New, Diverse Demographic of Hunters

Michael J. DeLor, PhD, lectures in politics at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. In his free time, Dr. Michael J. DeLor has an interest in hunting.

Both on a local level (helping the local wildlife stay in balance by killing overabundant predators and prey) and the global level (reducing the need for wasteful farming practices), a new generation of hunters is being motivated by necessity rather than the thrill of the hunt.

In 2020, 19,000 people in Germany applied for a license to hunt wild game--boar, deer, foxes, and ducks--and 4 in 5 of those people were successful. This is double the number a decade ago. A distrust of the meat industry seems to be driving this sudden uptick in licensed hunters; whether due to COVID-19 being spread by German pork factories or ethical concerns about battery farming, more Europeans are questioning what goes into their food. For some, the solution is to go outside and get it yourself.

The United States has also seen an increasing interest in hunting: in 2020, Michigan had more hunting license applications than it had in the past 20 years. Moreover, the Journal of Wildlife Management identified a new demographic of hunters that is more diverse than the typical hunting crowd, of whom 90 percent are white and 70 percent are male. Their motivations were similar to the German hunters: hunting could be a way to get ethically sourced meat and therefore reduce the pollution and suffering caused by the meat industry.

Three Places to Go Fishing

Dr. Michael J. DeLor holds a PhD in public administration and public affairs from Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg. He serves as a professor at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg, Texas. In his free time, Michael DeLor enjoys watching sports, hunting, and fishing.

Texas has thousands of lakes, multiple rivers, and the Gulf of Mexico, which makes it an ideal state in which to fish. From the Texas waters, you can catch a wide range of fish species including largemouth bass, catfish, redfish, crappie, chain pickerel, sunfish, and white bass. Some popular places to go fishing in Texas are:

Lake Fork

Lake Fork is located in east Texas and covers 27,690 acres. It is known to have some of the state's biggest largemouth bass. Lake Fork hosts several competitions throughout the year, which you can take part in to test your fishing skills.

Lake Texoma

This is one of the largest reservoirs in the US and a very popular fishing destination in Texas. It is located in North Texas close to the Oklahoma border. Lake Texoma has a good number of white bass, striped bass, crappie, channel catfish, and bluegill.

Choke Canyon Reservoir

This lake is located on the Frio River watershed is about an hour from San Antonio. It is the perfect place to go catch largemouth bass, flathead catfish, redear sunfish, and bluegills. While fishing you can enjoy the lake's beautiful views, but you should also keep an eye out for alligators.

An Overview of the APSA Congressional

Texas educator Dr. Michael J. DeLor serves as a lecturer and professor for the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg. Focused on teaching government and politics at both state and federal levels, he also participates in college recruitment efforts and student success research. Active in the professional community, Dr. Michael J. Delor belongs to the American Political Science Association (APSA), the leading organization for political science.

Dedicated to furthering the study of political science, the APSA maintains several programs and services for departments and individuals, including the American Political Science Association Congressional Fellowship Program. Since 1953, this nonpartisan program has brought political journalists, scientists, health specialists, and other professionals to Capitol Hill. Over the course of nine months, these individuals are placed on congressional staff and gain an inside perspective of how Congress works.

The program is a unique opportunity and helps the individuals gain a deeper understanding of policy-making to inform their reporting and teaching on national politics. While the program has several fellowship categories that students can focus on, it is highly selective and is only open once per year. Those accepted to the program start an intensive orientation in November. The orientation lasts for one month and introduces fellowship students to Congress and other political experts who will teach them during the rest of the program’s duration.

APSA’s Congressional Fellowship Program

A lecturer at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg, Dr. Michael DeLor teaches about federal and state government. Dr. Michael DeLor stays current with membership in the American Political Science Association (ASPA), which was founded in 1903 and boasts more than 11,000 members in over 100 countries. One of the APSA’s keystone offerings is the Congressional Fellowship Program.

APSA’s leadership was aware the public knew little or nothing about how the U. S. Congress does business. To redress this lack, it established the fellowship program in 1953. It placed journalists and nascent political scientists on congressional staffs, so they could later reveal the inner workings of the legislative process to the people. Later this group was expanded to include other government employees, lawyers, teachers, parliamentarians, and other interested parties.

Participants benefit in several ways. Over the course of one year, they learn how policy is made, gain direction for their research, enhance their teaching, and build their professional and social networks. In addition, they perform valuable public service and get ringside seats to important events.