November 28, 2018

NSSF Q&A: Gov. Nathan Deal (R-Georgia)

Editor’s Note: We are pleased to post the latest of our occasional Q&A features with an elected official who supports hunting and the shooting sports. NSSF thanks Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal for agreeing to talk with us.

Who introduced you to hunting/the shooting sports and at what age?

My father was a hunter and he gave me his single shot .410 shotgun when I was about 10 years old. Growing up, most of the hunting I did was for rabbits and squirrels.

What was your most recent shooting sports/hunting activity? With whom?

For the past several years, I have gone on an annual trip with a group of friends to hunt pheasants in South Dakota. I have also hunted on some of the great quail plantations across Georgia, both during my time in Congress and as Georgia’s governor. I enjoy these trips and outings because they provide a relaxing environment to spend time with friends and hunting enthusiasts from some of Georgia’s different industries.

Describe your favorite shooting sport/hunting activity?

I enjoy many types of hunting, but I’ve always had a preference for bird hunting. I mostly enjoy hunting for quail, doves and pheasants.

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal Go Hunt!

Georgia is home to many firearms manufacturers and retailers. What does the firearms manufacturing base mean to Georgia and how important is it for Georgia to continue to recruit and retain those companies?

Georgia is fortunate to be the home to many manufacturers of firearms. Among them, Taurus USA is in the process of creating 300 jobs and investing over $20 million in Bainbridge, Daniel Defense has moved into a 300,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Black Creek that employs roughly 250 Georgians, and Glock operates a manufacturing facility in Smyrna, employing more than 525 employees. These manufacturers represent substantial capital investments and hundreds of meaningful jobs for Georgians, both in the metro Atlanta area and across the state. As we work to keep Georgia the No. 1 state for business, I’m confident that our respect for the Second Amendment, conservative policies and low-tax structure will continue to attract more manufacturers of firearms to Georgia in the future.