July 8, 2024 (Salem, Oregon) – The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) is pleased to report that as of last Friday, Oregon Initiative Petition 3 (IP-3) officially did not qualify for the 2024 ballot. CSF has been and will continue to be a leading voice against this misguided effort to ban all hunting, fishing, trapping, and ranching…
Why it Matters: In August of 2023, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) expanded hunting opportunities for mountain lions by establishing the new Niobrara Unit. Commissioners are again looking to create more opportunities for hunters to hit the fields and attempt to harvest a mountain lion by potentially expanding into the Wildcat Hills Unit….
Why It Matters: On June 6, 2024, Governor’s Sportsmen’s Caucus (GSC) Member, Governor Phil Scott, signed Vermont House Bill 878 (HB 878) into law, removing the two-year sunset provision previously put in place by Vermont Senate Bill 281 (SB 281) – which temporarily legalized the use of suppressors while hunting in Vermont two years ago….
Why It Matters: With the recent adjournment of the Louisiana State Legislature’s 2024 general session, there were several big wins for sportsmen and women in “Sportsman’s Paradise.” Governor Jeff Landry signed into law pro-sportsmen bills that protect conservation funding, allow for the use of dogs to track wounded deer, and expand protections against hunter/angler harassment on…
Why It Matters: Each year, state legislatures around the country introduce and consider bills that would hinder sportsmen and women from partaking in our time-honored outdoor traditions. Oftentimes, those bills would also interfere with state fish and wildlife agencies’ authority to follow science-based management principles. The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) works to thwart the passage…
May 30, 2024 (Dover, Delaware) – Moments ago, Delaware Governor John Carney, a member of the Governor’s Sportsmen’s Caucus (GSC), signed House Bill 271 (HB 271) into law, removing the longstanding prohibition on Sunday gamebird hunting in Delaware. Delaware’s definition of game birds includes waterfowl, rails, wild turkeys, pheasants, quail, chukar, and doves, amongst others. In 2016,…
Why It Matters: At a time when technology continues to rapidly change the way in which Americans live, it is important that our outdoor traditions keep up with the times. Allowing hunters to have an electronic copy of their federal duck stamp on their smartphone for the entirety of the hunting season will bring the…
Why It Matters: Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a slow and progressive neurological disease occurring in free ranging and farmed cervid species (deer, elk, moose, etc.) that is always fatal, and is spreading across North America. This disease is a massive threat to cervid populations which threatens quality hunting experiences as well as opportunities to…
Why It Matters: Following relentless efforts from anti-hunting organizations, a bill that sought to prohibit hunters from participating in contests or tournaments was revived after it missed a key legislative deadline. The bill threatens traditions that sportsmen and women have long enjoyed while simultaneously seeking to manage wildlife issues legislatively rather than vesting the appropriate…
Why It Matters: When game populations are at a point where limited, regulated hunting opportunities are necessary for their management, state fish and wildlife agencies often develop a lottery system in which sportsmen and women apply for a limited number of tags or permits. In utilizing a lottery, states are able to manage the demand…
Why It Matters: College can be an incredibly challenging time financially for many students, which presents a real barrier for them purchasing a hunting, trapping, or fishing license while in school. If young adults cease their participation in hunting and angling for 4 years while other interests are blossoming, there is real potential for them…
Why It Matters: Our four-legged canine companions can play a crucial role in many aspects of our sporting traditions, including in the tracking and recovery of wounded game. Exhausting all available resources when tracking and recovering game is one of the cornerstones of hunting that ethical sportsmen and women share, so the use of tracking…