NRA's Susan Recce Receives Outdoor Life National Open Country Award at 2016 SHOT Show

by
posted on January 20, 2016
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
susan_recce_ol_shotshow.jpg

Commemorating a 40-year career spent fighting for sportsmen’s access to public lands, NRA’s Susan Recce, director of NRA-ILA’s Conservation, Wildlife and Natural Resources Division,  was presented with Outdoor Life’s 2016 Open Country Award this evening at the 3rd Annual Open Country Awards Reception at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nev. The award honors esteemed individuals and groups working to help America’s sportsmen and women maintain access to places to hunt, fish and recreationally shoot.

“We like to imagine that access is created on the ground, where sportsmen can enjoy increased opportunities to hunt, fish and shoot, but the fact is that most access is created by legislation,” said OL Editor-in-Chief Andrew McKean. “Susan Recce has ensured with her long career in governmental affairs that sportsmen have a voice at tables where bills are crafted and where public access can either thrive or die. Under Susan's watchful eye, it has thrived, and we have millions more acres of accessible ground as the result of her work.”

Truly humbled at winning Open Country honors in the Individual award category, Recce said, “As private lands are being developed or otherwise closed to hunting and recreational shooting, access to public lands is becoming increasingly a more important issue. To complicate matters, hunting and shooting are often treated as activities not deserving the same level of importance given to other outdoor pursuits like hiking and camping. Anti-hunting and anti-gun bias of land managers who weren’t raised with these traditional American values has been a significant barrier to safeguarding the future of hunting and shooting on our public lands. Working with Federal and state land managers to resolve access related issues is paramount.”

In acknowledging the individuals and organizations she has had the privilege to work with through the years, Recce thanked the NRA for providing the resources to champion sportsmen’s access to our treasured public lands. As an Endowment member of the NRA, I couldn’t agree more!

“Our public lands are a national treasure and the envy of the world,” Recce added. “I would like to thank Outdoor Life for spotlighting the importance of protecting and preserving sportsmen’s access.

In addition to recognizing Recce as the 2016 Individual Open Country Award winner, honors went to the Pennsylvania Game Commission (State Agency Award), First Lite (Corporate Award) and Pigeon Lake Watershed Association (Nonprofit Award). 

Latest

LEDE John&Jim
LEDE John&Jim

Member's Hunt: A Tale of Two Moose

This month's Member's Hunt comes from John R. Bean of Tucson, Ariz.

Breeding Duck Numbers Decline Again in ND

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s 78th-annual spring breeding duck survey conducted in May showed an index of about 2.66-million birds, down from 2.9 million in 2024 and 3.4 million in 2023.

2025-26 Pennsylvania Migratory Game Bird Seasons Set

Pennsylvania’s 2025-26 migratory game bird seasons have been set. There are two significant changes to waterfowl seasons. The regular season daily bag limit for Canada geese in the Atlantic Population Zone has decreased from three to one, and for northern pintail, there will be a flat daily bag limit of three.

New for 2025: Christensen Arms Evoke in 450 Bushmaster

Christensen Arms has announced the release of the Evoke rifle chambered in powerful 450 Bushmaster.

Oklahoma Wildlife Commission Passes Rules for Nonresident Hunters, Public Hunting Lands

New emergency rules and resolutions for public hunting lands were approved last month by the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission.

First Look: Premium and Premium Deluxe Die Sets From Redding Reloading Equipment

Redding Reloading Equipment has expanded its Premium Die Set and Premium Deluxe Die Set product lines, including over seventy of the most popular cartridges in the industry today.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.