Why It Matters: The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation is regarded as the most successful conservation framework in the world. However, the Model is only successful with the necessary funding behind it. For nearly 90 years, this funding has been largely (and in some states, exclusively) driven by sportsmen and women through the “user…
Why It Matters: Sunday hunting bans are one of the last remaining examples of the puritanical and antiquated laws that were initially designed to encourage church attendance. At the time when blue law restrictions were first put in place, other activities that were illegal on a Sunday included opening a store for business, drinking alcoholic…
Why It Matters: The 2025 Ka’ohe Game Management Area (GMA) hunting season empowers sportsmen and women to manage invasive species, while protecting native ecosystems and providing sporting opportunity. By targeting feral species, hunters support the critically endangered palila, aligning with conservation goals. Highlights: The GMA hunting season runs July 3 – August 31, 2025, for…
Why It Matters: It is no secret that sportsmen and women of the Green Mountain State have often and increasingly faced a lack of support from the broader community on several aspects of Vermont’s sporting heritage. Vermont being the first state to guarantee the right to hunt, trap, and fish dating back to the late…
Why It Matters: On Tuesday, June 17, on the last day of their extended session, the New York Assembly passed New York Assembly Bill 8330 (AB 8330) and Senate Bill 6360 (SB 6360) which will normalize crossbows. Once the governor signs the legislation, crossbows will be permitted during the full archery season and onerous size…
Why It Matters: Sunday hunting bans are one of the last remaining examples of the puritanical and antiquated laws that were initially designed to encourage church attendance. At the time when blue law restrictions were first put in place, other activities that were illegal on a Sunday included opening a store for business, drinking alcoholic…
Why It Matters: To properly conserve natural resources and provide quality hunting and fishing opportunities, state fish and wildlife agencies are charged with a long list of responsibilities. Growing operational costs necessitate adjustments to the revenue that is generated through the American System of Conservation Funding and its complements to ensure that our time-honored outdoor…
Why It Matters: There was no shortage of legislation impacting hunters and anglers in the Magnolia State during the 2025 legislative session. Everything from protecting conservation funding from free and discounted hunting and fishing licenses, creating a new wild turkey stamp, ensuring that poachers pay restitution back to the state for illegally taking wild game held…
Why It Matters: The Wyoming Travel, Recreation, Wildlife, and Cultural Resources (TRWC) Committee’s interim work sets the stage for the 2026 budget session, directly impacting sportsmen and women through policies on hunting licenses, wildlife management, and habitat conservation. Engaging now ensures that sportsmen and women play a key role in shaping Wyoming’s future. Highlights: The…
Why It Matters: For many years, some states have maintained vague, outdated laws banning the sale, possession, use, and manufacture of certain types of knives. It is not uncommon for many dated, unnecessary statutes to remain on the books for years and become largely ignored. However, these state laws can still cause legal issues if…
Why It Matters: The interests of South Carolina’s sportsmen and women were well represented at the State House during the 2025 legislative session. There was proposed legislation that ranged from seeking to protect public hunting access, to making fundamental changes to fisheries management, to educating the next generation of sportsmen and women. While it was…
Why It Matters: Thanks to the conservation management efforts of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and their partners, utilizing funding generated in large part by hunters through the American System of Conservation Funding, data supports establishing a highly regulated hunting season for black bears in Florida. This would provide hunters with the…