Ohio Valley Outdoors Magazine

Smith, USSA fighting for sportsmen's causes

By Larry Claypool, OVO Editor

Join the fight.
That’s the battle cry for the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA), a non-profit 501(C)4 organization based in Ohio that provides lobbying and grassroots coalition support to protect and advance rights of hunters, fisherman, trappers and wildlife management professionals. A key leader in the fight for sportsman in the Buckeye State is Don Smith, the Ohio Field Director for USSA.

Smith, of Wooster, Ohio, is a tireless worker for the cause. The 57-year-old has worked for USSA since 1977 (the last six in his paid position as Field Director). Smith got involved with the organization initially as a volunteer while the group was battling a landmark Ohio ballot issue in 1977 that proposed a constitutional amendment to ban all trapping in Ohio. That issue (which was defeated) also catapulted a group to form the Wildlife Legislation Fund of America, the founding name before it was changed to USSA a year later.
“It all started with that trapping issue,” said Smith of his involvement with USSA. “We take what we have for granted. Hopefully I can make a difference. We need to keep the rights we have so our grandkids can have the same opportunities we had growing up.”

It’s all about opportunities for Smith when he’s on the job, which he said he loves. No stone goes unturned for Smith. He travels 2,000-3,000 miles each week hustling up donations, meeting with sportsman’s clubs and working all kinds of events to get the word out about USSA and the issues they fight. Smith may be seen in Toledo in the morning and Marietta in the evening. In between, he visits sponsors and sportsmen in several cities along the way. He also makes visits to surrounding states if necessary.
Smith wouldn’t say how many hours he puts in each week, but said he does what it takes to get the word out to Ohio’s sportsmen on current issues. “The informed sportsmen are powerful because they have the knowledge (of the issues) and we need to keep them informed on what’s going on (everywhere),” said Smith.
“My job is to do (sportsman’s) club visits and keep them informed and help them with their events. I also make calls to put together our fund raiser. I work with a lot of outfitters, a lot of people to get that (fundraiser) together,” added Smith.

The Ohio Field Director also hustles a lot of gun raffle tickets each year for the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation, another arm of USSA’s effort. The Foundation is responsible for legal defense, public education and research. That non-profit organization is a 501(C) 3 group. The feature in the popular annual raffle is a chance to win a gun-a-week in the 52-Gun Raffle. Only 1,000 tickets are sold for $50 each, and is based on the Ohio Lottery’s Pick 3 drawing on Monday nights, beginning June 2, 2008.
To purchase Gun Raffle tickets call 614-888-4868 or visit the website at www.ussportsmen.org (hit join tab and 52-Gun Raffle tab).

USSA may be based in Ohio, but is a huge player in battling hunting and wildlife-related issues across the nation. The group also operates the International Hunters’ Rights Campaign. The USSA is a leader in tracking legislation and regulations of the federal government and all 50 states. The list of accomplishments while defending sportsman’s causes over the years is extensive. USSA has helped: defeat a Maine voter issue to ban moose hunting in 1983; defeat Arizona’s Prop 200 that would have outlawed all hunting, fishing and trapping in the state (1992); an Ohio bill to approve dove hunting, which capped a 30-year battle (1994); defeat anti-bear hunting ballots in Maine and Alaska (2004) and helped defeat a Texas animal cruelty bill that did not make provisions for hunting practices (2005).

In 2001 USSAF established the Trailblazer Adventure Program to get youths and their families involved in outdoor activities including; shooting, archery, hunting, fishing and more. It’s the largest outdoor youth education program of its kind. The foundation has partnered with the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, National Shooting Sports Foundation and Boy Scouts of America. Since its inception, the Trailblazer program has been introduced to more than a half-million youths and their families.
The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance also supports the Bear Hunter Rights Coalition (BHRC), Sporting Dog Defense Coalition (SDDC), Outdoor Business Council and Bowhunter Rights Coalition (BRC).

USSA’s supporters include sportsman’s conservation organizations comprising of 1.5 million hunters, anglers and trappers, as well as individual sportsman, businesses and philanthropic foundations in all 50 states and other nations.
The national headquarters for USSA is in Columbus, Ohio. For additional information on USSA or USSAF visit the website listed above.