Utah Governor Visits Western Hunting and Conservation Expo
OutdoorHub 02.12.12
Utah Governor Gary R. Herbert took a walk through the Western Hunting and Conservation Expo (WHCE) last Friday, accompanied by Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) President and CEO Miles Moretti and Sportsmen for Fish & Wildlife (SFW) President Byron Bateman. MidwayUSA’s Larry Potterfield was in the hall at the same time, and the group spoke briefly about how much the MidwayUSA sponsorship has meant for the WHCE, which has been held inSalt Lake Cityfor the past six years. Governor Herbert also spoke briefly with C.J. Buck of Buck Knives, Scott Grange of Browning and Craig Fleener from the Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game.
Moretti and Bateman walked with Governor Herbert to the Mossback exhibit area so he could see the first-ever mule deer taken on Antelope Island in 2011. They discussed the sometimes controversial issues surrounding the tag sale and hunt, but Moretti commented, “In the end, we were able to raise over a quarter of a million dollars for conservation.”
The two conservation leaders told the governor of the long and positive partnership between MDF and SFW, and discussed how they want to work more collaboratively with the state on wildlife and habitat challenges.
