State: MN

Why It Matters: Although sportsmen and women are the backbone of conservation funding through their license and sporting gear purchases, states offer brief, limited opportunities to fish without purchasing a license in an effort to grow the base of anglers.  Highlights:  With summer officially upon us, almost all of the statehouses in the Great Lakes region have emptied their chambers of legislators while nearby […]

Why It Matters: Expanding opportunities for sportsmen and women to hunt with horizontal bows ensures that they may continue to pursue their favorite game species, despite age or injury preventing their use of traditional vertical bows. Crossbows are also an excellent introduction to prospective hunters, whether they are youth or adults who are simply newly interested in participating afield.  Highlights:  Capping […]

Why It Matters: Although hunters are at home in the field or woods, they must still be aware of what happens in the halls of their state government. Changes and updates to hunting laws and regulations can impact the pursuit of sportsmen and women’s favorite species, and hunters must stay on top of those changes…

Why It Matters: Allowing hunters to use a crossbow during archery seasons ensures that sportsmen and women may continue to participate in the pursuit of their favorite species, even if they can no longer use traditional vertical bows due to age or injury. Crossbows are also an excellent introduction to prospective hunters, whether they are…

Why It Matters: For the continued success of our time-honored outdoor traditions, it is critical to secure policies that provide increased access and opportunity for hunters to remain engaged in their outdoor pursuits regardless of age or injury, as well as offering additional avenues for new hunters to be introduced to the stand or blind….

Why It Matters: Providing discounted licenses to deserving demographics such as seniors or veterans can increase hunting and fishing opportunities, but, if done incorrectly, they can also diminish the funds available to state fish and wildlife agencies through the American System of Conservation Funding. Reimbursing the agency from a state’s General Fund can offset that…

Over the past decade, several states have introduced regulations allowing these cartridges, which provide effective, safe hunting options in densely populated zones. Straight-walled cartridges are considered safer due to their lower velocity and reduced risk of over-penetration compared to traditional bottlenecked cartridges, making them ideal for areas with high population density. These cartridges also often…

Why It Matters: State fish and wildlife management agencies are the best-equipped authority to make critical decisions surrounding fish and wildlife resources. However, when data changes, or there is a lack of observable data to justify prior decisions, they must be updated to reflect what is best for both the resource and the primary stakeholders…

Why It Matters: The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), like all state fish and wildlife management agencies, relies in-part on revenue collected from hunting and fishing license sales. Recently introduced legislation would offer discounted fishing license fees to seniors while balancing this important pillar of conservation funding. Highlights: Legislators frequently introduce bills that would…