“Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act” Signed Into Law
On October 6, 2023, H.R. 5110, the “Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act,” was signed into law. The swift action of Congress and President Joe Biden now protects funding for schools that provide hunter education, archery, shooting sports and other school-enrichment programs for students. Schools with these programs will continue to be funded by Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) funds after President Biden signed the Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act into law.
Untold numbers of Americans in support of the National Archery in the Schools Program — 1.3 million active student archers! — and other youth programs reached out to their elected representatives asking for a positive resolution, and thankfully their voices were heard. In one of the most rapid and bipartisan examples of approval, the House of Representatives and the Senate approved HR 5110, which clarified language allowing use of Federal ESEA funds for training including archery, hunter education and wilderness survival instruction.
The overwhelmingly bipartisan-supported bill fixed language inserted into the ESEA last year by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022. The Department of Education misinterpreted that language to pull certain federal funding from schools that have programs that provide or train individuals in the use of “dangerous weapons,” including hunter education, archery and other shooting sports programs.
The House of Representatives passed the bill nearly unanimously, with only one holdout, and the Senate was united in its support.
SHOT Show Is 8th Largest Trade Show in America
NSSF’s SHOT Show is now the eighth largest trade show in America, according to Trade Show Executive’s just-released Gold 100 rankings. The rankings were based on trade shows held throughout the United States in 2022 and measured by net square feet.Owned and operated by NSSF — The Firearm Industry Trade Association — the SHOT Show is the annual trade show of the shooting, hunting, outdoor and law enforcement industries. After having to cancel its 2021 show due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022 SHOT Show featured the event’s largest floor plan ever with 804,000 net square feet of exhibit space — up from 676,000 net square feet in 2020.“The SHOT Show was the only trade show in America to grow by 20-plus percent in 2022, which was quite the feat after having to cancel the 2021 event,” said Chris Dolnack, NSSF Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer. “That’s a testament to the amazing industry we serve, and we’re very thankful for this great honor by Trade Show Executive in recognizing the show’s growth.”In addition to its exhibit space at The Venetian Expo, the 2022 SHOT Show marked an expansion of the show to Caesars Forum, with the two facilities connected by a footbridge. This expanded floor plan allowed more companies than ever before to exhibit at the show.
Important Note:
The 2024 SHOT Show will return to Las Vegas on January 23-26 at both The Venetian Expo and Caesars Forum. And for the first time, SHOT will feature a special Archery Business Pavilion, focused on outdoor, hunting, archery and crossbow companies brought together in a common space. Click here for more information about the Archery Business Pavilion. SHOT Show is now the third largest trade show held in Las Vegas.
Pope and Young Announces Next Convention
Pope and Young recently announced the dates and location of its 34th Biennial Convention. It will be held at the Glendale Renaissance in Glendale, Arizona, on April 9-12, 2025. The Convention has always been a great place for like-minded, ethical, bowhunters to join in celebrating bowhunting, and work together to continue preserving, promoting, and protecting our passion for bowhunting. With some of the biggest names in bowhunting in attendance, seminars, vendors, entertainment, auctions, outfitters, and big game awards, there will be something for everyone. Stay tuned for more information, speakers, vendors, and registration specials. Click here for more details.
NASP Partners With Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
The National Archery in the Schools Program is committed to growing the shooting sports and supporting the mission of educators. NASP's partnerships with the many fish and wildlife agencies have been instrumental in helping to grow and expand the highly successful program across the continent. During the past 21 years, these partnerships, along with the many financial sponsors of NASP, have allowed NASP to safely introduce over 21 million students in grades 4-12 to the safe and enjoyable sport of archery.NASP was proud to be a bronze sponsor of the recent 113th Annual Meeting of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies in Calgary, Alberta. On September 25, NASP President Tommy Floyd addressed attending directors and guests at the AFWA Director’s luncheon. He expressed gratitude to all in attendance for their leadership in the preservation and continuation of conservation in North America. He reaffirmed the commitment of NASP to help agencies in their ongoing conservation mission, and to continue to connect NASP archers and NASP families.
With millions of NASP student participants in 49 states and nine Canadian provinces, the partnership between NASP and state and provincial fish and wildlife agencies has never been more vital to the continued growth of the shooting sports and the continuation of a healthy conservation mindset.
