State: MA

Predator hunting and hunting tournaments, often referred to as “contests,” are time-honored traditions that have recently been subjected to extensive scrutiny by the anti-sportsmen’s community and misinformed general public. Across the nation, both practices serve legitimate and effective purposes towards fish and wildlife conservation efforts. Hunting tournaments are effective management tools of varmint species, such…

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…

A standard capacity magazine generally means any detachable ammunition feeding device that is sold with a firearm when it is shipped new from the manufacturer. In some cases, such as modern sporting rifles, the standard capacity magazine is regularly 30 rounds. Some state laws created after the 1993 Federal Assault Weapons Ban, limit the number…

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…

Why it Matters: Introduced earlier in 2023, Massachusetts House Bill 849 and Senate Bill 590, Acts Prohibiting the Sale of Fur Products, seek to prohibit the sale of fur products in the Commonwealth.  With cowhide, lambskin or sheep skin, or pelts used in taxidermy excluded from the definitions of “fur” and “fur product,” the remaining…

Why It Matters: On October 18, 2023, members of the Massachusetts House introduced MA House Bill (HB) 4139 An Act Modernizing Firearm Laws, formally House Docket (HD) 4607, formally HD 4420 which the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) reported and engaged on in July of 2023 and throughout the Summer Recess. HB 4139 is an aggressive…

Why It Matters: On September 23, 2023, the sporting community celebrated National Hunting and Fishing Day (NHFD) across the country. Thanks to the efforts of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation’s (CFS) regional and federal staff, 38 Governors and the President of the United States, issued proclamations commemorating the day. In New England alone,   Governor’s Sportsmen’s Caucus…

Why it Matters: On September 12, 2023, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation’s (CSF) Northeastern States Assistant Manager, Fred Bird submitted a letter of opposition to the Joint Committee on Revenue regarding Massachusetts (MA) House Bill (HB) 2771 An Act Establishing an Excise Tax on Ammunition. HB 2771 is very likely to result in an unintended and consequential…

Why it Matters: A public hearing will be held on Tuesday, August 15, 2023, at 1 p.m. on proposed regulatory amendments to 321 CMR 3.02 Hunting of Particular Game in Massachusetts. The proposed regulations would extend the dates of the deer archery hunting season in Wildlife Management Zones 1–9 by two weeks. For those unfamiliar…

Why it Matters: On June 26, 2023, members of the Massachusetts House introduced MA House Docket (HD) 4420 An Act Modernizing Firearm Laws, an aggressive gun control package that takes aim at a wide swath of firearm ownership and use. After its introduction, HD 4420 quickly made its way to the Joint Committee on Public…

Recent advances in technology, such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV’s), which can assist in the tracking and taking of game, have posed an ethical debate within the hunting community. Legislators and sportsmen should be mindful of Fair Chase issues and, on a state-by-state basis, determine if legislation is warranted to ensure hunting is practiced ethically…

Why It Matters: State fish and wildlife agencies are instrumental in setting the frameworks that result in the successful conservation and management of a state’s fish, wildlife, and their habitats. Sportsmen and women (including hunters, anglers, recreational shooters, and trappers) have played a crucial role in funding conservation efforts in the United States for over…