Protecting Hunter Education

Opening weekend of deer season has come and gone and many folks across North Missouri enjoyed successful hunts. 90,334 deer were harvested in the first weekend alone this year and over 300,000 deer are typically harvested each year across the state. Missouri offers incredible opportunities for hunters to put food on the table, spend time with friends and family, and enjoy the outdoors. It also reminds us of the importance of sharing these traditions with the next generation. 

These days, kids grow up with social media and phones in their faces constantly. It’s critical that our kids can take advantage of outdoor activities like hunting. The value of getting outside and away from distractions is something that all hunters know, love, and value tremendously. Hunters also understand how someone without proper training or firearms safety can ruin a hunt for everyone involved. That’s the last thing anyone wants.

It’s no surprise that hunter education classes are becoming increasingly popular in our schools. They offer real-world skills that will last students a lifetime. Yet, earlier this year, the Biden administration tried to block funding to school programs that offered archery, hunter education, or shooting sports classes. In their quest to infringe on the 2nd Amendment at every turn, they decided that teaching kids to safely use firearms was a bad idea and wanted to use the carrot of federal funding to convince schools to do away with it. It’s a shame that rather than promoting classes that teach students valuable skills, the Biden administration would rather politicize teaching safe hunting practices in our schools.

That’s why I was proud to help introduce the Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act, which protects funding for these vital school programs and keeps our classrooms open. The bill overwhelmingly passed the House and Senate. President Biden relented on his bad idea and signed the bill into law. This is a victory for hunters and a great example of why we must always protect the 2nd Amendment. 

Future generations must be able to enjoy these timeless traditions for years to come. I will always keep fighting in Congress to protect these archer and hunter education opportunities, so they remain available in North Missouri. In the meantime, enjoy the rest of this hunting season and be safe!

Sincerely,
 
Sam Graves