Drew Dixon
A former Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) leader has been named to the Board of Directors for a hunting advocacy organization.
The T. Roosevelt Action (TRA) group announced this week that Josh Kellam has been named its newest member of the Board. Kellam is not only a former Commissioner of the FWC, he also helmed the referendum campaign for Amendment 2 this past cycle, which voters approved.
That measure easily cleared the required 60% threshold to pass, with 67.34% of ballots cast approving the measure. Amendment 2 established a constitutional right for Floridians to hunt and fish in the state.
The TRA, named after outdoorsman and President Theodore Roosevelt, is a hunters’ rights organization stating that its purpose is to fight “radical extremists (that) are attacking your right to hunt and fish,” according to its website. TRA has chapters in many states, including Florida.
Kellam’s advocacy for hunting and fishing made him a perfect fit for the TRA Board, officials with the organization said.
“We are excited to have Josh join our board,” said Luke Hilgemann, CEO of T. Roosevelt Action, in a news release this week. “His experience in grassroots mobilization and coalition-building will be crucial as we work to safeguard the rights of anglers and hunters across the country. Together, we will ensure that future generations can enjoy the outdoor traditions we hold dear.”
Kellam was an FWC Commissioner from January 2019 to January 2024. He said he was thrilled to become a member of the TRA Board.
“I am honored to join this dedicated team of folks committed to ensuring the preservation of our precious natural resources here in Florida and across the country,” Kellam said. “As a father and a Floridian, I know first hand what’s at stake in the ongoing mission to protect and preserve both the lands that we love and the rights that we deserve. I look forward to working with Luke and the team to further that work at this critical time.”
One comment
Victoria Olson
January 15, 2025 at 10:53 pm
Risks of unintended Consequences that most people never think about but should. As an environmentalist I’m deeply concerned about the unintended consequences that Amendment 2 will bring. The amendment’s vague preference of “traditional hunting methods” might open the door for the return of harmful and currently prohibited by law practices like the use of gill nets & steel traps which in Florida’s past have had major detrimental effects on Florida’s fisheries, coastal communities and their economies.
Additionally, the amendment designates hunting and fishing as the “preferred method of managing and controlling” wildlife populations, a mandate that could obstruct the use of more effective conservation strategies such as prescribed fire, nonnative species management, wildlife sanctuaries, marine protected areas, and habitat restoration efforts, all of which are supported by hunters and anglers,
As an outdoorswoman who fishes, I believe Amendment 2 is a threat to Florida’s wildlife and ecosystems. At a time when wildlife populations are already in serious decline, this amendment could undermine important conservations measures. Allowing broad, unchecked access to outdated hunting and fishing practices could devastate fish populations and other species. We need to prioritize sustainable and responsible stewardship of our natural resources, not change our state constitution allowing a roll back of critical protections.
Impact on Private Property Rights The potential implications for private property rights. The proposed amendment lacks language to protect private property from trespassing, which could lead to legal disputes over hunting activities that could infringe on the private property rights of individual homeowners and landowners.
A call for collaboration rather than passing an unnecessary and potentially harmful constitutional amendment, the Florida Wildlife Federation advocates for continued collaboration and sustained partnerships among wildlife agencies, conservation organizations, hunters, anglers, and the broader public. By levering the unique perspectives and stewardship ethic of hunters and anglers alongside conservationists, we can continue to balance science, recreation, and agency input without the risks posed by Amendment 2 erodes years of work to bring us all together and tackle resource management issues. I see fishing guides supporting more habitat and fisheries protections because they see the value in management of our resources. Amending our state constitution to give unfettered access flies in the face of sound science-based wildlife management.
The people of Florida voted unwisely in my opinion, this will HARM our environment.
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