Why It Matters: The “Sportsman’s Paradise” has seen several different pieces of legislation and regulations cross the finish line thus far in 2025. From committing funding to revitalize one of the most historic waterfowl hunting areas in the state, to incentivizing private landowners to enhance wildlife habitat, expanding black bear hunting opportunities, modernizing primitive firearms …
Why it Matters: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) provides important hunting and fishing opportunities across the country. Despite the importance that FWS lands, particularly through the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) and the National Fish Hatchery System (NFHS), play for sportsmen and women, there are often inconsistencies between state and federal regulations, as …
FWS Expands Hunting and Fishing Opportunities Across 11 States Read More »
Why It Matters: Hunting is the preferred tool for wildlife management, as it is the most effective, cost-efficient, and socially acceptable method of maintaining healthy wildlife populations. It is imperative that policies are guided by science-based principles and that hunters are provided opportunities to be active participants in conservation. Highlights: In April, the Congressional Sportsmen’s …
Michigan NRC Votes on Returning to Year-Round Coyote Season Read More »
Why It Matters: On Tuesday, August 26, New York Assembly Bill 8330 (AB 8330) and Senate Bill 6360 (SB 6360) were signed into law, which has normalized crossbows. Effective immediately, crossbows are permitted during the full archery season and onerous size requirements on width and maximum peak draw weight are removed from New York statute. …
Full Inclusion of Crossbows in Archery Season Now Law in New York Read More »
Why It Matters: Washington’s wolf population is growing, creating complex management challenges that impact sportsmen, ranchers, and the public alike. The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) holds a seat on the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (WDFW) Wolf Advisory Group (WAG), ensuring that the sportsmen’s voice helps shape wolf management policies that balance predator recovery …
Washington’s Wolf Advisory Group Tackles Rising Wolf-Livestock Conflicts Read More »
Why It Matters: While recreational access to the Gulf of America red snapper fishery has been solved through state-based management, a growing popularity among anglers for other species like deep-water groupers warrants securing recognized access to those fisheries as well. At last week’s Gulf Council meeting, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) was in attendance advocating …
Why It Matters – Despite the increase in offshore recreational fishing in recent decades, federal marine fisheries management is still predominately designed for commercial fisheries, where the primary value is in the maximum sustainable number of dead fish to be sold at the dock. The highest value for the nation from recreational fishing, on the …
Recent Executive Order Provides Opportunities to Improve Access for Saltwater Anglers Read More »
Why It Matters: The Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks (MFWP) Commission’s August 21, 2025 meeting finalized regulations for the for the 2025-2026 hunting, fishing, and trapping seasons, along with considerations of several land and water projects shaping both management and public access plans for the coming year. Highlights: The Commission took the Future Fisheries Improvement …
Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks Finalizes 2025-2026 Wildlife and Fisheries Regulations Read More »
Why It Matters: The duck hunting season in Nebraska and South Dakota is right around the corner. Duck hunters in these states have two options when it comes to bag limits when they are registering for their Harvest Information Program numbers. The two-tier option aims to address the issue of declining duck hunter numbers and …
Two-Tier Program Seeks to Reduce Barrier to Entry for Duck Hunters Read More »
Why It Matters: As efforts to bolster hunter recruitment, retention, and reactivation across the country ramp up, bringing basic hunter education to the classroom serves as an excellent avenue to support the next generation of sportsmen and women. It is the next generation of hunters and anglers that will help sustain critical conservation funding needed …
Hunter Education in Schools – Coming to a State Near You? Read More »
Why It Matters: State wildlife agencies have a responsibility to protect access to public hunting lands and fishing access points, but not all states are mandated by statute. Hunting Heritage Protection Acts, or “No-Net-Loss,” ensure that, if public land used for hunting and fishing is ever sold or used for some other purpose, equal or …
Hunting Heritage Protection Acts in the Northeast Read More »
Why It Matters: Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a mentor to introduce them to hunting and teach them everything they need to know. To help teach new hunters, many state fish and wildlife agencies offer classes or mentored hunting opportunities. These opportunities can lead to recruiting new hunters, who will be encouraged to …
Why It Matters: Prescribed fire is a cost-effective management tool that can be utilized at scale to improve wildlife habitat, increase vegetation diversity, and reduce fuel loads to lessen wildfire severity. Over time, fire suppression and reduced burning in fire-adapted communities on the Daniel Boone National Forest has allowed leaf litter to accumulate on the …
CSF Supports Prescribed Fire Project on the Daniel Boone National Forest Read More »
Why It Matters: For the first time since October of 2015, sportsmen and women in Florida will have the opportunity to throw their name in the hat to draw a coveted black bear tag and participate in a black bear hunt. Re-establishing a black bear season in Florida has been a priority for the Congressional …
Florida Re-Establishes Black Bear Season in Massive Win for the Sportsmen’s Community Read More »
Why It Matters: The American System of Conservation Funding (ASCF), driven by sportsmen and women, funds the vast majority of the critical wildlife and habitat programs throughout the United States. However, many Western state fish and wildlife agencies rely not only on ASCF funding but also supplemental funding from their state’s general fund. In states …
Western State Budget Concerns Leave Some Fish and Wildlife Agencies with Shortfalls Read More »
Why It Matters: One of the last lines of defense against attempts to undermine our time-honored outdoor traditions is located on a Governor’s desk. This is why the Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus (GSC) is a critical component of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) three-pronged approach to our mission. By joining the GSC, Governor Matt Meyer demonstrates …
Delaware Governor Matt Meyer Joins the Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus Read More »
Why it matters: With many hunting seasons in the Northeast coming into focus in the next few weeks, sportsmen and women going afield should brush-up on new laws and regulations that could change their approach to the ’25-’26 hunting seasons. The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) was on the frontlines of advancing pro-sporting legislation and stopping …
What’s Ahead for Sportsmen and Women in the Northeast? Read More »
Why It Matters: Legislatures that meet year-round still have outstanding opportunities to enact policies that benefit sportsmen and women. In Wisconsin, reauthorizing the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund would continue to provide hunters and anglers with access to the State’s storied fish and wildlife resources, while creating a new hunting season for sandhill cranes would help farmers …
Bills Promoting Sporting Access and Opportunity Await Legislators in Wisconsin Read More »
Why It Matters: Along much of the nation’s coastline, sharks are increasingly intercepting fish being landed by recreational and commercial fishermen, creating frustration for anglers and challenges for fisheries sustainability. The Senate version of the SHARKED Act, a bill strongly supported by the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) which would establish a task force to bring …
Why It Matters: During their meeting on August 13, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) have the opportunity to re-establish a black bear hunting season for the first time in a decade. If the vote is favorable, Florida sportsmen and women will have the opportunity to pursue a species in which their conservation …
Critical Vote for Florida Black Bear Season This Week Read More »
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