HB1304

The reason for the certification and license process is to ensure that all clients and guides are safe in the NH wilderness. It does not matter if you ever see, shoot, or catch anything. The only thing that is important is that a guide can bring clients into the Granite state wilderness and get them out safely. My impression as a certified NH fishing and hunting guide and member of the certification board is that potential guides had no idea how to read a map. They were confused regarding how to react to a lost or injured person situation. In general, prospective guides were probably great hunters or fisherman but were not prepared in the basics required to safely guide someone in the wilderness.

I oppose this bill because it reduces transparency or public accountability and does not meaningfully improve outcomes for New Hampshire residents.