On Tuesday, February 5, the Washington Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus gathered at the State Capitol in Olympia to discuss sportsmen’s issues with hunting, recreational fishing and shooting and trapping groups from throughout the state. Hosted by Senator Pam Roach and sponsored by the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) and the Northwest Sportfish Industry Association, the Washington luncheon …
2013 Sportsmen’s Economic Impact Report – Washington
Annual spending by Washington sportsmen and women is seven times more than the cash receipts of the state’s commercial seafood landings ($1.4 billion vs. $193 million). Every five years in conjunction with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Survey on hunters and anglers, CSF produces a report on the economic impact hunters and anglers have on …
Summary 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 …
Considering Recreational Angling Access in Transportation Projects 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 …
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 Established with the dedicated purpose of protecting and conserving wildlife, game commissions have been understandably staffed by experts in the field throughout their existence. Such experts’ ability to make responsible and effective decisions regarding wildlife management has become contested through non-sportsmen and women pushes for representation on game commissions. Having board members that are …
Anti-Hunters Pushing for Seats on Game Commissions Read More »
Summary Preemption is the process where a higher level of government revokes the regulatory ability of a lower level of government. While such an action may seem prohibitive to local lawmakers, firearm and ammunition preemption prevents the creation of a confusing patchwork of local laws and ensures that all firearms owners within a state are …
Summary Anti dog-hunting groups oppose hunters’ use of dogs to both hunt and aid in the tracking and recovery of game. Without dogs, sportsmen and women’s success afield, along with their ability to recover game, would be severely limited. Additionally, by hunting with dogs, sportsmen and women are able to fulfill their ethical obligations as …
Summary The use of lead ammunition and lead tackle in hunting and angling is a contentious issue, with the primary concern being the potential effects on wildlife. However, to this date, there has been no documented evidence that sportsmen’s use of lead has had significant deleterious impacts on wildlife at the population level in the …
