Why It Matters: Hunters in Eastern Washington are facing new challenges from a recent Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) outbreak, which threatens deer populations and could impact hunting success in affected areas. Alongside this, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has implemented stricter ungulate regulations in response to Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), to minimize…
Why it Matters: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) provides important hunting and fishing opportunities across the country. Despite the importance that FWS lands, particularly through the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) and the National Fish Hatchery System (NFHS), play for sportsmen and women, there are often inconsistencies between state and federal regulations, as…
Why It Matters: Washington’s wolf population is growing, creating complex management challenges that impact sportsmen, ranchers, and the public alike. The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) holds a seat on the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (WDFW) Wolf Advisory Group (WAG), ensuring that the sportsmen’s voice helps shape wolf management policies that balance predator recovery…
Why It Matters: The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (WDFW) Budget and Policy Advisory Group (BPAG) plays a critical role in shaping sustainable wildlife management and funding strategies. The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation’s (CSF) continued representation through Assistant Manager, Northwestern States Marie Neumiller’s reappointment ensures that the sportsmen’s voice remains central to these discussions. This…
Why It Matters: Anti-hunting groups have been seeking a restructuring of representation on Washington’s Fish and Wildlife Commission (Commission), which over the years has shifted Washington’s wildlife management away from the science-based, sportsmen-funded model that supports conservation, instead favoring a preservation-based “precautionary” model. Over time, this has eroded the public’s role in rulemaking, reduced hunting…
Why It Matters: Washington’s outdoor heritage relies heavily on the contributions of trappers, anglers, and hunters who utilize natural resources responsibly to support wildlife management and local economies. House Bill 1775, which seeks to prohibit activities related to the production and manufacturing of fur products, poses potential and significant challenges to these time-honored traditions. As…
Why It Matters: During the 2023 legislative session, the Washington Legislature commissioned a $300,000 study to review the governance, climate adaptability, and the mandate of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). The results of that study have led some legislators to consider sweeping revisions to the WDFW governance structure. One of the seven…
Why It Matters: As the Washington State 2025 legislative session nears, we are anticipating that several anti-gun bills will be revisited. Previous sponsors of Washington House Bill 1902 have demonstrated public support for renewing a “permit to purchase” bill that failed in 2024. Bills like this place unnecessary burdens on local police departments, legal hunters…
Why It Matters: Chronic Wasting Disease is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) that impacts members of the cervid family including deer, elk, caribou, and moose. This highly transmissible neurological disease is always fatal to infected animals, complicating wildlife management. While there is currently no evidence of CWD passing from deer to humans the CDC does…
Why It Matters: State fish and wildlife agencies throughout our country are tasked with the difficult job of balancing recreation with conservation and wildlife management. Extra work goes into special hunts and the raffle permit systems. The carefully planned 2024-2025 special hunt season in Washington State was thrown into chaos after a software error was…
Why It Matters: This past week, the fish and game Commissions for both Montana and Washington State reviewed their mountain lion quotas and hunting seasons. Montana took an ecosystem approach and aimed for harvests that were sustainable for both mountain lions and ungulates while maintaining hunting opportunities. Washington focused solely on mountain lion populations with…