State: NE

Why It Matters: Firearms have long been one of the most important tools for participating in our outdoor traditions. Recognizing this, the Nebraska legislature is considering two bills that would respectively protect firearm purchasers from having their firearm and ammunition purchases tracked while also protecting the firearm industry from discriminatory business practices. Highlights: Nebraska Legislative…

Why it Matters: Excise taxes imposed on firearms and ammunition at the state level place an overly burdensome expenditure on the backs of sportsmen and women. Firearms and ammunition are already subject to federal excise taxes at the manufacturer-level through the widely celebrated Pittman-Robertson Act which funds a variety of hunting, shooting, and wildlife conservation-related…

Why it Matters: In August of 2023, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) expanded hunting opportunities for mountain lions by establishing the new Niobrara Unit. Commissioners are again looking to create more opportunities for hunters to hit the fields and attempt to harvest a mountain lion by potentially expanding into the Wildcat Hills Unit….

Why It Matters: The Nebraska legislative session saw its fair share of legislation that would ultimately have negative impacts on the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission funding. There were multiple bills aimed at offering free and discounted licenses and a bill to divert millions of dollars away from Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Despite these…

Why It Matters: Millions of sportsmen-generated dollars have been protected in Nebraska after critical amendments were made to Legislative Bill 1413 prior to the bill being signed into law by the Governor. The original version of LB 1413 would have redirected $7,000,000 from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission state game fund and $2,500,000 from…

Why It Matters: State fish and wildlife agencies rely on hunters, anglers, and recreational shooting sports participants to support their conservation efforts through the unique “user pays – public benefits” American System of Conservation Funding (ASCF). Through the ASCF, state fish and wildlife agencies not only collect funds from the hunting or fishing licenses sold,…

Why It Matters: Legislative efforts to offer discounted or no-cost licenses for certain demographics, most commonly veterans, continue to be increasingly common across the country. It is no different in the Great Plains, as Nebraska has introduced several bills that would offer both discounted and no-cost licenses for resident and nonresident veterans that, if passed…

Many sportsmen and women depend on federal lands managed by agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for access to activities like hunting, fishing and recreational shooting. As these agencies develop strategies to manage federal lands, it is critical for those who support these activities…

Lack of access is one of the biggest issues facing sportsmen and women today and is reported as the number one reason (over which state agencies have control) that lapsed hunters and anglers cite when asked why they no longer hunt or fish. In an attempt to address this issue, land access programs have been…

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a progressive, fatal, degenerative neurological disease occurring in farmed and free-ranging deer, elk, caribou, and moose. The disease was first recognized in 1967 as a clinical ‘wasting’ syndrome of unknown cause in captive mule deer in Colorado. CWD belongs to the family of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs)….

Properly managed wildlife habitat is essential for supporting sustainable and healthy wildlife populations. Well-managed lands containvarious successional stages that provide a diversity of habitats capable of supporting a diversity of wildlife. On federal lands, however, young forests and other early seral habitats are often underrepresented. The most efficient method to improve wildlife habitat is through…