By Brett Stayton, Mid-Atlantic States Coordinator On April 26, the Delaware Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus held a policy forum at the State Capitol for caucus members, state agency personnel, and stakeholders to discuss various conservation policies. Caucus Co-Chairs, Representatives Jeff Spiegelman and William Carson, provided legislative updates on issues involving game meat donation liability coverage and hunting …
This Tuesday, May 8, at 10:15am ET, the House Natural Resources Committee will hold a markup on the Modernizing the Pittman-Robertson Fund for Tomorrow’s Needs Act (H.R. 2591). This bill was introduced by Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus Vice-Chair Congressman Austin Scott (GA) in 2017. It amends the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act to provide further financial and …
House Committee to Hold Markup on Modernizing the Pittman-Robertson Fund Read More »
By Joel Hodgdon, Central Midwestern States Coordinator On May 1, the Oklahoma Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus hosted their annual sporting clays competition and dinner at Quail Ridge Sporting Clays in McLoud. Caucus members and their guests from the Oklahoma sportsmen’s community, representatives from the Department of Wildlife Conservation, and allied industry representatives joined Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation …
Oklahoma: Caucus Hosts Annual Clays Competition, Dinner Read More »
By Zach Widner, Northwest States Senior Manager On April 30, Oregon Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus Co-Chair Representative Brad Witt and Caucus Coordinator Andrew Mittendorf met with staff from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) to discuss legislative proposals that would help create a public outreach and awareness campaign to combat poaching in Oregon. As part …
Oregon: Sportsmen’s Caucus, Fish and Wildlife Department Discuss Anti-Poaching Campaign Read More »
By Chris Horton, Senior Fisheries Director Congress recently allocated $10.4 billion to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for expedited construction of flood control and storm damage reduction projects in areas affected by landfall of three major hurricanes along the U.S. coastline in 2017. On April 2, the sportfishing community joined with some Members of …
Angling Community Weighs-in on Corps Supplemental Disaster Construction Funding Read More »
Earlier this month, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published a call for nominations to the Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board, a Federal Advisory Committee tasked with advising federal agencies concerning the management, protection, and control of wild free-roaming horses and burros on public lands. Issues surrounding the management of wild horse and burro …
BLM Announces Call for Nominations to Serve on Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board Read More »
By Soren Nelson, Pacific Southwest States Coordinator On April 24, the California Assembly Committee on Environmental Safety and Toxic Substances held a hearing on Assembly Bill 2787, a bill that would outlaw the manufacturing, sale, and purchase of lead fishing weights weighing less than 50 grams. Following a collaborative process with representatives from angling organizations …
By Andy Treharne, Senior Director of Western States and Federal Land Policy On April 19, the Colorado Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus hosted their annual Sportsmen’s Day at the Capitol celebration to recognize the critical role that the Centennial State’s hunters, anglers and recreational shooters play in conserving Colorado’s natural resources. Bringing together organizations from across the …
Colorado: Caucus Hosts Sportsmen’s Day at the Capitol, Advances Future Generations Act Read More »
By Bee Frederick, Southeastern States Director On April 25, Chairmen of the Georgia Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus sent a letter to the Georgia Congressional delegation in support of a strong Conservation Title within the 2018 Farm Bill. National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucus (NASC) President Senator Bill Heath and House Committee on Game, Fish, and Parks Chairman …
Georgia: Caucus Chairmen Support Conservation Title in Farm Bill Read More »
Kansas: Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus Hosts 12th Annual Fishing Tournament and Sporting Clays Shoot
By Joel Hodgdon, Central Midwestern States Coordinator On April 23 and 24, the Kansas Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus hosted the Annual Larry Magill Sportsman Challenge. The two-day event brought together members of the Caucus; representatives from the state’s conservation community; staff from the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism; Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) Central Midwestern …
By Brett Stayton, Mid-Atlantic States Coordinator On April 24, Governor Larry Hogan, a member of the Governor’s Sportsmen’s Caucus, signed both Senate Bill 182 and House Bill 7 into law. Senate Bill 182 was sponsored by Maryland Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus Co-Chair, and Past President of the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses Executive Council, Senator John …
Maryland: Governor Hogan Signs Venison Donation Tax Credit Bills into Law Read More »
By Bee Frederick, Southeastern States Director Following the recent discovery of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in wild white-tailed deer in Mississippi earlier this year, the leaders of the Mississippi Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus sent a letter to the Mississippi Congressional Delegation in support of the Chronic Wasting Disease Management Act (HR 4454) on April 20. Introduced …
Mississippi: Caucus Supports Chronic Wasting Disease Management Act Read More »
On April 23, President Trump signed the Keeping America’s Refuges Operational Act (H.R. 3979) into law. This bipartisan piece of legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives on October 5, 2017 by Congressmen Hakeem Jeffries (NY) and Gregorio Sablan (MP), along with Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) Members Congressmen Rob Wittman (VA), Garret Graves (LA), …
President Trump Signs Important Wildlife Refuge Legislation into Law Read More »
In late April, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced two important steps to implement the pro-sportsmen directives laid out in Secretarial Order 3356 and Secretarial Order 3362. Secretarial Order 3356 aims to expand access for hunting and angling on federal lands and waters that are managed by the Department of the Interior …
USFWS Takes Important Steps to Implement Actions in Recent Secretarial Orders Read More »
By Gildo Tori, Director of Public Policy, Ducks Unlimited Finding permanent, secure and dedicated conservation funding sources to compliment the American System of Conservation Funding is a must if we are going to continue to provide fish and wildlife habitat and places to pursue our outdoor heritage. We have great examples already in place in …
By Chris Horton, Senior Fisheries Program Director On April 18, NOAA Fisheries issued notice that the 2018 and 2019 Gulf of Mexico recreational red snapper season for private recreational anglers and state charter vessels, in both state and federal waters would be set by the individual Gulf States through the recently approved Exempted Fishing Permits …
Gulf States to Set 2018 and 2019 Recreational Red Snapper Season Read More »
On April 18, the House Agriculture Committee marked up and passed H.R. 2, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018. This bill, more commonly known as the Farm Bill, was introduced by Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) Member and House Agriculture Committee Chairman Representative Michael Conaway (TX) on April 12. The current Farm Bill, which includes …
On April 18, the House Natural Resources Committee marked up and passed H.R. 788, the Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act on a voice vote. This bipartisan piece of legislation was introduced by Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) Member Congressman Duncan Hunter (CA) on February 1, 2017. The bill would help facilitate public access to …
House Natural Resources Committee Passes Important Recreational Access Legislation Read More »
By Joel Hodgdon, Central Midwestern States Coordinator On April 17, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) joined the Illinois Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus to host the annual Illinois Caucus Dinner. This event brought together state legislators and members of Illinois’s hunting and angling community to discuss policy priorities in the state and across the Midwestern region. Caucus …
Illinois: CSF and Sportsmen’s Caucus Host Annual Dinner Read More »
By Joel Hodgdon, Central Midwestern States Coordinator On April 16, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) Central Midwestern States Coordinator Joel Hodgdon joined the Iowa Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus and members of the state’s sportsmen’s community at the Butch Olofson Shooting Range. Newly renovated by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Iowa DNR staff guided both new …
