Fall is an amazing time to be outdoors in the Commonwealth of Virginia, particularly for those of us who hunt or fish. Many of us will be out in the woods or on the water as much as possible, but we cannot afford to forget about how important the 2020 election is to the things we love to do. While it is true that we call our pursuits hunting and fishing, not catching and killing, hunters and anglers can all agree that doing either is a lot less enjoyable when the chances for encounters with our targets are slim. We have become pretty good at improving our odds with new techniques and technology, but if the game and fish simply aren’t around, even the best prepared and equipped among us getting skunked. The guns, gear, boats, and bows that make what we do more fun – and support more than a million jobs while generating tens of billions of dollars in economic activity – don’t matter if we don’t protect the resource. Without early success, beginners are less likely to stick with it, meaning they won’t make these purchases, and won’t help generate the tax revenue that funds fish and wildlife conservation. That’s why it is so important to be proactive about protecting and restoring fish and wildlife populations and their habitat. If we aren’t vigilant, we could lose everything. Hunters and anglers know what’s at stake, and they value, whether consciously or unconsciously, conservation laws and policies that protect the resource.  [full article]