Why It Matters: As efforts to undermine the ability of sportsmen and women continue across the US, constitutional amendments protecting the right to hunt, fish, and trap represent one of the strongest assurances that our time-honored outdoor traditions will remain available. As additional states seek to explore these protections, it is critical that the entire …
Proposed Right to Hunt, Fish, and Trap Constitutional Amendment on the Move in Iowa Read More »
Why It Matters: Removing barriers to hunting participation, like Blue Laws with no basis in wildlife management that prohibit hunting on Sunday, is critical to supporting hunter recruitment, retention, and reactivation efforts and putting hunters on an equal access playing field with other public land user-groups that are not prohibited from engaging in their recreational pursuits on …
Public Lands Sunday Hunting Resolution Introduced in South Carolina Read More »
Why It Matters: Wild horses (i.e., feral horses, unauthorized livestock etc.) and burros have long been a symbol of the American West, receiving protection from Congress in 1971 under the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act. Under this Act, wild horses and burros were to be maintained in a manner that produces a “thriving ecological …
Why It Matters: For over 80 years, hunters, anglers, trappers, and recreational shooters have played a crucial role in funding conservation efforts in the United States through the American System of Conservation Funding (System). Specific to New Mexico, 98% of the Department of Game and Fish’s budget comes from sportsmen’s dollars (to the tune of over $45 …
Tensions Build as New Mexico’s 60-Day Session Reaches the Halfway Point Read More »
Why It Matters: HB 999 would establish a dedicated source of revenue for the Fund by dedicating sales tax on outdoor gear under the North American Industry Classification System Tax Code Section 451110. This added security in funding through 2025 would enhance the Fund’s capability to contribute to projects benefiting fish and wildlife, their habitats, and opportunities …
CSF Submits Comments in Support of Dedicated Conservation Funding in Mississippi Read More »
Why It Matters: Beginning during the 2021-22 hunting season, a pilot program was implemented in New York, allowing counties to authorize mentored deer hunting for 12 and 13-year-olds. The overwhelming acceptance of this program brings New York’s hunting age in line with most other states in the country. The success of that first year was …
Second Year of Empire-Sized Success for New York’s Mentored Hunting Pilot Program Read More »
Why It Matters: Legislation that restricts sportsmen and women from sharing in the enjoyment of our outdoor pastimes are a threat to the longevity of hunting, fishing, recreational shooting, and trapping. The basic ability to exchange ammunition between fellow hunters and recreational shooters must be protected, and CSF will continue to oppose this bill. Highlights: …
CSF Opposes Illinois Bill That Would Prohibit the Transfer of Ammunition Read More »
Why It Matters: Healthy coastal habitats are important for many recreationally important species like striped bass and red snapper. Many of our coastal areas are increasingly challenged by environmental factors such as warming water temperatures, rising sea levels, and storm surge to anthropogenic impacts caused by leveeing rivers and reducing sediment flows to our marshes. …
CSF-Supported Coastal Habitat Bills Back on the Table in the 118th Read More »
Why It Matters: Oregon’s law-abiding hunters and shooters have long played a vital role in funding conservation and wildlife management efforts throughout the state. Under the American System of Conservation Funding (ASCF), a unique “user pays – public benefits” structure, Oregon’s sportsmen and women generate tens of millions of dollars each year for the Oregon Department of …
Measure 114 Remains on Hold in Oregon; Federal Lawsuit Still Underway Read More »
Why It Matters: In New Jersey, the Department of Environmental Protection and the New Jersey Fish and Wildlife Council serve as the premier experts on all matters relative to fish, wildlife, and their habitats. For over half of a decade, New Jersey’s Comprehensive Black Bear Management Policy (CBBMP) has lapsed due to political obstructionism. The …
Sportsmen’s Organizations Rally to Support Black Bear Hunting in New Jersey Read More »
Why It Matters: As state legislatures continue to consider a variety of legislation across the nation, CSF remains engaged to protect and advance our outdoor sporting traditions. Recently, such engagement ranges from supporting efforts to promote the safe and responsible handling of firearms and participation in hunter education courses, to protecting the management authority and …
Action Packed Sessions Continue Across Lower Midwest Read More »
Why It Matters: Bills piling up on legislative calendars across the country means that hunters, anglers, recreational shooters, and trappers could see changes to their favorite pastimes. The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation is committed to protecting our time-honored outdoor traditions through active engagement in the legislative process. Highlights: With legislative sessions across the country in full …
Why It Matters: Mississippi HB 998 and HB 1206 would have codified three key tenets of the most successful wildlife management model in the world, the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation: (1)Wildlife resources are held in the public trust, or in other words, wildlife resources are owned by the public and managed by the government for …
Why It Matters: Delisting the grizzly bear in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) and Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE) regions will return the management of the bear to the respective state fish and wildlife agencies. State fish and wildlife agencies have long been recognized as the primary and most effective managers of fish and wildlife …
FWS Announces Consideration to Delist Certain Grizzly Bear Populations Read More »
Why It Matters: Washington’s hunters, anglers, and trappers have long played a vital role in funding conservation and wildlife management efforts throughout the state. Under the American System of Conservation Funding (ASCF), a unique “user pays – public benefits” structure, Washington’s sportsmen and women generate tens of millions of dollars each year for the Washington Department of …
Why It Matters: With the creation of the Mississippi Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund and the subsequent $10 million appropriation from the State General Fund, Mississippi received additional dollars to further qualify for federal conservation programs to benefit fish and wildlife resources along with hunters and anglers. HB 999 would establish a consistent source of revenue for …
Significant Dedicated Conservation Funding Bill on the Move in Mississippi Read More »
Why It Matters: In the Pine Tree State, priorities relative to sportsmen’s issues are brought before the Joint Standing Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. On the Committee are several members and Co-Chairs of the Maine Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus – a bipartisan and bicameral collective comprised of and representing sportsmen and women across the state. …
Why It Matters: Airbows continue to gain popularity among deer hunters across the nation. With this popularity has come growing calls for the legalization of airbows as a method of take in states in which their use is not currently allowed. CSF and others support the use of airbows so long as such use is …
Airbows Continue to be a Hot Topic Across the Lower Midwest Read More »
Why It Matters: The use of lead ammunition and lead tackle in hunting and angling is a contentious issue, with the primary concern being the potential effects on wildlife. However, to this date, there has been limited documented evidence that sportsmen’s use of lead has had significant deleterious impacts on wildlife at the population level …
Rep. Wittman, CSC Member, Introduces Effort to Maintain Access for Sportsmen and Women Read More »
Why It Matters: Chronic Wasting Disease is a progressive, degenerative, and always fatal neurological disease occurring in both farmed and free-ranging deer, elk, and moose (cervids) populations. Roughly 80% of hunters in the United States participate in some form of deer, elk, or moose hunting, and as such, it is critical that we stop the spread …
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