Summary Shooting ranges have a long tradition of service to a wide variety of citizen groups. However, without adequate range protection laws, safe shooting ranges – which offer valuable public services and recreational opportunities in addition to supporting the American System of Conservation Funding – will be vulnerable to arbitrary sanctions and creative lawsuits. In …
Summary Recently, efforts were made in Maine to ban the use of soft baits when fishing. Arguments in favor of the ban centered on aesthetic issues related to lost/discarded lures in their state’s waters, and concerns over the health of individual fish that were found to have ingested soft baits. To date, no studies have …
Summary Participation in recreational fishing has plateaued since its peak in the late 1980’s. While the number of anglers in the United States has stagnated, the proportion of Americans who regularly fish has steadily declined. It is imperative that an effort be made to increase angling participation and thereby protect our angling traditions and the …
Summary Similar to hunting, a lack of access is cited as one of the primary barriers to participation in the shooting sports. School-based programs offer opportunities to participate in shooting activities at a young age which is essential in maintaining and increasing the number of hunters and recreational shooters across the United States. Introduction Trap, …
Recreational Shooting Appreciation Programs in Schools Read More »
Why It Matters: Similar for anglers in the Gulf of Mexico, red snapper are an extremely popular reef fish in the South Atlantic. However, federal stock assessment models suggest they are being overfished in the region, yet the population abundance is higher than it has ever been and continues to increase. Needless to say, the …
Red Snapper Act Advances in House, Opportunities for Better Management May Be on Horizon Read More »
Why it matters: The Chesapeake Bay is one of the largest estuaries in the United States, boasting its infamous brackish (partially salty, partially fresh) waters deriving from the Atlantic Ocean and 64,000-square-miles of watershed from its neighboring states. The Bay is known for many things, but it is well recognized for its importance as the …
New Survey of Young Striped Bass Continues to Point to Trouble for Atlantic Fishery Read More »
Why It Matters: The previously amended version of House Bill 1300 sought to transfer $150,000,000 from the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC), which would have also jeopardized around $40,000,000 in federal conservation dollars for the state; a potential total combined revenue loss of more than $190,000,000 for conservation funding. The PGC has been tasked with managing …
Why it Matters: Throughout most of the Midwest, land is predominantly held in private ownership. While that does pose a challenge for those who are not fortunate enough to own, lease, or otherwise access these private lands, there are many sportsmen and women who rely solely on private access. However, despite facing less competition with …
Maximizing Opportunities for Sportsmen and Women on Private Lands Read More »
Why It Matters: Sunday hunting restrictions are Blue Laws with no basis in wildlife management that restrict only one user-group, hunters, from accessing public lands on Sundays. Removing Sunday hunting restrictions in the Palmetto State is a priority for the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF), the Sunday Hunting Coalition, the South Carolina Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, and …
Sunday Hunting – Finally Open on Public Lands in South Carolina Read More »
Why It Matters: Skyway Fishing Pier State Park (Skyway Pier) is a popular angling destination for many recreational fishermen in Florida who may not have access to a boat or have mobility issues. Due to its proximity to breeding colonies of pelicans, itis also a hot spot for pelicans getting entangled in fishing line, which may …
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