Per the organization’s website, Delaware State Sportsmen’s Association (DSSA) was formed in 1968 to serve as Delaware’s “State Association” within the NRA’s system of state affiliates. As Delaware’s NRA official state affiliate, DSSA is charged with responsibility for:
- overseeing the delivery of NRA programs and services within the State of Delaware
- serving as the umbrella organization through which the NRA’s constituent clubs and associations operate within Delaware
- serving as the official NRA representative organization for legislative and political matters as they relate to hunting, conservation, competitive shooting, gun collecting
- exercising the right to keep and bears arms in Delaware as protected by the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution and under the Delaware Constitution
Since its inception, DSSA has served as the primary organization in liaison with the NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA). DSSA has continuously maintained a presence within the Delaware General Assembly, working closely with NRA-ILA to ensure that the rights of Delaware’s hunters and gun owners are protected and defended in every way possible. Over the years DSSA has been responsible for the following hunting-related successes in that regard:
- Passage of a constitutional amendment that resulted in the addition of Article I Sec. 20 to the Delaware Constitution guaranteeing that “A person has the right to keep and bear arms for defense of self, family, home and State, and for hunting and recreation”
- Passage of Delaware’s preemption laws that prohibit towns, cities, and counties from passing anti-gun measures and ensuring that only the Delaware General Assembly is imbued with that power
- Passage of Range Protection legislation protecting ranges from those who would shut them down
- Passage of Handgun hunting in Delaware
- Contributing to discussion, debate, and legislation that led to legalization of Sunday hunting in Delaware
- Safeguarding hunters’ rights by advocating for value-added services in exchange for any hunting or trapping license fee increases
- Contributing to discussion, debate, and legislation that led to coyote hunting seasons in Delaware
- Defeating unlawful and unconstitutional firearms bans in Delaware State Parks and Forests by filing suit and winning Delaware Supreme Court appeals in the case of DSSA, Bridgeville Rifle & Pistol Club, et al versus DNREC and the Dept. of Agriculture
- Defeating misguided, radical, and poorly researched ivory bans that would have outlawed the sale, purchase and possession with intent to sell otherwise legally taken ivory.