Recap the Year with SCI’s State Advocacy Team
Happy Holidays from SCI’s State Advocacy team! With the end of the year right around the corner, we wanted to give you a recap of the 2024 year and celebrate together our efforts on behalf of the hunting community. To learn more about State Advocacy in 2024, see below.
State Advocacy 2024 By the Numbers:
- Comment Letters: 86
- Field Visits: 62
- Action Alerts: 22
- Ballot Measure Victories: 2
- Looming threat
Public Comments and Letters: 86
The team submitted public comments in 26 individual states and the topics covered a wide range of areas of hunting and conservation concern. SCI’s comments covered protecting hunting of mountain lions, bears and wolves, establishing new seasons species such as sandhill for cranes and opposing firearms restrictions that would interfere with hunting. The comment letter distribution ranged from California and Washington to New York and Florida. For example, SCI supported the opening of a bear season in Louisiana through regulatory and legislative comments, in conjunction with litigation and foundation efforts, and SCI opposes efforts to change the makeup of the wildlife Commission in Vermont as well as supporting the expansion of Sunday hunting in various states.
Field Visits: 62
The team had 62 field visits in 26 individual states and the District of Columbia to meet with state wildlife department officials, federal and state legislators, chapter leaders and members, and other cooperating partners and non-governmental organizations. Again, the efforts covered the entire nation, ranging from Texas to Michigan, Oregon to New Jersey. For example, Western State and Local Liaison Chris Tymeson participated in a panel discussion in Minnesota on wolves and wolf management with two members of Congress and Eastern State and Local Liaison Bee Frederick testified in Maryland opposing legislative attempts to ban lead ammunition.
Action Alerts: 22
Action alerts are sent to members through the Hunter Advocacy Action Center, a powerful grassroots tool operated by SCI to assist in effectuating change. SCI is judicious in it’s use, tailoring the alerts from national to state as necessary. Examples of alerts sent this year included supporting an expansion of the mountain lion season in Nebraska and supporting efforts to expand Sunday hunting in Pennsylvania.
Ballot Measures: 2
The state team spent a considerable amount of time and effort on two decisive state ballot victories this year. In Colorado, Proposition 127 was the proposed ballot initiative to ban the hunting of mountain lions, bobcats and lynx. Life Hunter Advocacy Society (LHAS) and Hunter Action Fund (HAF) funds were used to shore up the rural vote and HAF funds contributed to several ads dealing with safety. SCI chapters also heavily contributed funds to the effort. After the vote count was tallied, the ballot measure was defeated with 54.85% of the voters in opposition.
Furthermore, through HAF as well as LHAS, SCI directly supported efforts in the Sunshine State to enshrine the right to fish and hunt in the state’s constitution. These dollars were deployed to purchase crucial television and digital ads educating voters on Amendment 2 in key areas of the state and encouraging them to go vote. The amendment passed with roughly 67% approval and, in doing so, Florida became the 24th state to protect the right to hunt and fish in perpetuity. The language critically “preserve(s) forever fishing and hunting, including by the use of traditional methods, as a public right and preferred means of responsibly managing and controlling fish and wildlife.”
Looming Threat:
Coming on the heels of the devastating ballot initiative loss in Colorado, the anti-hunting establishment is wasting no time with forum shopping their next hunting ban. The Center for Biological Diversity, Mountain Lion Foundation, Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter, WildEarth Guardians, Lobos of the Southwest, and Wildlife for All, filed a petition with the Arizona Game and Fish Commission to prohibit recreational hounding – using hunting with dogs to take mountain lions, bobcats, black bears, foxes, coyotes, coatis, ringtails, and other mammals. The petition must be acted upon within 60 days, likely placing the issue on the January Commission meeting but we expect this to continue beyond the Commission. As was done in Colorado, SCI will continue to fight for the freedom to hunt and oppose the behavior of those who seek to destroy what we cherish.