On May 20, the Texas State House of Representatives passed SJR 22 – a constitutional amendment that would protect hunting and fishing in the Texas Bill of Rights. The amendment, after passing both chambers of the Texas State Legislature, will now be placed on the November 3 ballot to be ratified by the state’s voters. …
On September 25, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) brought its mission to Minute Maid Park in Houston, to celebrate sportsmen and women in Texas and throughout the country. “Texas Bass, Bucks & Boots” brought together federal and state legislators and several CSF partners to discuss priorities in the sportsmen’s community and celebrate the deep-rooted sporting …
In a step to enhance recreational fishing in the Gulf of Mexico, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) Director Jim Watson signed a new Interim Policy Document (IPD) regarding the conversion of decommissioned oil and gas platforms into artificial reefs, also known as “Rigs to Reef” policy. This policy replaces the 2009 policy addendum …
BATON ROUGE – Governor Bobby Jindal, Texas Governor Rick Perry, Florida Governor Rick Scott and Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant are calling on Congress to allow the states to take control over management of the red snapper fishery in the Gulf of Mexico. In a letter to Congressional leadership, the governors declared federal fisheries management “irretrievably …
Click here to download a PDF of this article. On Sunday January 29th, 60 Minutes got a story on the positive effects of hunting mostly right. This is a story every sportsmen and American who cares about the environment needs to understand. For decades Texas ranches have imported and bred exotic species, some of which …
The Story Behind the 60 Minutes Report on U.S. Game Ranches Read More »
Summary 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 …
Introduction 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 …
Summary In keeping with the present framework of the American System of Conservation Funding, a state-level sales tax on outdoor gear can provide an additional dedicated revenue source for agencies that manage both game and non-game species. Introduction Conservation funding in the United States is largely a “user pays – public benefits” structure in which …
Summary 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 …
Summary Red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico is a prime example of how a management scheme designed for one sector (commercial) ultimately penalized the other (recreational). Despite the healthiest population of Gulf red snapper in recorded history, recreational anglers recently faced decreasing season lengths until 2017. Fortunately, the Gulf Council passed Amendment 50 to …
