(September 17, 2026) – WASHINGTON, D.C. – Against the backdrop of America’s 250th anniversary, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) hosted its 37th Annual Banquet, bringing together the leaders and Members of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus from both sides of the aisle, industry leaders, and conservation partners, to celebrate the enduring legacy of America’s sporting traditions while looking ahead to the future of conservation leadership.
Held just months after the nation celebrated 250 years, this year’s Banquet recognized the unique role that hunters, anglers, recreational shooters, and trappers play in shaping America’s conservation legacy. Since the nation’s founding, sportsmen and women have been our country’s original conservationists, ensuring that fish, wildlife, and access to the outdoors remain part of America’s heritage for future generations.
The evening also celebrated the continued leadership of the bipartisan Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC), the largest bipartisan caucus in Congress, whose Members continue to demonstrate that conservation and America’s outdoor traditions remain issues that unite leaders across party lines. Together with the Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus and National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses, through the support of CSF, this bipartisan network remains the nation’s most effective force advancing policies that protect our time-honored outdoor traditions and the lands and waters that sustain them.
“As America reflects on 250 years of freedom and opportunity, we also celebrate one of our nation’s greatest traditions: the conservation ethic passed from generation to generation by hunters, anglers, recreational shooters, and trappers,” said Ken Eubanks, Chairman of the CSF Board of Directors. “Tonight we celebrate not only the legacy we’ve inherited, but the exciting future we’re building together.”
The Banquet also served as the public announcement of a historic leadership transition for CSF. Following decades of distinguished service, CSF President and CEO Jeff Crane will retire at the end of 2026. The CSF Board of Directors formally announced that Taylor Schmitz, currently Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, will become President and CEO on January 1, 2027.
Under Crane’s leadership, CSF has grown into the nation’s leading bipartisan voice for sportsmen and women. His unwavering commitment to bipartisan collaboration and conservation has helped ensure that the voices of hunters, anglers, recreational shooters, and trappers remain represented in policy discussions at every level of government. His legacy can be measured not only in legislative victories, but in the relationships he cultivated, the leaders he mentored, and the impact he has made for future generations.
“It has been the privilege of my life to serve America’s sportsmen and women alongside so many incredible partners, leaders, and friends,” said Jeff Crane, President and CEO of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation. “The strength of CSF has never been about any one individual; it’s about the people and partnerships that believe conservation transcends politics. I could not be more confident in Taylor’s leadership or more excited about the future of this organization.”
Schmitz brings a deep understanding of CSF’s mission, values, and priorities, along with the experience and leadership necessary to guide the organization into its next chapter. His decade-long tenure at the Foundation provides valuable institutional knowledge and a strong appreciation for the relationships, culture, and work that have defined CSF’s success.
“I am deeply honored by the confidence the Board has placed in me and humbled by the opportunity to build upon the extraordinary legacy that Jeff and so many others have established,” said Taylor Schmitz, incoming President and CEO of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation. “For nearly four decades, CSF has demonstrated that conservation is strongest when people work together with respect, purpose, and a shared passion for the outdoors. As we begin this next chapter, I am excited to carry forward that spirit, strengthening our bipartisan partnerships, and ensuring future generations inherit better opportunities to hunt, fish, trap, shoot, and experience the outdoors that have defined America for 250 years.”
Throughout the evening, CSF also recognized the leadership of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus and its bipartisan champions, whose willingness to work across political divides continues to prove that conservation remains one of the few issues capable of bringing Americans together. The bipartisan CSC Leaders include Co-Chairs Senator John Boozman (AR), Senator Angus King Jr. (ME), Representative Bruce Westerman (AR), and Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA). Vice-Chairs include Senator Roger Marshall (KS), Senator Gary Peters (MI), Representative August Pfluger (TX), and Representative Troy Carter (LA).
As CSF reflected on nearly four decades of service, the evening became more than a celebration of accomplishments; it became a reminder that conservation is a legacy passed from one generation to the next. Just as America’s sportsmen and women have long accepted the responsibility of leaving our lands, waters, and wildlife better than they found them, CSF now enters its next chapter with that same sense of stewardship. Guided by the leaders who built its foundation and inspired by those who will carry it forward, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation remains committed to protecting America’s outdoor heritage for the next 250 years and beyond.
CSF extends deep appreciation to our Mission Partners and the Sponsors who made the 37th Annual Banquet a success. Title Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Capital One, National Shooting Sports Foundation, Outdoor Sportsman Group, Richard Childress Racing, Shell, and the Wild Sheep Foundation. Host Sponsors: Dallas Safari Club, Ducks Unlimited, GunBroker, Hornady Manufacturing Company, International Order of T. Roosevelt, MVP Robotics, National Marine Manufacturers Association, Rather Outdoors, Safari Club International, Scheels, Shimano, Sig Sauer, Silencer Central, Silencer Co, Silencer Shop, South Carolina Waterfowl Association, The Bernhardt Group, and The Kinetic Group.