Why It Matters: Federal Duck Stamps are required to pursue many birds, including waterfowl and woodcock, which are popular in New Hampshire. There exists a great deal of variation across the states regarding the method by which these stamps are purchased. Although an electronic receipt or confirmation of purchase is valid under federal law, lack …
New Hampshire Bill Seeks to Clarify State Laws Surrounding “E-Stamps” Read More »
Why It Matters: In 2004, the bipartisan and bicameral Idaho Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus was formed as an entity through the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses – a national network of organized state legislative sportsmen’s caucuses with a current collective membership of approximately 2,000 legislators. Since its inception, the Idaho Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus has continued to …
Idaho Sportsmen’s Caucus Kicks of 2023 with New Leadership Read More »
Why It Matters: Every year across the country, many bills are introduced that aim to provide certain segments of the population with free or discounted hunting and fishing licenses. While many of these bills are well intended, the passage of these bills can negatively impact conservation funding for state fish and wildlife agencies. Highlights: On …
New Bill Aims to Safeguard State Agency Funding in Mississippi Read More »
Monday, January 23, 2023 – Last week, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) hosted its annual reception during SHOT Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. With the highest recorded attendance ever, special guests included members of the Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus, National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses and leaders of the sportsmen’s community. The focus for the evening was the critical …
Why It Matters: Federal marine fisheries management is often a balancing act for those species that are both recreationally and commercially important. Where specific allocations between the two sectors exist, they were generally set long ago based on the catch histories of each. An improved survey or recreational harvest information by the National Marine Fisheries …
Court Does the Math on Recreational Fisheries Allocations Read More »
Why It Matters: With the new year kicked off, legislatures across the nation are gearing up for busy sessions in the months ahead. Your contacts at the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation are hard at work tracking policies relevant to hunting, fishing, recreational shooting, and trapping, and will continue to operate alongside the pertinent sportsmen’s caucuses within …
It May Be Winter But Legislatures Are Heating Up Across the Northeast Read More »
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 »
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