Zinke Introduces Legislation to Protect Hunting & Fishing Rights

Press Release

Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke helped introduce the Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act which protects Montanan's right to hunt, fish and enjoy recreational shooting on federal lands. About 30 percent of Montana's land is public land.

"In Montana our land is our way of life, and we have a proud heritage of hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation," said Zinke. "I'm committed to making sure Montana's public lands are truly public and ensuring families have access to hunt and fish on federally-owned lands. Hunting and fishing is part of the larger outdoor recreation industry and it is an economic boon to our state, supporting thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity. We must do what we can to preserve both the jobs and the tradition."

Montana leads the nation in hunters per capita, and according to the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, in 2013 Montana counted 335,000 hunters and fishermen who spent $983 million annually and supported 16,515 jobs in the state. Outdoor Industry found the economic impact of Montana's greater outdoor recreation industry is an astounding $7 billion and supports more than 64,000 jobs.

The Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act is supported by sportsmen's organizations, such as Ducks Unlimited and the National Rifle Association. The bill would create an "open until closed" policy for sportsmen's use of federal land and would block threats from interest groups that seek to limit hunting, fishing and shooting on America's federal properties.

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