A long-time friend to hunters, anglers and the longest-serving member of Congress, Rep. Don Young (R-AK) unexpectedly passed away at the age of 88. Young was a founding member of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus, a group of about 250 members of the House and Senate that support and defend the interests of sportsmen and women.
According to the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, Young campaigned for and helped pass many pieces of legislation benefitting conservation, hunting and fishing including the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act, Wallop-Breaux Act, sportfishing and recreational boating safety legislation.
An Army veteran, Young moved to Alaska in 1959 shortly after it became a state. He made ends meet by working in construction, fishing, gold mining, trapping and teaching elementary school. A former mayor of Fort Yukon, he served in the Alaska legislature from 1966 to 1972 before serving in the U.S. House in 1973 until his passing, a span of nearly half a century.
Young will lie in state in the U.S. Capital building on March 29, 2022, just the 43rd person to do so since 1852.
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation recognizes and honors Congressman Young for a lifetime of selfless service.
(Photo credit: U.S. House of Representatives)