Last week, outfitters from seven U.S. states and Canadian provinces attended the 2023 North American Outfitters and Guides Association Workshop. The pandemic put this workshop on hold, and the associations were overjoyed to meet again, in person, to discuss various challenges facing hunting and guiding.
This workshop touched on topics ranging from how to best promote and market hunting, to the movement to overturn the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. Associations identified threats to hunting and guiding. In addition, strategies to effectively deal with detrimental legislation on a state and federal level were discussed. Participants shared their successes in combating these threats, as well as strategies for promoting hunting and guiding. These discussions were particularly important in light of the hiatus in joint-meetings, and the serious pressures that all outfitter and guide associations face to maintain membership, funding, and momentum. Scott Ellis with the British Columbia Association provided an in-depth presentation on the program they designed to promote wildlife conservation. The program named “Who Cares” has been very successful to date and has the potential to begin generating funding for additional public relations work.
The workshop was supported in part by SCI. SCI Outfitters and Guides Liaison Scott Talbott and Attorney Regina Lennox attended to discuss ways to continue to enhance the relationship between SCI and associations, including through assistance from SCI’s legal advocacy team.
The workshop was graciously hosted in Chama, New Mexico, coordinated and arranged by Kerri Romero with the New Mexico Guides and Outfitters Association and the Fishtail Ranch. The beautiful setting also gave attendees an opportunity to fly fish and appreciate the area’s wonderful wildlife.
All the associations and SCI look forward to future workshops, to continue to build relationships and strategies for promoting hunting and guiding.
