receipts
from the state’s cotton, greenhouse/nursery, broilers, dairy and corn production
($6.6 billion vs. $6.1 billion).
• Texas sportsmen annually spend $441 million on outboard boats and engines to
get out on the water and around the marshes for fishing and hunting.
• Texas sportsmen outnumber the populations of San Antonio and Dallas (2.7
million vs. 2.5 million).
NASC State Reports
Virginia
Aaron Hobbs, Director of the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses (NASC) and the manager of the eastern states’ sportsmen’s caucuses, spent time in Richmond, Virginia recently with members of the Virginia’s Sportsmen’s Caucus to address issues that concern outdoorsmen in the Old Dominion State. Leadership members of the VA caucus include Senator Creigh Deeds, Senator Emmett Hanger, Delegate Scott Lingamfelter and Delegate James Shuler. Also attending were officials from Virginia’s Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VGIF) including VGIF Board Chairman James W. Hazel.
The VA Sportsmen’s Caucus meets every Thursday during the legislative session. Some of the activities included a request for NASC assistance in securing a briefing from both Ducks Unlimited (DU) and the National Wild Turkey Foundation (NWTF). Caucus Co-Chairman, Del. Lingamfelter sponsored HB1175, the Apprentice Hunting License bill. (The Senate has already unanimously passed its version). And, the caucus is closely monitoring the progress of the bills dealing with hunting with dogs and several anti-sportsmen bills.
Maryland
A Welcome Luncheon for Maryland’s Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus was hosted by the Maryland Legislative Sportsmen’s Foundation. Senator John Astle (D-Anne Arundel County), the NASC Executive Council President, attended the event and met with Aaron Hobbs to discuss the upcoming legislative session. Maryland DNR officials and conservation group representatives also attended. The economic report, ‘Hunting and Fishing: Bright Stars of the American Economy ~ A force as big as all outdoors’ was distributed to lawmakers in attendance.
Maryland’s legislature has been in session for nearly a month without seeing introduction of the usual anti-sportsmen bill regarding bear hunting and trapping. Sources say that the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has a day of lobbying the legislature set for mid-February and that the introduction of the anti-sportsmen bills may coincide with that day.
New Mexico
Bethany Erb, Manager of NASC, who works with the western states’ caucuses, attended a reception in Santa Fe for NM legislators to celebrate their “commitment to preservation, conservation and sportsmen and sportswomen”, hosted by the Co-Chairs of the New Mexico Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus - Senator Kent Cravens, Senator Tim Jennings, Representative Candy Spence-Ezzell, and Representative Al Park. Also in attendance were representatives from several NASC partners; John Boretsky of Safari Club International (SCI), Jayme Cox of Shell, Comcast and Tara Mica of the National Rifle Association (NRA). The reception was attended by local officials, ranchers, members of state shooting sports organizations, NM Game & Fish. Later, Bethany met with the Lt. Governor Diane Denish and discussed the mission of NASC.
Arizona
The Arizona caucus joined NASC in 2007. On Bethany Erb’s tour of the Southwest, she met with Caucus Co-Chairman Representative Jerry Wiers and the Arizona Sportsmen’s Caucus members to discuss the nuances of the issues facing AZ sportsmen.
The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) is the most respected and trusted hunting and fishing organization in the political arena. With support from every major hunting and fishing organization, CSF is the leader in promoting sportsmen’s issues with elected officials. CSF works directly with the bi-partisan, bi-cameral Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus in the U.S. Congress, as well as affiliated state sportsmen’s caucuses in state legislatures around the country. http://www.sportsmenslink.org/.
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