By Bee Frederick, Southeastern States Director On May 18, legislation to reauthorize the South Carolina Conservation Bank was signed into law by South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster. House Bill 4727 would enable the Conservation Bank to continue its duties and functions for collaborative conservation efforts in South Carolina, this time without a sunset limitation. In …
South Carolina: Conservation Bank Signed into Law Read More »
By Joel Hodgdon, Central Midwestern States Coordinator During May, the Idaho, Iowa, and Kansas Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucuses submitted letters to their respective Congressional delegations urging support for federal legislation designed to assist state fish and wildlife agencies in the fight against chronic wasting disease (CWD). The Iowa and Kansas Caucus letters were also sent to …
State Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucuses Weigh in on Federal CWD Legislation Read More »
By Soren Nelson, Pacific Southwest States Coordinator On May 22, the California Outdoor Sporting Caucus hosted its annual trap & skeet shoot and barbecue at the Cordova Shooting Center in Rancho Cordova, California. A diverse group of legislators, legislative staff, and sportsmen’s organizations were joined by game wardens with the California Department of Fish and …
California Outdoor Sporting Caucus Hosts Annual Trap & Skeet Event Read More »
As the Senate prepares to introduce its version of the 2018 Farm Bill, and the House commits to revisit H.R. 2 in June, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) is hopeful that the next reauthorization maintains and enhances the strong conservation programs in the bill. These programs, along with over $5 billion in conservation funding each …
CSF Conservation Priorities for the Farm Bill Reauthorization Read More »
On May 22, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) President Jeff Crane was appointed by Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke to serve as a member of the Hunting and Shooting Sports Conservation Council. The Hunting and Shooting Sports Conservation Council will advise and provide recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and Secretary Zinke on …
By Joel Hodgdon, Central Midwestern States Coordinator From May 21-23, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation’s (CSF) Central Midwestern States Coordinator Joel Hodgdon attended the inaugural National R3 Symposium, focused on hunter and angler recruitment, retention and reactivation (referred to as R3). The conference brought together representatives from sportsmen and women’s groups, industry allies, and state fish …
Nebraska: CSF and Partners Attend Inaugural National R3 Symposium Read More »
By Brent Miller, Senior Director, Northeastern States On May 16, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Department of Agriculture and Markets announced that the state had finalized the New York State Interagency Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Risk Minimization Plan. The Plan includes recommended regulatory changes designed to protect both farmed and …
New York: Final Chronic Wasting Disease Risk Minimization Plan Released Read More »
By John Culclasure, Central Appalachian States Manager On May 21, North Carolina Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus member Senator Bill Rabon was announced as the 2017 State Legislator of the Year by Safari Club International (SCI). A longtime champion for sportsmen’s rights and an active member of the Caucus, Sen. Rabon was instrumental in the efforts to …
North Carolina: Caucus Member Honored with Prestigious Conservation Award Read More »
By Zach Widner, Northwest States Senior Manager On May 21, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife hosted a lunch briefing for legislators on the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (RAWA). RAWA (H.R. 4647) would dedicate $1.3 billion annually in existing funding from the royalties and fees collected from offshore and …
On May 25, twenty-six leading wildlife conservation organizations, including the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF), sent a letter to Kevin Shea, Administrator of USDA’s Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), commenting on proposed changes to their Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Herd Certification Program (HCP) standards. APHIS’ Herd Certification Program is a voluntary, national, and cooperative program which …
By Vincent Gallo, CSF Brad Rowse Policy Fellow Prior to the eight months that I spent with the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) I had very limited exposure to the hunting and angling community. Although I regularly visited shooting ranges and spent time outdoors throughout my childhood, I never really had the opportunity to go out …
By Brent Miller, Senior Director, Northeastern States Last week, the Connecticut General Assembly adjourned their 2018 regular session without many bills on sportsmen’s issues making it across the finish line. However, a flourish of activity was occurring behind the scenes as conservation groups united behind members of the bipartisan Connecticut Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus to defeat …
Connecticut: Caucus Members and Partners Rally to Stop Hunting Closure Bill Read More »
On May 16, Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke and other senior Department of the Interior (DOI) officials hosted a select group of hunting, fishing, and other wildlife conservation leaders to discuss their proposed reorganization of the department and other conservation priorities. Additionally, the implementation of Secretarial Order 3362, which seeks to improve western big …
Interior Department Hosts Meeting with Top Conservation Organizations Read More »
By Brent Miller, Senior Director, Northeastern States On May 16, the New York Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus hosted its Annual Sportsman-Legislator Breakfast, which was attended by more than 30 Caucus members as well as state and national conservation organizations, key members of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), and allied-industry partners to celebrate …
New York: Sportsmen’s Caucus Hosts Annual Sportsman-Legislator Breakfast Read More »
By Brent Miller, Senior Director, Northeastern States Recently, two members of the New York Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, Senators Mike Ranzenhofer and Pamela Helming, conducted constituent surveys to gauge support for several key hunting-related policy issues. Two of the primary topics in the surveys focused on Caucus-priority legislation to lower the hunting age for big game …
New York: Sportsmen’s Caucus Members Survey their Constituents on Key Hunting Issues Read More »
By John Culclasure, Central Appalachian States Manager On May 17, the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) of North Carolina presented North Carolina Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus Co-Chair Representative Larry Yarborough with the 2017 CCA North Carolina Legislator of the Year award at the Triangle Chapter Annual Banquet in Raleigh. Since his election to the North Carolina House …
North Carolina: Caucus Chair Receives Distinguished Conservation Award Read More »
By Zach Widner, Northwest States Senior Manager On May 26, Oregon Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus will host a free youth fishing derby at the Oregon State Capitol Mall in Salem. A youth fishing license will not be required to participate. Legislators from the Oregon Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, as well as representatives from numerous outdoor advocacy organizations …
Oregon: Sportsmen’s Caucus to Host Youth Fishing Derby Read More »
By Zachary Sheldon, Upper Midwestern States Coordinator On May 2, Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus Member Governor Scott Walker announced a three-step plan to combat the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in the state. CWD is a progressive, fatal, degenerative neurological disease that occurs in farmed and free-ranging members of the family Cervidae, which includes deer, …
Yesterday, nearly 30 bipartisan Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) Members put politics aside and joined members of the sportsmen’s conservation community for a day of trap, skeet, and sporting clays outside Washington, DC. The annual Congressional Clays Competition allows Republicans and Democrats to come together and enjoy a shared tradition as sportsmen and women. Team Republicans …
Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus Showcases Bipartisanship at Clays Competition Read More »
With a few simple adjustments to the Magnuson-Stevens Act, federal fisheries management can be significantly improved for millions of recreational anglers. The Modernizing Recreational Fisheries Management Act (H.R. 2023 and S. 1520), and the components of the act included in the Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act (H.R. 200), will provide …
VIDEO: Improving Angler Access Increases Conservation Read More »
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