U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance facts for kids

The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance is a group that helps protect the interests of people who enjoy outdoor activities like hunting, fishing (angling), and trapping. It is a non-profit organization, which means it works for a cause, not to make money. This group started in 1977 and is based in Columbus, Ohio, in the United States.

How the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance Started

The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance began in 1977. At first, it had a longer name: the Wildlife Legislative Fund of America and Wildlife Conservation Fund of America. It was formed because a new rule in Ohio threatened trapping activities. The group officially became the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance in 1978. Over the years, this organization has worked on many laws and public votes to protect the rights of hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts.

What the Alliance Does to Help

The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance often speaks up for hunters, trappers, and sport shooters. They work to make sure these activities can continue. They sometimes disagree with groups that want to stop all hunting or trapping.

Protecting Outdoor Access in Maine

For example, the Alliance's group in Maine spoke out against a plan for a new state park. This park would have closed off a lot of public land. People used this land for fun outdoor activities like hunting and snowmobiling. The Alliance wanted to keep this land open for everyone to enjoy.

Supporting Hunting Rights in New Jersey

In 2004, there was a discussion about whether to allow black bear hunting in New Jersey. The state's environmental leader, Bradley Campbell, did not want a hunting season. However, a hunting season was planned. Mr. Campbell then used his power to stop hunters from getting licenses for black bears. The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance took legal action against this decision. They argued that Mr. Campbell did not have the right to stop the licenses. However, their lawsuit was not successful.

Supporting Laws for Outdoor Activities

The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance also supported a law called the Sportsmen’s Heritage And Recreational Enhancement Act of 2013. This law covered many topics related to firearms, fishing, hunting, and public lands. The Alliance asked its members to contact their government representatives. They wanted people to ask their representatives to vote for this important bill. The law passed in the United States House of Representatives on February 5, 2014.

Programs for Outdoor Enthusiasts

The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance has created programs to help more people get involved in outdoor activities.

Families Afield Program

One program is called Families Afield. It was created with other groups like the National Shooting Sports Foundation. This program helps more women and families get involved in hunting. It also created a special "apprentice" hunting license. This license lets someone new to hunting go with an experienced hunter. This way, they can learn safely before completing all their hunter safety training.

Outdoor Business Council

Another program is the Outdoor Business Council. This program brings together many businesses that are part of the outdoor industry. Their goal is to work together to protect the rights of people who enjoy outdoor activities across the United States.