Our Impact

Each year, the dedicated policy staff of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF), working alongside the network of sportsmen’s caucuses we support, directly engages on more than 400 policy items. With more than 200+ years of combined conservation policy experience and expertise, CSF staff have secured more than 1,500 policy victories for our nation’s sportsmen and women, our fish and wildlife resources, and their habitats, in the last eight years alone.

Each of these victories is impactful, but combined, CSF has secured or protected hundreds of millions of dollars in critical conservation funding, expanded access and opportunity for sportsmen and women on hundreds of millions of acres, and has effectively killed numerous attacks on our way of life which has safeguarded America’s proud sporting-conservation heritage in all states, and on Capitol Hill.

ACCESS & OPPORTUNITY CONSERVATION PROTECTING AND PROMOTING HERITAGE YOUTH ENGAGEMENT & R3

ACCESS & OPPORTUNITY

PLACES TO HUNT, FISH, TRAP, AND SHOOT

New Sunday hunting opportunities opened on nearly 30 million acres in CT and PA.

Access rights to 42 million acres of private lands and 7 million acres of huntable public land were protected in ND.

New projectile options are now available for muzzleloader hunters in ID.

Public hunting and angling access to private lands were protected and enhanced in MT.

Regulated, nighttime hunting opportunities for certain species were expanded in UT.

Hunters in MD and TN may now use new technologies to assist in the recovery of wounded game while maintaining the Fair Chase Ethic central to our outdoor traditions.

More than 1.1M sportsmen and women in LA may now hunt with modern muzzleloader iterations, enhancing safety while afield yet conserving tradition.

Hunters in MD will retain their ability to use traditional lead ammunition.

Access to huntable land in SD protected against overly burdensome discharge distance restrictions.

More than 250,000 acres of public hunting and angling access were protected in AR.

Hunting and recreational shooting access protected on 168,000 acres of state lands in VT.

Sportsmen and women will be able to hunt black bears in FL for the first time in over a decade.

Congress was not asked to transfer 27M acres of federal lands to the state, highlighting support for public access for sportsmen and women in WY.

Deer hunters in IN may harvest deer with fewer limitations on allowed cartridge lengths.

400,000 hunters in MN may continue to use crossbows to take game during archery season.

Air rifles will now be authorized for hunting in NH and can pay into conservation funding like all other methods of take.

CONSERVATION

ENSURING HEALTHY HABITATS AND WILDLIFE ABUNDANCE

Opportunities to improve water availability for wildlife were enhanced in NV.

Legislatures in AL, AR, DE, GA, IL, KY, LA, MS, NH, NV, NY, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, UT, VT, and WV 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.

State Legislatures celebrated the 75h anniversary of the Sportfish Restoration Program and formally recognized the crucial role sportsmen and women play in funding conservation efforts.

State wildlife management authority over bison was expanded in CO.

The ME Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife will not be forced to use sportsmen-generated dollars to study the impacts on and risks to wildlife, humans, and the environment of using traditional lead ammunition to hunt.

The ME Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife will not be forced to use sportsmen-generated dollars to study the impacts on and risks to wildlife, humans, and the environment of using traditional lead ammunition to hunt.

Landowners receiving no-cost hunting licenses in WY will not be able to sell them to others, upholding the principles of the Public Trust Doctrine.

The Governor of MD celebrated the 75th anniversary of the Sportfish Restoration Program and formally recognized the crucial role that sportsmen and women play in funding conservation efforts.

The widely supported appointment of Christy Clark to position of Director of the Dept. of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks was confirmed by the Senate in MT.

The NY State Assembly celebrated National Hunting and Fishing Day, formally recognized the crucial role that sportsmen and women play in funding conservation efforts, generating $76.3M in NY last year alone.

The health and abundance of wild turkey in ME were protected and not subject the egregious daily bag limits equal to ruffed grouse, antithetical to the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation.

The health and abundance of wild turkey in ME were protected and not subject to the egregious daily bad limits equal to ruffed grouse.

The critical role that healthy, working forests play in supporting AR's ecosystems and economy was recognized by the AR Legislature.

Fire and habitat management enhanced in MT through the establishment of fire training and liability standards.

Wildlife habitat on private lands enhanced in LA through landowner assistance program.

Wildlife conservation and management will be enhanced in MT through improved reporting and data collection.

250,000 acres of wetlands that provide critical wildlife habitat were protected in TN.

Critical investments in conservation were protected and/or enhanced in IA, LA, MD, MS, MT, NM, and SD.

State agency authority was defended and/or enhanced in AL, CO, IN, MD, ME, MO, MT, NH, ND, NM, SD, TN, TX, and WA.

PROTECTING AND PROMOTING HERITAGE

STANDING UP FOR THE OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE

Firearm retailers in AZ, CA, NM, and WV were protected against unfair and discriminatory requirements.

Recreational anglers in NC will be given equal access to the state's southern flounder as the commercial fishery.

The private information of landowners in CO who make wildlife damage claims was protected.

The sanctity of the Public Trust Doctrine and American System of Conservation Funding were protected in ME.

Firearm safety devices are now exempt from the state sales tax in OK.

First time firearm owners in CA will not be required to complete live-fire training to receive their state Firearm Safety Card.

Additional resources to combat poaching were secured in HI.

Hunters and recreational shooters in AR will not be subject to having their purchases tracked or halted by financial institutions when purchasing firearms and ammunition.

Sportsmen and women in GA may continue to hunt with airguns.

Sportsmen and women in NH will not be subjected to additional wait times for firearm transfers.

The ability to buy, possess, and use modern sporting firearms and/or standard capacity magazines was successfully defended in AZ, NM, UT, and VT.

Penalties for poaching were increased in CT and TN.

Firearm owners in AZ will not be prohibited from conducting private firearms sales.

The tradition of utilizing dogs to hunt deer was defended in MS.

Sportsmen and women in MD, VA, VT, and WA were protected against "sin taxes" on firearms and ammunition.

A voluntary "Do Not Sell" list to govern firearm sales will not be created in CA.

Sportsmen and women may continue to use firearms and knives on public lands in WA.

Anglers in NH May continue to use live bait from out of state for their angling pursuits.

Sportsmen and women in VT 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.