Why It Matters: The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation is regarded as the most successful conservation framework in the world. However, the Model is only successful with the necessary funding behind it. For nearly 90 years, this funding has been largely (and in some states, exclusively) driven by sportsmen and women through the “user…
Why It Matters: Poaching – the illegal take of game – ranks among the greatest threats to the societal acceptance of hunting. Hunters are widely known as the original conservationists and are to thank for many of the legendary conservation success stories experienced in North America over the last century. Efforts to strengthen punishments for…
Often cited for its potential safety risks, fanning or reaping of turkeys statistically has not proven to be an unsafe act as some anecdotally claim. Simply, the data does not exist to back up the claim that the act or practice of fanning or reaping wild turkeys has a track record of casualties. Additionally, fanning…
Why It Matters: Poaching – the illegal take of game – stands in the way of professional science-based wildlife management and remains among the greatest threats to the social acceptance of hunting. Proactive measures to increase penalties for those found guilty of poaching would disincentivize bad actors from interfering with science-based wildlife management and would…
Why It Matters: The well known “user pays – public benefits” structure of the American System of Conservation Funding (ASCF) has allowed the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation to be regarded as the most successful conservation framework in the world. The successful ASCF model can be attributed to a three-tiered funding system that include:…
Why It Matters: Each year, legislators look at ways to recognize and thank certain qualified individuals/groups by providing free and/or discounted licenses for hunting, fishing, and trapping. While this is well-intended, such legislation has the potential to reap deteriorative effects on the fish and wildlife agencies’ budgets. To prevent the loss of sportsmen-generate dollars for…
Why It Matters: With no shortage of bills this year having the potential to either positively or negatively impact Tennessee’s hunters and anglers, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) is pleased to report a successful legislative session in the Volunteer State. CSF worked closely with the Tennessee Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus (Caucus) and in-state and national partners…
Why It Matters: (1) Efforts to end the Sandhill Crane season in the Volunteer State, despite historic Sandhill Crane population levels, are driven by emotion rather than science. (2) Allowing the indiscriminate baiting of Tennessee’s wildlife would contravene rules established by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the Tennessee Fish and Game Commission. (3) Poaching…
Why It Matters: The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation is widely recognized as the most successful model of wildlife management in the world. Among the seven core components that comprise the model is the key tenant that wildlife policy should be formulated using the best available science. Unfortunately, this core component is often at…
Opportunities to expand angling access throughout the country have become increasingly limited in recent years due to increases in private ownership along waterways and attendant riparian rights limiting new access construction. State authorities often have the opportunity to expand fresh water angling access through the establishment of access points when state highway transportation departments are…
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…