Why It Matters: Our time-honored hunting traditions remain alive and well with today’s hunters, but will rely on the next generation to carry them into the future. In doing so, today’s youth will eventually be license buyers and, in turn, the primary funders of conservation through the “user pays – public benefits” structure that is the American System of Conservation Funding. By […]
Why It Matters: As the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) has covered on many occasions, Massachusetts and Maine remain the only two states in the country with an outright ban on Sunday hunting. On March 19, 2026, Governor Maura Healey announced that her administration seeks to repeal the long-standing prohibition on Sunday hunting in the Bay […]
Why It Matters: As the California legislature returns from its spring recess, lawmakers continue to place legislation on the docket that could impact the rights and privileges of sportsmen and women across the state. Several bills moving through the legislature this year would affect firearm ownership, hunter safety regulations, and youth participation in hunting and fishing traditions. These include Senate Bill […]
Why It Matters: One major topic of this year’s legislative session in Tennessee that shines through has been issues impacting sportsmen and women. Whether that is legislation that establishes an optional hunter safety education in schools program or legislation that protects hunters’ ability to lawfully hunt within city limits, the interests of Tennessee’s sportsmen and women were well represented in Nashville. However, there is still work to be done, particularly […]
Why It Matters: As newcomers recognize the many appeals that South Carolina has to offer, the Palmetto State continues to grow in population. With more people than ever on the landscape, finding access to quality hunting grounds will likely only become increasingly difficult. Thankfully, South Carolina offers a diverse array of public land hunting opportunities. Legislative efforts to ensure […]
Why It Matters: The People for the Elimination of Animal Cruelty Exemptions (PEACE) Act, currently known as IP-28, threatens to criminalize longstanding traditions of hunting, fishing, trapping, farming, and even pest control by removing critical exemptions from Oregon’s animal cruelty statutes. If passed, the measure would upend access to local, quality meat resources for millions of Oregonians, devastate rural economies, and undermine the […]
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: To say things in Augusta have been contentious over the ’25-’26 legislative session would be putting it mildly. Deep-rooted divides, partisan axe-grinding, and all-out obstructionism made advocacy efforts feel like a one-day hike up Everest. Despite the political climate in the state house, several wins were secured for sportsmen and women, but, but other important legislation unfortunately fell short. The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) and the Maine Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus (Caucus) were able to deliver wins […]
Why It Matters: An essential component in defending and expanding our rights and/or privileges to recreate outdoors is public recognition for the cultural significance of traditional sportsmen’s activities and sportsmen’s contribution to conservation. Measures highlighting the significance of sportsmen, like Idaho House Bill 652 (HB 652), which named hunting as the official state sport of Idaho, are one such way to celebrate our outdoor heritage. Sportsmen were the original conservationists and remain conservation’s main source […]
Why It Matters: The Departments of the Interior (DOI) and Agriculture (USDA) are critical departments for sportsmen and women. The two departments collectively manage more than 640 million acres of federal public land, much of which is open to hunting and recreational shooting, and they play a critical role in our nation’s conservation efforts. The Hunting and Shooting Sports Conservation and […]
Why It Matters: Protecting the private information of license holders gives both new and old hunting and fishing license holders a greater sense of security while they participate in hunting lotteries put on by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF). Having an added level of security until after the completion of the scheduled hunt gives peace of […]
Why It Matters: Georgia’s sportsmen and women were well represented once again at the Georgia General Assembly during the 2026 legislative session. From issues positively impacting conservation funding to hunter education in schools to prescribed fire, there were numerous wins delivered this session, ensuring Georgia’s hunters and anglers can feel confident their interests were well represented in Atlanta. Highlights: Georgia is an incredibly diverse state […]