State: LA

Why It Matters: The 2026 general legislative session has kicked off in the “Sportsman’s Paradise”, and legislators have wasted no time in introducing dozens of bills impacting wildlife and fisheries. Among those are reining in the commercial menhaden industry, expanding recreational hunting opportunities, protecting sensitive data from public records requests, and much more.  Highlights:  Louisiana is known as the “Sportsman’s Paradise” for […]

Why It Matters: Black bears present hunters with the opportunity to get afield in pursuit of one of the most storied big game animals in the country, both past and present. Simultaneously, black bear hunters generate valuable conservation funding dollars through the “user pays – public benefits” structure of the American System of Conservation Funding…

Why It Matters: Menhaden are a critical part of the coastal ecosystem, serving as an important forage food for many recreationally important species such as redfish, speckled trout, and others. It’s also a critically important resource for the commercial fishing industry in Louisiana. Over the years, there have been growing concerns by the recreational fishing community…

Why It Matters: Louisiana and Florida are two of the most recent states to re-establish hunting seasons on black bears. While hunters cannot just go and buy tags or permits over the counter, they are throwing their names into the proverbial hat (lottery system) in hopes of drawing tags. Hunters are not the only ones…

Why It Matters: For over 80 years, sportsmen and women have been the primary funders of conservation in North America. The “user pays – public benefits” structure of the American System of Conservation Funding (ASCF) relies on those who consumptively use the resource to pay for the privilege to do so. Today, most state fish…

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 White Lake Wetlands Conservation Area (WLWCA) spans over 71,000 acres and has long been considered one of the most important areas in North America for wintering waterfowl and an important destination for sportsmen and women. Over the years, the WLWCA has been without adequate funding to repair and maintain critical infrastructure, such…