Dear Editor,

I am an avid hunter, angler, and hiker, and I would like to share one of my experiences with you today.

My father and I were turkey hunting in eastern Colorado, where you often find yourself away from civilization. This time, we were hunting on private land with a gas main not 200 yards from our blind. I love hunting for many reasons; the quiet and the calm, the idea of being far away from everything, and the idea that there is still natural beauty in my backyard.

But according to The Wildlife Society, climate change has led to an 18% decrease in wild turkey populations. This is because changes in weather patterns such as earlier snow thaws and warmer temperatures earlier in the season cause insect hatches to happen earlier. Turkeys rely on insects as a food source, but they time their nesting with day length, not climate. Since the insects have already hatched, there is increasingly a timing mismatch between turkey nesting and food availability. While climate change doesn't directly impact the turkeys' lifecycle, it affects their food, which has led to a decrease in turkey populations.

Tens of millions of Americans who hunt and fish feel the same deep connection to nature that I do. They are also seeing first hand how climate change impacts the pursuits we love. Together, we must do more to conserve the climate and habitats that enable us to live off the land. That starts with contacting our members of Congress and urging them to do more to solve the problem.

Sincerely,

Sam Becker

Louisville, CO