Why It Matters: Aside from the hunters themselves, sporting dogs are among the most important tools a hunter can utilize to ensure a successful hunt. Whether you own a labrador retriever to fetch ducks in the Mississippi bottomlands or a pack of small but fierce beagles to hunt rabbits in the dense cover of the…
Why It Matters: Sportsmen and women carry the bulk of the load as it relates to conservation funding through the “user pays – public benefits” American System of Conservation Funding (ASCF). While the sporting-conservation community bears this financial responsibility with honor, what is less discussed and appreciated is the role that non-resident hunters and anglers…
Why It Matters: Following an overhaul of the state’s regulatory processes by the Indiana General Assembly, the process through which harvest quotas are set in the Hoosier State has been significantly complicated. Rather than harvest quotas being set based on population data collected by the Indiana DNR, those quotas must now be set through a…
Why It Matters: In January 2013, New York State passed the NY SAFE Act which included a provision mandating background checks on ammunition at point of sale. In 2016, California followed suit with Proposition 63 which was later amended by the legislator to mandate ammunition background checks in 2019. Neither system could take effect until…
Why It Matters: National Hunting and Fishing Day (NHFD) was established in 1972 to celebrate and recognize hunters and anglers for their contributions to wildlife conservation. Hunting and fishing are time-honored traditions that help make up the very fabric of the Magnolia State, and Governor Tate Reeves recognized those traditions through signing a proclamation recognizing…
Why It Matters: As a part of their ongoing case to delist grizzly bears, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) is reviewing and updating hunting and trapping rules to aid in their overall recovery plan. Temporary black bear hunting rules were recently adopted by the IDFG commission, and a formal rule making process,…
Why It Matters: Year after year, many states are seeing large influxes of new residents, and with that, the need for more housing and expanded services continues. Expanded urbanization and development require land, and sometimes that comes at the expense of state lands that were once utilized by not only hunters, anglers, and trappers, but…
Why It Matters: With rising black bear populations, bear sightings and conflicts are becoming more common place, beginning in 2024, New Hampshire bear hunters will now be allowed to take a second bear in Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) C1, D2, E, or F, White Mountains Region. Historically, hunting has been the most efficient, cost-effective, and…
Why it Matters: The use of ballot initiatives to ban hunting circumvents the legislative and regulatory process, preventing the opportunity for input by professionals, future revisions, and considerations of broader impacts within the Colorado’s overall science-based management plan. These initiatives can allow wildlife management decisions to be made based on emotion rather than scientific principles,…
Why It Matters: Congressionally designated Wilderness oftentimes reduces access for sportsmen and women and limits natural resource management capabilities in favor of preservation over conservation. Establishing Wilderness designations within the Big Cypress National Preserve (BCNP) would negatively impact science-based management practices to improve wildlife habitat as well as quality hunting opportunities in southern Florida. Highlights:…
Why It Matters: Each year, hundreds and sometimes thousands of pieces of legislation are introduced in each respective state during their legislative session, including numerous bills that will impact conservation and/or your right to partake in our time-honored traditions of hunting, fishing, trapping, and recreational shooting. Legislators are the backbone of the legislative process, so…
Why It Matters: The use of ballot initiatives to ban hunting circumvents the legislative and regulatory process that provides the opportunity for input by professionals, for revisions, and considerations of broader impacts within the Colorado’s overall science-based management plan. These initiatives can allow wildlife management decisions to be made based on emotion rather than scientific…