Contact: Nick Lewis, Mid-Atlantic States Coordinator Highlights Why it Matters: The New Jersey Fish and Wildlife Council (FWC) manages the state’s fish and wildlife resources on behalf of the Garden State. According to the Department of Environmental Protection, the FWC is responsible for creating and finalizing hunting and fishing regulations, enabling “the professional and scientific …
Politics Continue to Dictate New Jersey Black Bear Hunt Read More »
Contact: Mark Lance, Southeastern States Coordinator Highlights Why it Matters: The establishment of an oak/pine savanna would provide quality habitat for quail populations which have been on a continual decline across the Southeast for decades primarily due to loss of habitat. This habitat project would restore habitat for the South’s most iconic upland species as …
Tennessee Quail Habitat Restoration Project Meets Opposition – Public Meeting Scheduled Read More »
Contact: Joseph Mullin, Assistant Manager, Northeastern States Highlights Why it Matters: Hunting is one of six priority public uses of National Wildlife Refuges, and it is legislatively mandated by the Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (as amended by the Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997). Reinforced as a priority use by Department of the …
Contact: Keely Hopkins, Pacific States Assistant Manager Highlights 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 …
California Legislative Session Adjournment Marks the Defeat of Anti-Sportsmen Tax Bill Read More »
Contact: John Culclasure, Southeastern States Assistant Director Highlights Why it Matters: As hunting seasons gear up across the Old North State, sportsmen and women that depend on public land for access can hunt on Game Lands on Sunday for the first time in history. 51 Game Lands comprising 1.6 million acres are now open to …
North Carolina: Game Lands Open for Hunting on Sunday Read More »
Contact: Chris Horton, Senior Director, Midwestern States and Fisheries Policy; Nick Buggia, Upper Midwestern States Manager; Kent Keene, Senior Coordinator, Lower Midwestern States and Agriculture Policy Highlights Why it matters: While hunters and anglers are often credited as the original conservationists due to their historic contributions, including financially through the American System of Conservation Funding, …
Sharing the Harvest: How Hunters Can Help Feed the Hungry Read More »
Highlights Why it matters: As the original conservationists, sportsmen and women have a long history of supporting the science-based management of our nation’s fish and wildlife resources. Unfortunately, the best available science continues to suggest that the effects of a changing climate are impacting the resources that we care so passionately about. While climate change …
The Outdoorsmen’s Guide to Climate Change Now Available Online Read More »
By: Madeline Damon During my senior year of high school, I had the opportunity to be a youth delegate with the Wisconsin Conservation Congress and travel to different events with my mentor. This was my first introduction to natural resources policy, and the experience deepened my passion for the outdoor community even more and solidified …
By: Jens Ames During a previous internship, I was asked to watch a Zoom webinar on a recently signed executive order, committing the U.S. to protecting 30% of U.S. land and water by 2030 (30 by 30). As I logged on, I did not recognize the organization hosting the webinar, but I was struck by …
Highlights Why it matters: Efforts to undermine legal, science-based, and sustainable hunting programs are on the rise across the country. These efforts fail to recognize the significant economic and conservation value of hunting both domestically in the U.S. and internationally. Any effort to undermine these hunting programs is an effort to undermine some of the …
CSF Leads Effort to Combat Anti-Hunting Petition Read More »
Highlights Why it matters: Access is often cited as the number one reason that sportsmen and women no longer participate in hunting and fishing. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), which houses national wildlife refuges and national fish hatcheries, annually supports more than 2.5 million hunting days and almost 8 million fishing days, making …
Contact: Mark Lance, Southeastern States Coordinator Highlights Why it Matters: With family and friends gathering together to enjoy the comradery that dove hunting provides, it supports recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) efforts and provides a positive impact on conservation programs through the American System of Conservation Funding. In the South, dove hunting traditionally takes place on …
Dove Hunting: An Annual Southern Tradition with Increasing Public Access Opportunities Read More »
Contact: Nick Lewis, Mid-Atlantic States Coordinator Highlights Why it Matters: Throughout the year, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) works hand-in-hand with the New York Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus (Caucus), members of the New York Sportsmen’s Advisory Council, the Department of Environmental Conservation, and in-state and national partner organizations to promote and advance policies that celebrate the Empire …
Contact: Nick Buggia, Upper Midwestern States Manager; Kent Keene, Senior Coordinator, Lower Midwestern States and Agriculture Policy Highlights Why it Matters: Sportsmen and women have a strong history of leading efforts to address our nation’s conservation challenges. From the development of laws guiding the harvest of fish and wildlife and the development of state fish …
Highlights Why it Matters: Red snapper are one of the most important recreational species in the Gulf of Mexico, and particularly in the states of Mississippi and Alabama. Prior to the April 2021 meeting of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, these two states were facing potential drastic cuts in their private recreational red …
Gulf Council Hands Red Snapper Debacle Back to NOAA Fisheries Read More »
Contact: Ellary TuckerWilliams, Rocky Mountain States Senior Coordinator Highlights: Why it Matters: Despite their popularity and charismatic nature, gray wolves are just like every other species of wildlife in that they need to be properly managed in order to mitigate conflict. Unfortunately, gray wolf management is not that straight forward and fraught with controversy over …
Montana Wildlife Commission Tackles Controversial Wolf Management Directive Read More »
Highlights Why It Matters: The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) has historically been one of the most successful voluntary private lands conservation programs in our nation’s history. Down from a high enrollment of 36.7 million acres in 2007, CRP has seen recent changes made by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack that are designed to increase interest …
Contact: Joseph Mullin, Southeastern States Coordinator Highlights Why it Matters: The approval of phased-in license fee increases breaks a 26-year streak in Massachusetts of not having any raises in license fee prices. The Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) relies on these funds to continue offering the multitude of opportunities for the Bay State’s sportsmen and …
A Crucial Win for Conservation Efforts in Massachusetts Read More »
Highlights Why It Matters: Often mistakenly and trivially referred to as a land retirement program, CRP can be a beneficial part of a working agricultural system. Perhaps no situation highlights this better than the program’s emergency haying and grazing provisions. During times of severe drought or after other natural disasters, enrolled landowners may be permitted …
Contact: Nick Lewis, Mid-Atlantic States Coordinator Highlights Why it Matters: The New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) serves as the lead regulatory agency for wildlife in the Empire State, working in conjunction with the sportsmen’s community to conserve wildlife species. The recent actions by the DEC reaffirm the longstanding principle that hunters are the original …
CSF Throws Support Behind New York Regulation Changes for Deer, Bear, Fisher and Marten Read More »
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