Why It Matters: State fish and wildlife agencies are the fundamental entities that secure our sporting heritage. They are where state and federal tax dollars and regulations, biologists, outdoor recreationists, and conservation ideals come together to manage our wildlife and wild places for everyone to enjoy. Having a well-funded, and organized, fish and wildlife agency …
New Mexico Senate Bill 5: Leveraging Past Success for Future Momentum Read More »
Why It Matters: Mississippi was the first state in the nation to implement a Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP). Their DMAP program went statewide in the 1980s, which became wildly successful and has resulted in Mississippi having one of the most robust white-tailed deer herds in the country. Ironically enough, Mississippi is the only state in …
Will Mississippi Ever Have Mandatory Deer Harvest Reporting? Read More »
Why It Matters: The breadth of policy issues that impact sportsmen and women and the species they pursue can be overwhelming, but each year the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) undertakes a thorough process to update and expand its Collection of Issue Briefs – ensuring that legislators, state fish and wildlife agency officials, and partners are …
The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation Unveils 2026 State Issue Brief Collection Read More »
Why It Matters: Voluntary conservation easements represent an important opportunity to promote wildlife conservation practices on private land while protecting that land from future development. Recently, efforts designed to eliminate the availability of perpetual conservation easements have emerged, posing a significant threat to easement programs and the benefits they provide to participating landowners and our …
NASC Executive Council Members Issue Resolution Supporting Conservation Easements Read More »
Why It Matters: The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) is the Keystone State’s wildlife conservation experts and is entirely funded by sportsmen and women-generated dollars. Currently, the PGC has a purchasing cap of $400/acre for land, which in 2025, is extremely hard to come by – especially in more urban areas. House Bill 1811 seeks to …
Removal of Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Purchasing Cap Heads to the Senate Read More »
Why It Matters: Migratory birds present unique challenges when it comes to management. Since migratory birds do not recognize state and international boundaries, they require a special, interwoven framework of both federal and state management. A one-of-a-kind federal funding mechanism exists to support waterfowl management across a continent: the Federal Duck Stamp. Highlights: The Migratory …
Why It Matters: Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) that impacts members of the cervid family including deer, elk, caribou, and moose. This highly transmissible neurological disease is always fatal to infected animals, complicating wildlife management efforts. While there is currently no evidence that CWD can be transmitted from deer to humans, the CDC does not recommend consuming meat from known CWD-positive …
Arizona Stands Strong Against CWD—Here’s How Hunters Can Help Read More »
Why it Matters: While many, including many of us at the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, are spending their fall chasing pheasants, sitting in deer stands, or calling ducks in, there is still plenty of time to hit the open waters for fishing. With lakes in the upper part of the Great Plains region likely freezing soon, …
Before the Freeze: Fall Offers Exceptional Opportunities for Great Plains Anglers Read More »
Why It Matters: The proposed silvicultural treatments will improve forest structure diversity across the landscape, which is critical to increasing forest resiliency to wildfire and other forest health threats. Healthy forests provide habitat for wildlife, clean and abundant water for fish and communities, and access for outdoor recreation. Highlights: On November 21, the Congressional Sportsmen’s …
CSF Supports Forest Restoration Project on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Read More »
Why It Matters: On November 13, 2025, Massachusetts’ Office of Public Safety and Security (OPSS) released their fourth guidance letter to help citizens navigate the complexities and confusion of last year’s omnibus gun law, Chapter 135. In just over a year’s time, OPSS has published 39 points in an attempt to clarify and explain the …
Why It Matters: Creating pathways to significantly improve recreational catch information and establishing a Mississippi River Basin Commission, both priorities for the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF), were the subjects of two of the bills heard before the Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries Subcommittee last week. Highlights: Three CSF-supported fishing and fisheries conservation bills, two of which …
Natural Resources Committee Holds Hearing on Important Fisheries Bills Read More »
Why It Matters: Wolf management in Washington State has been a rollercoaster following October 9, 2025, when lethal removal authorization was approved by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) in response to chronic wolf livestock depredations. Shortly after the authorization was made public, a lawsuit was filed in Western Washington’s King County against …
Washington Court Lifts Block on Wolf Management Amid Ongoing Livestock Conflicts Read More »
Why It Matters: Maryland’s migratory game bird management plays a vital role in the success of many species throughout the Atlantic flyway. The Migratory Game Bird Advisory Committee is tasked with advising the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on issues related to migratory game birds in Maryland, such as providing input on issues that …
CSF’s Kaleigh Leager Appointed to Maryland’s Migratory Game Bird Advisory Committee Read More »
Why It Matters: Black bears present hunters with the opportunity to get afield in pursuit of one of the most storied big game animals in the country, both past and present. Simultaneously, black bear hunters generate valuable conservation funding dollars through the “user pays – public benefits” structure of the American System of Conservation Funding …
Why It Matters: Wisconsin’s Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program has long provided land acquisition and habitat management opportunities that benefit sportsmen and women through increased public access and improved habitat conditions. With the program set to expire in 2026 and no funding included in the current state budget, this legislation is critical to avoid a lapse in …
Wisconsin Committee Takes Up Conservation Funding Companion Bill Read More »
Why It Matters: Each year, legislatures and state fish and wildlife agencies make changes to states’ hunting rules and regulations. This is why it is vital that you check your state’s hunting regulations prior to going afield to ensure you are not violating the law and potentially finding yourself with a citation from a game …
Why It Matters: The Second Amendment and sportsmen’s issues are often very much intertwined. All types of firearms are in commonplace usage for hunting and recreational shooting sports; thus, anti-firearms legislation is often a trojan horse attack on our sporting heritage. Additionally, the American System of Conservation Funding (ASCF) relies on revenue from firearms and …
California’s AB 1127: A Backdoor Striker-Fired Handgun Ban Read More »
Why It Matters: The use of descending devices and venting tools has been shown to significantly reduce post release mortality of deep caught fish. In early January of 2021, President Trump signed the DESCEND Act that directed NOAA to implement descending and venting tool requirements for reef fish fisheries in the Gulf of America (Gulf), …
Gulf Council Votes to Permanently Implement DESCEND Act Measures Read More »
Why It Matters: Menhaden are a critical part of the coastal ecosystem, serving as an important forage food for many recreationally important species such as redfish, speckled trout, and others. It’s also a critically important resource for the commercial fishing industry in Louisiana. Over the years, there have been growing concerns by the recreational fishing community …
Why it Matters: With the deer hunting season in full swing across the country, state fish and wildlife agencies recommend hunters get their deer tested for Chronic Wasting Disease. Chronic Wasting Disease, or CWD, is a fatal, degenerative disease occurring in both farmed and free-ranging deer, elk, caribou, and moose. The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation encourages …
CWD Testing Encouraged as Deer Season Peaks Across the Great Plains Read More »
Stay current with the latest news, policy activity and how to get involved.
Sign up for Newsletters
Receive latest legislation and regulation changes.
Sign Up For Legislative Alerts
