Back to Home Page
Back to Index

CONSERVATION CORNER
(For the week of August 3, 2009)
Barbour Launches National Governors Sportsmen's Caucus
by James L. Cummins

I have to say I was proud to be in Biloxi watching our governor, Haley Barbour, announce the formation of a bipartisan caucus of governors that will work to protect the interest of America's hunters and anglers, and advance sound wildlife management policy.

The National Governors Sportsmen's Caucus will facilitate communication and information exchange between participating governor's offices in support of policies and regulations that promote and protect hunting and fishing.

At the official launch, members selected Governor Joe Manchin (D-West-Virginia) and Governor Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota) as the inaugural Co-Chairmen and also selected Governor Haley Barbour and Governor Dave Freudenthal (D-Wyoming) as the inaugural Vice-Chairmen.

"The quality of life in this country continues to rely on the outdoor opportunities we provide, and we don't want these rights and freedoms taken away from the next generation," said Governor Rounds. Barbour echoed these remarks.

The Governors Sportsmen's Caucus is patterned after the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus (CSC) that has served the interest of outdoorsmen in the halls of Congress and federal land management agencies for 20 years. The Caucus will work closely with state legislators in their home states and through the 38 state legislative caucuses that make up the National Assembly of Sportsmen's Caucuses (NASC). Mississippi has the largest percentage of members participating in its Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus.

"Building upon the success of CSC in Washington and the NASC in state legislatures around the country, the addition of a Governor's Sportsmen's Caucus creates an unprecedented network of pro-sportsmen elected officials," said CSC President Jeff Crane, who I have had the opportunity to work with for many years.

Governors in the Caucus represent large outdoor constituencies that include many of America's nearly 40 million hunters and anglers who contribute more than $70 billion annually to the U.S. economy.

Sixteen governors from across the country have joined the caucus as inaugural members, including Governor Sonny Perdue (Georgia), Governor Phil Bredesen (Tennessee), Governor Rick Perry (Texas), Governor Bobby Jindal (Louisiana) and Governor Bob Riley (Alabama).

"We're from all over the country. This group just goes to show that hunting and fishing, the sportsmen's life, really is America from one side to the other," concluded Governor Barbour.