June 23, 2025

Some Good News in the Green Mountain State: A Look Back at Vermont’s 2025 Session

Article Contact: Fred Bird,

Why It Matters: It is no secret that sportsmen and women of the Green Mountain State have often and increasingly faced a lack of support from the broader community on several aspects of Vermont’s sporting heritage. Vermont being the first state to guarantee the right to hunt, trap, and fish dating back to the late 1700’s seems a bit ironic, but even with Vermont’s rich sporting traditions, we are increasingly battling proposed legislation that would hurt conservation efforts, while pro-legislation reaching the Governor’s desk seems to be on the decline. The 2025 session was not so different; however, we can report that despite the imbalance of anti vs. pro legislation, numerous wins were secured for the sporting community!

Highlights:

  • Starting with the most significant win: Vermont SB 61 (previously reported on) was signed into law by Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus (GSC) member Governor Phill Scott, since our last reporting. Vermont SB 61 eliminates existing prohibitions on switchblade knives with a blade length of 3 inches or more, allowing Vermont citizens to utilize these common tools.
  • Vermont HB 132 would have prohibited the use of bait for hunting bears with a firearm, archery equipment, or crossbow. This bill did not advance through the legislative process.
  • Vermont HB 381 would have banned “gas operated” semi-auto firearms – a new and “clever” tactic of the anti-gun lobby playing semantics to make commonly used operating systems sound scary or worse than just, “semi-automatic” firearms. This bill did not advance through the legislative process.
  • Vermont HB 392 would have prohibited firearms on some state land for recreational shooting and hunting. If passed, HB 392 would have closed off 168,000 acres of state land. This bill did not advance through the legislative process.
  • Finally, National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses (NASC) Vice President, and Vermont Legislative Caucus Co-Chair, Sen. Pat Brennan, secured a Join Resolution celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Sportfish Restoration Program.

The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) had its hands full during the Vermont 2025 legislative session. CSF submitted testimony and worked alongside our Vermont Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus leadership to advocate for the pro-sportsmen bills (albeit not many) and also to prevent numerous bad bills from advancing:

  • SB 61: eliminates existing prohibitions on switchblade knives with a blade length of 3 inches or more. CSF would like to thank Sen. Pat Brennan for his dedication to this issue and working tirelessly over many years to get this legislation passed and to Governor Phil Scott for signing this commonsense bill into law.
  • HB 132: Defeated – protecting Vermont sportsmen and women as they will be able to continue the utilization of bait for furbearers as an effective means of management while lawfully utilizing firearms, archery equipment, and crossbows.
  • HB 381: Defeated – Vermont sportsmen and women will still be able to possess and use popular variants of gas operated modern sporting firearms. Thwarting the new and “clever” tactic of the anti-gun lobby playing semantics to make commonly used operating systems sound scary or worse than just, “semi-automatic” firearms.
  • HB 392: DefeatedWith Vermont sportsmen and women staring down the proverbial barrel of a potential loss of hunting and recreational shooting on 168,000 acres of state forest from the consequences of, Vermont sportsmen and women can celebrate the defeat of HB 392, as they will still have access to these lands and avoid adding to the many barriers for access the sporting community increasingly faces.

With great celebration and appreciation, CSF also recognizes the efforts (once again) of Sen. Pat Brennan who championed a Joint Resolution to celebrated the 75th Anniversary of the Sportfish Restoration Program and formally recognized the crucial role that sportsmen and women play in funding conservation efforts through the “user pays – public benefits” structure of the American System of Conservation Funding, which generated $17.9 million in VT last year alone.

Vermont’s sporting community can and should celebrate these great wins, but ready themselves for an active 2026 session. Rest assured, CSF, the Vermont Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus leadership team, and partners will be proactive before the session advocating for sportsmen and women in the Green Mountain State and beyond.

States Involved: