Ohio Mixed Bag: Whitetails Unlimited donates nearly half million to Ohio conservation-related projects

Columbus — Whitetails Unlimited (WTU) has granted $472,833 to various mission related projects in the state of Ohio over the past fiscal year. More than 150 different organizations received grants pertaining to outdoor education, habitat enhancement, and hunting and shooting sports preservation. This was done in large part with the help of Whitetails Unlimited’s 40 Ohio chapters.

Wildlife habitat, hunter access, and reducing poaching are priorities of Whitetails Unlimited, according to the organization. WTU initiatives help build relationships with private landowners, who play a vital role in wildlife conservation as well as creating partnerships with state and federal agencies to acquire land and increase public hunting opportunities. Funds were granted to Ohio law enforcement to purchase thermal optics and a robotic deer decoy to assist in apprehending poachers. Other portions of funds were also granted to the state of Ohio to open state shooting ranges, offering free range time for veterans.

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Ohio-Based Sportsmen’s Alliance Forms Litigation Team

Columbus — The Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation (SAF) has announced a significant change in operations with the hiring of two in-house attorneys and the creation of a new Office of Litigation Counsel within its Government Affairs Division.

Michael Jean has been hired to lead the office as Litigation Counsel, joined by Torin Miller as Associate Litigation Counsel. Together, the in-house litigation team will begin a rapid expansion of SAF’s litigation efforts throughout the nation.

As SAF’s litigation work has expanded in recent years, so too has the need for in-house litigation expertise, which is expected to grow exponentially in the coming year as SAF turns more often to the courts to protect sportsmen, the organization said in a press release.

Jean comes to SAF after serving as the managing director of the Office of Litigation Counsel at the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action. In that role, Jean represented America’s sportsmen and women in numerous lawsuits, at the state and federal levels, including one of the most significant Second Amendment cases in the nation’s history, New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen.

Jean’s work includes defending access to over 60 million acres of public land, fighting against limits on traditional lead ammunition, and overturning trophy-import bans at the federal level.

A lifelong sportsman, Miller has worked exclusively in the hunting and conservation community since graduating from law school, most recently working as the senior director of policy at the National Deer Alliance. In that position, Miller played a critical role in pushing the Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Research and Management Act through Congress, with CWD continuing to wreak havoc on white-tailed herds throughout the nation.

Miller has worked closely with local, state and federal agencies on hundreds of administrative and regulatory issues with respect to wildlife conservation, but always with the American sportsman as his polestar.

Hodgdon Powder Co. Acquires RCBS Reloading In Big Swap

Shawnee, Kansas — Hodgdon Powder Company announced early in May the acquisition of RCBS Reloading from Revelyst, a segment of Vista Outdoor. This acquisition was effective May 2, with Hodgdon prepared to immediately continue shipping RCBS products to wholesale and retail customers.

“Our dad, Bruce, partnered with Fred Huntington from RCBS to conduct Reloading Roadshow events in the 1950s and 1960s,” said J.B. Hodgdon, co-owner with his late brother Bob, of the Hodgdon Powder Company. “I believe they both are looking down today, proud to have our two great brands together in 2024.”

Hodgdon was established in 1947 by Bruce and Amy Hodgdon, The company distributes propellants under the Hodgdon, IMR, Winchester, Ramshot, Accurate, Pyrodex, Triple Seven, Blackhorn 209 and RCBS brands. RCBS was established by Fred Huntington in 1943.

Revelyst, a segment of Vista Outdoor, Inc., owns a number of sports and outdoor brands, including CamelBak, Tasco and Bushnell.

In 2023 Vista split into two segments and is in the process of selling it’s sporting products segment, which includes Remington, Federal, Speer, CCI and Alliant Powder, to Czechoslovak Group.

WTU Donates $14,000 To FHFH

Columbus — During the past year, various Ohio chapters of Whitetails Unlimited have granted more than $14,000 to Farmers and Hunter Feeding the Hungry.

FHFH focuses on partnering with butchers to cover the costs of processing meat from deer, livestock, and other big game animals. The meat is then distributed to area food banks for those in need.

This is made possible because hunters in some parts of the country can harvest more deer than they can eat or share with their friends and family.

Farmers are also issued management permits to reduce the deer numbers that are damaging their crop yields. Some farmers also have donated some of their own livestock. One deer can provide an average of 160 meals to those in need, according to Whitetails Unlimited.

To learn more about Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry, visit its website at https://feedingthehungry.org.

To find a local Whitetails Unlimited banquet near you, see the calendar listings of Ohio Outdoor News.