More than half of the states in this nation do not protect the personal information that sportsmen and women are required to provide when purchasing hunting and fishing licenses. Some of these states require the information to be readily accessible to the public, while others mandate individuals to complete a request for public information application…
Though hunting, fishing, and harvesting wildlife (including by trapping) have long been an American heritage, dating back to before the first Europeans arrived in North America, only recently has the “right” to hunt, fish, and harvest wildlife come into question. To establish in perpetuity what has been assumed for centuries, several states have sought amendments…
Several states have passed legislation that allows non-resident, full-time college students to obtain hunting and/or angling licenses at the same price as state residents. The intent of these bills are to increase hunter and angler recruitment and retention within a subset of sportsmen and women which are especially prone to being restricted from hunting due…
The vast majority of states throughout the nation offer an online component of the hunter’s safety course, which provides potential hunters a way to receive their hunter safety certification at their own pace. By offering new hunters an easy and efficient way to gain hunter safety certification, more people will have the opportunity to begin…
Many state legislatures have enacted legislation to afford senior citizens, veterans, and active duty military members special hunting and fishing opportunities and discounted fees as a means of maintaining hunter numbers, as well as to reward them for their service to the country and commitment to conservation. However, states should be cautioned to work with…
Why It Matters: Thanks to the efforts of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), the Louisiana black bear was delisted from the Endangered Species Act in 2016. Since then, black bear numbers have continued to climb, presenting a challenge for the state that it has not faced in decades – balancing black bear…
Why It Matters: The Louisiana black bear is one of the greatest wildlife conservation success stories in Louisiana in recent memory. Louisiana has not held a black bear hunt in the state since the late 1980s. However, there are now harvestable surpluses of black bears in specific Bear Management Areas (BMAs). With the increase in populations…
Why It Matters: On September 23, 2023, sportsmen and women across the nation celebrated National Hunting and Fishing Day (NHFD). This year’s efforts from the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) helped secure proclamations commemorating the day from 39 governors and the President of the United States. Governors from all 12 Southeastern region states signed NHFD proclamations…
Why It Matters: Senator Cathey taking on this leadership role is important to the advancement of the bicameral and bipartisan Caucus, whose members are committed to ensuring the future of hunting and fishing opportunities critical to sportsmen and women and the state’s economy. Louisiana is known as the “Sportsman’s Paradise” for good reason, and the…
Contact: Mark Lance, Southeastern States Coordinator Why It Matters: In 2016, it was reported that more than 20 million Americans spent an estimated $16.9 billion on equipment and travel to participate in target shooting. The purchase of firearms and ammunition is critical to the “user pays – public benefit” structure of the American System of Conservation Funding (ASCF)….
Contact: Mark Lance, Southeastern States Coordinator Why It Matters: Louisiana now has a new conservation funding source where the state can leverage significantly more federal funds to implement conservation programs that benefit fish and wildlife resources and by extension, the sportsmen and women who enjoy the “Sportsman’s Paradise.” Funding for projects under the Program will be determined…
Contact: Mark Lance, Southeastern States Coordinator Why It Matters: The passage of HB 762 positions Louisiana to establish a new conservation funding source where the state could leverage significantly more federal funds to implement conservation programs that benefit fish and wildlife resources and by extension, the sportsmen and women who enjoy the “Sportsman’s Paradise.” Counties, municipalities, state…