brian kemp

By Joe Bartozzi

The start of August means, once again, a month-long celebration of hunting, target and recreational sport shooting and all-things firearms are in full swing as National Shooting Sports Month kicks off for 2023.

This year has the potential to be one of the most active National Shooting Sports Month celebrations yet. Not only have several million Americans joined the ranks of the gun-owning community by purchasing a firearm for the first time recently, but the pace of gun buying by all Americans from all corners and backgrounds has continued at a breakneck speed. It’s been four continuous years of over 1 million FBI National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) verifications.

Developed by NSSF, National Shooting Sports Month encourages gun owners and hunters to visit a local shooting range with their handgun, rifle or shotgun to enjoy the shooting sports, which boasts more than 63 million adult and youth participants. All are encouraged to invite a guest with them to introduce them to responsible firearm ownership.

The great news for all gun owners looking to take advantage of the numerous opportunities to practice and sharpen up their firearm skills during National Shooting Sports Month is they have supportive leadership all the way at the top in several states. Several of America’s governors are staunch firearm industry and Second Amendment supporters and are participating in National Shooting Sports Month activities themselves. They also have the legislative leadership and accomplishments to back up their track records of supporting the traditions and heritage that go along with it.

Governors Join the Celebration

Several of America’s governors kicked off the month by signing official state proclamations showing their support for National Shooting Sports Month and recognizing the role the firearm and ammunition industry fulfills within their respective states. These governors highlighted the contributions of job creation, economic impact and conservation efforts through Pittman-Robertson excise tax payments, paid by firearm and ammunition manufacturers. So far, at least 19 governors have signed proclamations in their states from across the country.

Southeast

In the Southeast, several governors have made their support for National Shooting Sports Month official. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed a proclamation, noting in 2022, shooting sports enthusiasts contributed more than $20 million to wildlife and conservation efforts through their support of Pittman-Robertson firearm industry excise taxes. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed a proclamation once again, highlighting his state’s $2.42 billion hunting and shooting sports economy that employs nearly 11,000 Georgians. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster signed a proclamation too for the Palmetto state, lauding his state’s 6,471 firearm industry jobs which account for an economic impact of nearly $1.2 billion.

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, who’s running for re-election this year, celebrated the 4,865 direct jobs related to hunting, recreational shooting sports and the firearm industry that all call Mississippi home. The indirect impact those jobs have on the state’s economy is far greater.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey hailed the firearm and ammunition industry for contributing as much as $875.75 million to the state’s economy last year, supported by nearly 5,400 jobs.

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice signed a proclamation too, celebrating the Mountaineer State’s rich traditions of hunting, shooting sports and support for the Second Amendment.

Rocky Mountain West

Several governors in the Rocky Mountain region offered their official praise for National Shooting Sports Month. Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed a proclamation, highlighting that hunting and shooting sports activities contributed $2.3 billion to the state’s economy in 2022, while Colorado Gov. Jared Polis celebrated the $1.2 billion economic footprint the firearm industry had in the same year.

Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon (Michael Cummo/The Wyoming Tribune Eagle via AP)

In Wyoming, Gov. Mark Gordon signed a proclamation celebrating the shooting sports and hunting traditions in the Cowboy state, noting the $600 million economic impact and more than $17 million back to the state in Pittman-Robertson funds for conservation. Gov. Gordon just recently wrapped up celebrating the 7th Annual Magpul Governor’s Match competitive shooting match in Casper, which brought hundreds of competitive shooters to the state to participate. Utah’s Gov. Spencer Cox, Nebraska’s Gov. Jim Pillen and South Dakota’s Gov. Kristi Noem all signed official proclamations celebrating National Shooting Sports Month.

Midwest and Rust Belt

In the Plains, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed an National Shooting Sports Month proclamation, praising the firearm industry and all shooting sports participants, noting everything’s bigger in Texas: the firearm industry had an economic impact of more than $6 billion last year. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly signed a proclamation as well, noting the state is home to more than 2,000 hunting and firearm industry-related jobs that helped contribute more than $503 million to the state’s economy. Not to be out done, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson highlighted the Show Me state’s more than 8,800 industry jobs and an impressive $1.53 billion economic impact. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds celebrated the more than 2,900 firearm industry jobs in the Hawkeye state, totaling more than $577 million in economic impact.

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb signed his state’s proclamation celebrating National Shooting Sports Month and praising the industry that includes more than 5,900 jobs with an economic footprint of more than $1.2 billion. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine lauded his state’s 15,500 industry jobs, $2.5 billion economic footprint and the $23.5 million in Pittman-Robertson funds those shooting sports participants contributed back to the state. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers signed a proclamation too, celebrating the rich hunting traditions in the Badger state.

Not to be left out, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy added his signature to an official National Shooting Sports Month proclamation. In Alaska, the governor noted the rich traditions and heritage of hunting and recreational shooting that are passed on to each new generation in the Last Frontier.

More To Come & Get Involved

The National Shooting Sports Month kickoff is impressive with millions of Americans already participating in firearm-related activities from coast to coast. This is just the beginning, too. There’s a full month left for millions of more Americans to join in the fun too, and hopefully grow the gun-owning community even more.

NSSF offers industry members at recreational shooting ranges and target courses a Promotional Toolkit, where businesses can download social media promotions, logos, and guidance for celebrating National Shooting Sports Month. Firearm ranges and retailers can help celebrate recreational shooting and spread the word about mentoring through the +ONE Movement and spending shared time at the range.

 

Joe Bartozzi is the President and CEO of the National Shooting Sports Foundation. 

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60 COMMENTS

  1. I’m celebrating national shooting sports month by driving poop-obsessed deb into a perpetual insane rage.

    Deb, dear, there’s no shame in incontinence, it’s natural happenstance for women of a certain age. Just accept it, and deal with it like millions of other women do every day. 🙂

    This can help with you finding unwelcome ‘presents’ in your bed in the morning :

    https://www.depend.com/en-us/incontinence-products/women

      • That’s kinda the *point*.

        Gonna cure her of thinking she has *me* cornered. I’m just starting, I can really dial-up the mean.

        Dance, deb, I order you to respond… 😉

        • oldshtheadgeoff…Just last week you went on a Get Debbie rant that consumed a 1/4 mile of forum real estate. You poor pathetic ratbassturd you sounded like someone about to be executed…You proved it all by your lonesome you were cornered. Sorta like all the chances you had to say who you voted for in 16, 20 and when I cornered you then you stooped to blatantly lie about voting for POTUS DJT.

          You been trying to save face since and even with all the help from your lowlife pals you’re still cornered…Keep on guessing, it’s all you have left to defend yourself…pervert.

        • “Sorta like all the chances you had to say who you voted for in 16, 20…”

          *LIE*.

          I answered that question about 5 fucking times, and for some reason, it just won’t sink in with you.

          Do the work, go back, and see how I answered.

          CLUE – It wasn’t the way you just accused me of, you brain-dead tw*t… 🙂

      • jr…Take your bigoted lips off oldsht’s behind. Your time would be better spent washing and drying sheets for the kkk.

        oldshthead…Tell me again about Trump and his voters? And tell me again about how you savor the thought of men from the past being able to beat women and children without repercussion. I hope you try it.
        And do berate a Glock Safety Plug again to display your complete and total ignorance of firearms. And last but not least… I really do like your moniker, it confirms you are a pervert.

    • Geoff PR,

      This will be a fun experiment.

      You are taking the “point and laugh” route. I will take the appeal-to-civility route. Let’s see if we both fail!

      • oldshtheadgeoff…You need outside help don’t you? And when you don’t get it you change your moniker to pretend to have support.

        News for you…I don’t need any help to deal with perverts like you…Using your own words I exposed you for the fraud you are and that is why you are all over the map trying to put the toothpaste back in the tube.

        • “Using your own words I exposed you for the fraud you are”

          Prove it.

          Provide the links. Put up, or shut up.

          You can’t… 🙂

    • Debbie,

      As my above comment (currently in moderation purgatory) states, I am appealing to you with civility.

      Here is the incredibly frequent pattern that I have seen over the last several weeks/months: whenever someone fails to immediately agree that your “genocide and racism” shtick is a fantastic strategy, you start calling him/her names and insulting him/her.

      Rather than level such vitriol at people, can you please be civil and educate people? If their facts are in error or their conclusions are in error, show them the error of their ways in a civil tone. And if other people still disagree with your conclusions after you have attempted to explain the error in their conclusions, simply agree to disagree in a civil manner. Can you do that? It will be a much nicer look for you and for other visitors on this site.

      • “whenever someone fails to immediately agree that your “genocide and racism” shtick is a fantastic strategy, you start calling him/her names and insulting him/her.”

        It needs to be pointed out to her that’s the EXACT tactics of the Marxist “struggle sessions” use. Belittle you until you comply.

        She’s actually a Fascist-Leftist, and is too blind to see it…

      • commonbozo…Once again, You mr. meaky mouth civility mentioned my name in a post on another topic. And I replied in detail to your garbage. You do not preach civilty to me, you grow a pair and talk your pathetic gutless ilk otherwise you can gfy.

        • void…I see a pervert like you has arrived to help the pervert oldsht. That’s 2 perverts, one bigot and one commonbozo today…I never realized I was so popular.

        • You keep slinging around pervert yet you are the only one speaking of perversion or homophobic comments with me. Nice try but your slander reflects you well.

        • Debbie W.,

          I tried the civility route. You refuse. That is on you and only you. I now consider you a “troll” and I will no longer read your posts much less reply to anything you say.

          And I suspect that nearly everyone else will be doing the same going forward.

        • norm…I came here to respond to the topic. If you have a problem then you check the listing orders and you take it up with those who came here to slander me. That is if you can take your lips off the behinds of cornered finger pointing crybaby punks like yourself.

        • commonbozo…Why it hurts to know you have cut and run…as if I didn’t see that coming from a bozo like you who leaves me a mile long post consisting of tribal garbage and then runs off. Don’t be sad, I’ll always remember you as the wacky tribal twit.

        • Deb you are one sick degenerate always bringing up something about somebody’s ass. I just call you out for being irrelevant and incompetent.

  2. By constantly being a thorn in the side of any and all Anti 2nd Amendment politicians, zealots and sycophants. Just like every other Month, day, and year.

    • And by being a perpetual thorn in the side of those who pollute TTAG with their one-trick-pony posting garbage… 🙂

      • Damn…You seem to be on a roll today Sweetie. Whats up mommy not make your chocolate pudding for you? Take a pill and chill, before you blow a gasket and stroke out.

        • darkwimp…You sound exactly like the pervert oldshtheadgeoff and his omnidireational guesswork. In other words debunk what I post or gfy.

        • Back off you shriveled screw. I was talking to Geoff. Actually you 2 would make a good couple. You both are cut from the same cloth.

      • oldshtgeoff…This is a forum dedicated to the 2A where the words Gun Control are seen thousands of times without any objection ever from you and your ilk. On the other hand Defining Gun Control is somehow seen as a crime for wimpy thought police perverts like you.

        Your spinning replies shows you think and act just like a mealy mouth cornered democRat. And your own words of disdain for POTUS DJT and his voters confirmed you are a democRat Party lint licker…You cannot talk your way out.

        Bottom line…You and I know and this forum knows the Definition of Gun Control According to its History has never once came from the anus below your nose.

        • There you go with your obsessions of anuses.

          Dearie, didn’t your mom teach you everyone has one??? 🙂

        • jr…You would have to look it up because you are clearly too ignorant to figure it out. Get back to doing laundry you pos…figure that out.

        • The definition of demented – Someone who insists on accusing someone who is a card-carrying member of Tribe P.O.C. that he does the laundry for the KKK.

          You just can’t make that shit up!!!! 😉 😉

  3. I’m not doing any shooting. I broke my wrist and hand and I can’t hardly pick up a pistol or wrap my hand around a stock. I don’t doubt but that recoil would be intolerable. I’ll just do some reloading.

    • Yikes! That seriously sucks. 🙁

      The PT is going to suck, but you really need to do it, or you risk some permanent loss in range-of-motion.

      I’m now 5 years out from when my right hand left a dent in that woman’s hood who hit me, for about a year, the best I could do was grab a tennis ball. I’m about 90 percent back, and grateful for what I have.

      Did they need to do any plates and screws to keep things aligned?

        • Yeah, deborah, a woman hit me when I was bike riding. My right hand made a dent in her hood, and my helmeted head broke her windshield. She paid for $140,000 dollar 5-hour operation to put my lower leg back together, plus a nice stack for my troubles. Bought some fun guns-n-goodies.

          What’s your sorry excuse? Are you just pissed life passed you by? 🙂

      • I was on the cusp of needing hardware, but got lucky and it started healing without surgery, thank goodness. Fingers are still swollen nearly two months later (can’t make a fist), and range of motion is limited. Scheduled my first PT appointment today.

        I really should seriously consider going to the range and finally teaching my self to shoot left handed. I’d call it the weak side, but at present, it is significantly stronger than my right. If my daughter can shoot equally well with either hand with her .45, I should be able to it too.

        • My left side is weaker than the right. I do serious exercises to strengthen my grip. Currently doing EZ bar reverse curls with a thumbless grip up to 115×10 pretty strict. One weird trick(lol) I invented in my old age of 69). Did em younger with even more weight. Gripping the bar for half a minute is key.

    • Looks like it’s time to learn to shoot with the other hand. Shooting ambidextrously is something everyone should have as a tool in their arsenal.

  5. I have to apologize for Florida. DeSantis has been pretty good about 2A rights. Don’t know how this one got past him.

    • Celebrating?!? No not really. Surviving ILLANNOY more like it🙄 I may shoot my new shotgun & and my buddies new revolver & AR.

      • Planning the next round of fundraises depending on how the 2nd circuits growing backlog of gun cases gets decided. Oh and probably some 22 shooting.

  7. How are we celebrating ‘National Shooting Sports Month’? My wife and I have a few people new to guns, so we are setting them up with what they need including ammo and a gun and a 4 day ‘tactical defense gun use’ course for free (its free to anyone at one of our local ranges).

  8. Okay, I am up to my armpits in alligators trying to complete various tasks so that I can take an incredibly well-deserved sabbatical (of sorts) starting in September. I guess I will have to set aside one day in August (thus pushing back the start of my sabbatical by one day) to go and chew through some ammunition and celebrate national shooting sports month.

    Oh, and another reason: my father purchased a couple firearms recently and asked me to run them through their paces to ensure that they function reliably. He has been chomping at the bit to get those back. I suppose I will go out and shoot those on whatever day that I decide to have some fun with some paper and steel gong targets.

    • commonbozo…Over the past few months I have observed you being a douchebag holding hands with the forum’s resident pervert oldshtgeoff…Please explain how you can stoop so low and even lower using the word “shtick” when my so called “shtick” is a brick wall called History.
      I mean you do not have the balls to speak up so someone has to do it and if you do not appreciate it then you can take your prissy busy body pompous observation behind and go play in the freeway.

    • As long as the ATF continues to be a Federal Government Bureaucracy agency. Because it will never stop attacking the 2nd Amendment regardless of any Court ruling. Including the Supreme Court. Until ‘We the People’ understand that fully and deal with it as appropriately. Said Bureaucracy will always be a threat to the Freedom and Liberty of all citizens. Those in charge are playing the long game. Just waiting until the political winds change, as they always do with time.

  12. That picture of Kemp at the top looks like he is about to teach junior some lessons, what happened next????

    • He said, “make sure they photograph you holding a gun so voters will think you’re like them.”

  13. Should be PILES of Excise $. Where is it going? Any NEW public ranges? Badly needed in most of the US. I’m sure the Obiden socialists would intentionally waste all of it vs using it for a useful gun purpose. One more pot-o-pork for a prog to play with.

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