Why It Matters: Having a strong leadership bench is critical to the success of the Caucus. Senator Williams and Representative David Standridge are avid sportsmen who understand the essential role that hunters and anglers play in wildlife conservation. Their leadership will advance the bicameral and bipartisan Caucus in its effort to protect and promote the …
New Year Brings Two New Caucus Co-Chairs in Alabama Read More »
Highlights: Following a dead-of-night House vote and a Sunday evening Senate session, the lame-duck Illinois legislature passed a bill banning Modern Sporting Rifles and imposed restrictions on Standard Capacity Magazines. Illinois becomes the ninth state to restrict the sale and manufacture of modern sporting rifles in some capacity (the others being CA, CT, DE, HI, MA, MD, NJ, …
Illinois Bans Semi-Automatic Firearms and Standard Capacity Magazines Read More »
Highlights: Last month, South Carolina Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus Member Senator Chip Campsen introduced two bills to support conservation initiatives in the state. Senate Bill 280, the South Carolina Conservation Enhancement Act, would restore a portion of the deed recording fee to support the South Carolina Conservation Bank. Senate Bill 281, the South Carolina Public Lands …
Conservation Funding Legislation Introduced in South Carolina Read More »
Highlights: The National Professional Anglers Association (NPAA) is a non-profit, member-based association of professional guides, tournament anglers, angler educators and sportfishing/marine industry professionals dedicated to growing the fishing industry and angler participation. CSF’s Chris Horton presented at the NPAA conference in Fort Myers, Florida on the importance of understanding the policy issues that could impact …
CSF’s Chris Horton Encourages NPAA Members to Include Advocacy in Their Careers Read More »
Highlights: Striking the balance between technology and conservation is critical to ensure that hunting remains safe and supports science-based conservation while providing new and novel opportunities. The use of arrow-shooting airguns during Oklahoma’s firearms deer seasons, following the purchase of an airbow conservation stamp (which ensures this new method of take contributes to conservation funding), …
New Year, New Technologies Available for Midwestern Hunters Read More »
Highlights: In early December, the New York Sportsmen’s Advisory Council (NYSAC) submitted two veto requests to New York Governor Kathy Hochul for Senate Bill 6510 (S. 6510) and Assembly Bill 9895 (A. 9895). S. 6510 would have allowed counties and municipalities to opt out of a prescribed hunting season. A. 9895 would have prohibited the harvesting of …
New York Sportsmen’s Advisory Council Successful in Garnering Mid-December Vetoes Read More »
Highlights: Despite its necessity, hunting as a tool for predator management has come under increased and misguided scrutiny from anti-hunting and animal rights organizations, sometimes resulting in the relisting of otherwise recovered species on the Endangered Species Act. For years the outdoor sporting community has been reactionary in simply trying to maintain the role of hunting in predator management, …
Wyoming Looks to Address Weak Points in Large Carnivore Statute Read More »
Highlights: On December 8, the Council of the District of Columbia’s Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety held a public hearing on B24-0758 – a fur products ban that fails to account for the unique benefits that trapping provides for our society. The stated intent of the bill claims to target fur production farms, but the effects …
CSF Opposes Proposed District of Columbia Fur Products Ban Read More »
Why It Matters: The Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Reauthorization Act has provided approximately $31 million in federal funding to conduct roughly 185 research, restoration, and regional conservation projects, making this program vital for fish and wildlife conservation within the Great Lakes region. Highlights: The Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act program provides …
CSF Supported Great Lakes Conservation Bill Headed to President’s Desk Read More »
Why It Matters: Any time a new opportunity for hunters to spend time afield is announced, there is unquestionably a conservation success story that can be shared. For black bear hunters in the Lower Midwest, this is particularly true. Thanks to the great work of state fish and wildlife agencies, many of which are primarily …
Why It Matters: Earlier this year, the FWC approved a limited, highly regulated season for some harvest of goliath grouper using population data that showed goliath grouper is no longer subject to overfishing. The current catch-and-release regulations in place are proving to be effective in ensuring healthy goliath grouper populations as well as for providing …
FWC Punts on Proposed Goliath Grouper Spawning Aggregation Closures Read More »
Why It Matters: Senate Bill 5217, and the expected reintroduced version, seeks to ban many semi-automatic firearms commonly used by America’s sportsmen and women in hunting and recreational shooting. Modern sporting rifles and semi-automatic firearms are not only important to our hunting heritage but are highly popular in the recreational shooting community. This legislation would …
Legislation to Ban Modern Sporting Rifles to be Re-Introduced in Washington Read More »
Why It Matters: When regulations are updated by a state’s fish and wildlife management agency, there may be changes that go unnoticed by hunters, anglers, trappers, and recreational shooters. As the original conservationists, sportsmen and women must be up-to-date on their state’s regulations so they may responsibly pursue their favorite outdoor pastime. Highlights: Earlier this …
Key Takeaways from Hunting and Trapping Regulatory Clean-Up in Illinois Read More »
Why It Matters: The Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) provides an opportunity every two years to enhance the Corps ability to provide public recreational activities like fishing and boating, as well as authorizing projects that improve fish habitat, water conservation, coastal resiliency, and curtail the threats of invasive species. WRDA 22, now a part of …
Benefits to Anglers and Boaters Poised to Become Law in the NDAA Read More »
Why it Matters: Fish and wildlife management decisions in New Jersey must be left to the Department of Environmental Protection and the New Jersey Fish and Wildlife Council. Instead, black bears in the Garden State have found themselves at the center of political controversy. For the past several years, the state’s Comprehensive Black Bear Management …
A Late Start, But New Jersey’s 2023 Black Bear Season Is On Read More »
Why It Matters: When regulations are updated by a state’s fish and wildlife management agency, there may be changes that go unnoticed by hunters, anglers, trappers, and recreational shooters. As the original conservationists, sportsmen and women must be up-to-date on their state’s regulations so they may responsibly pursue their favorite outdoor pastime. Highlights: Earlier this …
Key Takeaways from Hunting and Trapping Regulatory Clean-Up in Illinois Read More »
Why It Matters: As an avid sportsman, Representative Adams will help ensure hunters and anglers are represented well at the Statehouse. North Carolina’s outdoor sporting traditions are integral to the cultural and economic fabric of the Old North State, and Representative Adams will carry on the tradition of the Caucus being a leading voice for …
New Sportsmen’s Caucus Leadership Takes the Helm in North Carolina Read More »
Why It Matters: With roughly three legislative weeks left in the Congressional calendar, it is now or never to pass legislation before the door closes on the 117th Congress. If CSF’s priorities are left unaddressed by the time this Congress finishes, each piece of legislation will have to start over at the beginning of the …
The Top Issues Congress Should Pass Before the End of the 117th Congress Read More »
Why It Matters: The proposed rule change to close these goliath grouper spawning aggregation sites to catch-and-release fishing in hopes to reduce perceived, potential impacts on goliath grouper populations is not scientifically based. Additionally, these sites are near the heavily populated southeast Florida region, and if they were closed to recreational fishing during one of …
CSF Opposes Goliath Grouper Aggregation Closures to Fishing in Florida Read More »
Why It Matters: Often the target of misinformation designed to undermine our time-honored outdoor traditions, trapping represents one of the most widely supported methods of harvest for species that are not easily taken through hunting. Well-regulated and legal trapping efforts guided by widely accepted Best Management Practices represent an interesting opportunity that is often overlooked …
Falling Into the Same Old Traps: The Unsung Hero that is Furbearer Trapping Read More »
Stay current with the latest news, policy activity and how to get involved.
Sign up for Newsletters
