Contact: Ellary TuckerWilliams, Rocky Mountain States, Assistant Manager Why it Matters: Airguns are a tempting option for hunters and recreational shooters as they are considered to be “hearing safe,” producing less than 140 dB of sound when fired. Despite continued advancement in airgun technology, regulations surrounding the use of airguns vary significantly from state to state. …
Contact: Keely Hopkins, Manager, Pacific States and Firearm Policy Why It Matters: Oregon’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, Oregon’s sportsmen and women generate tens of millions …
CSF Submits Comments on New Initiative to End Hunting, Fishing and Trapping in Oregon Read More »
Contact: Kent Keene, Assistant Manager, Lower Midwestern States and Agriculture Policy Why it matters: Thanks to advancements in shotshell technologies, smaller bore shotguns have become an effective and ethical option for hunters in pursuit of turkey. Thanks to their relatively light weight and low recoil, these options represent a great choice for young, small-framed, or …
Contact: Joe Mullin, Northeastern States Manager Why it Matters: Sunday hunting bans are one of the last remaining examples of the puritanical blue laws, but in recent years, much progress has been made towards lessening these restrictions. In Maryland, Sunday hunting for all game birds and mammals on Sundays is authorized in select counties, but …
Why it matters: There are many forms of gear employed by commercial fisherman to harvest target species of fish. However, some gears such as large-mesh drift gillnets often result in unintended bycatch, most of which is discarded dead and left to waste. For this reason, large-mesh drift gillnets have been eliminated as a commercial gear …
Last Remnant of Dirty Fishing Gear a Thing of the Past, Hopefully Read More »
Contact: Mark Lance, Southeastern States Coordinator Why it Matters: Menhaden are a critical part of the coastal ecosystem serving as an important forage food for many recreationally important species such as redfish, speckled trout, and southern flounder, among others. The establishment of a menhaden catch limits and reporting requirements would help conserve menhaden and support …
Contact: Kent Keene, Assistant Manager, Lower Midwestern States and Agriculture Policy Why It Matters: Opportunities to recognize and highlight our time-honored traditions are important to maintain interest and ensure that these traditions are passed on to the next generation. Recognizing the history of archery in the Show-Me State, the formal recognition of archery as the …
Archery Soon to be Official State Sport in Missouri Read More »
Why it matters: Just as they are in the Gulf of Mexico, red snapper are an extremely popular reef fish in the South Atlantic. Unfortunately, the population has been subject to overfishing and is currently under a rebuilding plan. As the population rebuilds, anglers encounter more and bigger red snapper, though the federal program that …
Contact: Joe Mullin, Manager, Northeastern States Why it Matters: Legislative and administrative efforts that encourage and expand the abilities of hunters, anglers, recreational shooters, and trappers by increasing access and opportunities have the potential to immediately bolster financial support for state fish and wildlife agencies, thus supporting their mission-driven conservation projects. The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation …
Massachusetts Caucus Co-Chair Fights for Including Sportsmen’s Priorities in Budget Read More »
Contact: Ellary TuckerWilliams, Rocky Mountain States, Assistant Manager Why it Matters: As the fourth largest state in the nation, it is often a difficult task to bring legislators and conservation partners from across Montana to one place, particularly in off session years. Therefore, the Montana Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus and Advisory Council decided to take this …
Montana Sportsmen’s Caucus Wraps Up Spring Events Tour Read More »
Contact: Kent Keene, Assistant Manager, Lower Midwestern States and Agriculture Policy Why It Matters: Elected officials who dedicate their political career to serving the sportsmen and women of their state deserve recognition. Senator Mark Allen fits this bill well, serving as both a Co-Chair of the Oklahoma Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus and Member of the NASC …
Oklahoma Senator and NASC Executive Council Member Mark Allen Recognized for His Service Read More »
Contact: Mark Lance, Southeastern States Coordinator Why It Matters: Contingent on the passage of HB 762, the Louisiana Outdoors Forever Fund will receive $10 million from the State General Fund. These funds would be made available for projects on public and private land that will benefit wildlife and their habitats. Additionally, Louisiana could leverage significantly more federal …
Senate Approves Appropriations Request for Louisiana Outdoors Forever Fund Read More »
Why it matters: To survive various seasonal conditions, big game species of utmost importance to America’s sportsmen and women, such as elk, deer, sheep, and moose, migrate to new areas in search of food, habitat, and more suitable temperatures throughout the year. Thanks to technological advances in global positioning systems, researchers have been able to …
Contact: Keely Hopkins, Manager, Pacific Region Why It Matters: California’s law-abiding hunters and recreational 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, California’s sportsmen and women generate tens of millions …
Firearm and Ammunition Tax Bill Resurfaces in the California Legislature Read More »
Contact: Kent Keene, Assistant Manager, Lower Midwestern States and Agriculture Policy Why It Matters: While growing in popularity among sportsmen and women thanks to their ease of use, quiet nature, and effectiveness in the field, airbows currently do not contribute to the American System of Conservation Funding on a national scale since they are subject …
In Win for Sportsmen and Women, Oklahoma Airbow Bill Signed into Law Read More »
Contact: Mark Lance, Southeastern States Coordinator Why it Matters: The signing of these pro-sportsmen bills into law protect and advance hunting opportunities for sportsmen and women in the Peach State. In 2021 alone, the sporting commmunity contributed over $64 million to conservation funding through the “user pays—public benefits” structure known as the American System of Conservation Funding. With …
Contact: Joe Mullin, Manager, Northeastern States Why it Matters: Firearm suppressors are often referred to as the hearing protection of the 21st Century. Vermont recognized this in 2015 when it authorized their ownership. However, since then, their use has not been legal while hunting. In the 40 states that have already authorized the use of …
Vermont Caucus Co-Chair Leads Charge in Fighting for Suppressor Use While Hunting Read More »
Why it matters: With an estimated 7.5 million anglers who pursue Atlantic striped bass, it is the most economically and culturally important recreational fish species from North Carolina to Maine. It is vitally important to communities along the mid and upper Atlantic Seaboard that striped bass are sustainably managed for abundance and access by the …
Atlantic Striped Bass Management Improved with Passage of Amendment 7 Read More »
Contact: John Culclasure, Southeastern States Director Why It Matters: The passage of the Sunday hunting legislation is a huge win for the Virginia sportsmen’s community, working with the Virginia Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, to provide seven-day access on more than 2 million acres of public land. The defeat of the anti-trapping bills and the predator hunting …
Looking Back on a Busy Legislative Session for Sportsmen’s Issues Read More »
Contact: Kent Keene, Assistant Manager, Lower Midwestern States and Agriculture Policy Why it matters: As sessions wind down, legislation tends to move quickly. Recently, Oklahoma has seen several pro-sportsmen bills make progress while other poorly worded bills have been defeated. As session continues to draw to a close, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) will remain …
Oklahoma Bills on the Move as End of Session Nears Read More »
