The Sportsmen's Voice | Hunting, Fishing and Conservation Advocacy with Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation

A radical ballot measure is gaining momentum, and hunters nationwide should pay attention.

Conservation policy battles are heating up across the country, but one proposal in Oregon continues to demand national attention. This week’s Sportsmen’s Voice Roundup examines the latest developments surrounding Oregon’s IP 28 ballot initiative, a measure that could dramatically impact hunting, fishing, wildlife management, and the future of sportsmen-led conservation.

CSF’s Marie Neumiller joins the show to break down where the petition process currently stands, why signature verification remains a critical hurdle, and what hunters and anglers across the country should understand about the growing effort to restrict traditional outdoor pursuits through ballot initiatives. While IP 28 has not officially qualified for the 2026 ballot, the conversation around it is already influencing public perceptions of hunting and wildlife conservation.

Fred also covers discussions in Kansas about restoring a fall turkey hunting season, major wins for recreational anglers in Louisiana’s menhaden fishery, legislative victories in New York that prevented harmful restrictions on hunters, and ongoing efforts to expand Sunday hunting opportunities in Massachusetts.

Whether you care about turkey hunting, recreational fishing, wildlife habitat management, public policy, or the future of conservation, this conversation provides valuable insight into the challenges and opportunities shaping America’s outdoor traditions.

Follow the show for more weekly hunting and fishing conversations shaping the future of the outdoors.

Get the FREE Sportsmen’s Voice e-publication in your inbox every Monday: www.congressionalsportsmen.org/newsletter

 

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Inside the policy fights quietly shaping hunting access, fisheries management, and public land conservation nationwide.

For 250 years, America’s hunters and anglers have shaped the country’s conservation legacy. In this conversation, leaders from the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation break down the modern legislative victories protecting public access, healthy wildlife populations, and the future of hunting and fishing traditions nationwide.

CSF President and CEO Jeff Crane and Senior Vice President Taylor Schmitz unpack landmark wins like the Great American Outdoors Act, expanded red snapper seasons, right-to-hunt-and-fish constitutional protections, and the growing push for active forest management across America’s public lands. The conversation dives deep into how sportsmen and women continue funding conservation through excise taxes, why access to quality hunting and fishing opportunities depends on sound policy, and how bipartisan coalitions are still delivering results in Washington, DC, and state capitals alike.

From waterfowl hunting access and turkey habitat management to fisheries modernization and wildfire prevention, this episode highlights the often unseen work protecting America’s outdoor traditions. It’s also a candid look at the challenges ahead as urbanization, shifting public attitudes, and declining outdoor participation continue reshaping the conservation landscape.

 

Follow the show for more weekly hunting, fishing, and conservation policy conversations.

 

Get the FREE Sportsmen’s Voice e-publication in your inbox every Monday: ⁠www.congressionalsportsmen.org/newsletter⁠ 
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A major win for sportsmen and women arrives as critical access and conservation fights continue.

The conservation landscape never stays quiet for long. This week’s Sportsmen’s Voice Roundup covers a major milestone for sportsmen and women nationwide as North Carolina Governor Josh Stein becomes the 29th member of the Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus, strengthening bipartisan support for hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation at the highest levels of state government.

CSF’s Conner Barker joins the show to explain why gubernatorial engagement matters and how direct relationships with governors can help advance pro-sportsmen legislation while stopping harmful policies before they become law. The conversation also explores several pressing issues facing North Carolina hunters, including ongoing efforts to modernize the state’s Sunday hunting restrictions and improve access for sportsmen across diverse hunting opportunities ranging from coastal waterfowl hunting to black bear, deer, and turkey hunting.

The episode also delivers updates from around the country. In New Hampshire, efforts to secure much-needed conservation funding through hunting and fishing license fee increases have been delayed. In Michigan, lawmakers are considering proposals that would expand commercial fishing practices for walleye, yellow perch, and lake trout, raising concerns among anglers and conservation advocates. Out west, California legislators continue debating several bills affecting bowhunters, firearm owners, and public land hunting access.

Whether you're following wildlife conservation policy, public land access, hunting regulations, or fisheries management, this roundup provides a practical look at the decisions shaping the future of America’s sporting traditions.

Follow the show for more weekly hunting and fishing conversations shaping the future of the outdoors.

Get the FREE Sportsmen’s Voice e-publication in your inbox every Monday: www.congressionalsportsmen.org/newsletter

 

Follow The Sportsmen’s Voice wherever you get your podcasts: https://podfollow.com/1705085498 
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New technology could reshape whale conservation while opening opportunities for anglers nationwide.

As summer kicks into gear, this week’s Sportsmen’s Voice Roundup covers major developments affecting hunters, anglers, and outdoor recreationists across the country.

Chris Horton, Senior Director of Fisheries Policy at the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, joins the conversation to break down a significant federal review of North Atlantic Right Whale vessel speed regulations. Learn why recreational anglers and offshore boaters have been engaged in this debate for years, how emerging marine technology could improve whale conservation efforts, and why many believe innovation offers a better path forward than broad boating restrictions.

The discussion explores advancements in marine electronics, acoustic monitoring, satellite imagery, artificial intelligence, and other tools that could help boaters avoid whale interactions while maintaining access to productive fishing grounds. Listeners will also gain insight into the broader challenges facing marine fisheries management and how conservation policy continues to evolve alongside technology.

The roundup also highlights recent legislative victories for sportsmen and women, including updates on Sunday hunting opportunities in Maryland and new public hunting land protections in South Carolina through no-net-loss legislation.

Follow the show for more weekly hunting and fishing conversations shaping the future of the outdoors.

Get the FREE Sportsmen’s Voice e-publication in your inbox every Monday: www.congressionalsportsmen.org/newsletter

 

Follow The Sportsmen’s Voice wherever you get your podcasts: https://podfollow.com/1705085498 
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America’s wildlife comeback story began with hunters recognizing conservation before the rest of the nation.

America’s conservation system didn’t begin in Washington. It started with hunters, anglers, and outdoorsmen recognizing that wildlife populations and wild places were disappearing across the continent.

In this conversation, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation launches the Hunt Fish 250 campaign with a deep dive into the origins of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, the public trust doctrine, and the sporting traditions that shaped the nation itself. Simon Roosevelt and James Cummins trace the roots of hunting and fishing from Native American land stewardship and subsistence living to Theodore Roosevelt, the Boone and Crockett Club, and the early conservation movement that saved species like whitetail deer, bison, and wild turkey from collapse.

The discussion explores how fair chase hunting, habitat management, public lands conservation, and wildlife science became foundational American values. Listeners will also hear how landmark legislation like the Lacey Act, Pittman-Robertson Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and Sport Fish Restoration Act transformed modern wildlife management and conservation funding.

This is a conversation about more than hunting rights or fishing access. It’s about why hunters and anglers remain central to protecting wildlife habitat, managing forests and wetlands, funding conservation, and ensuring future generations can experience the outdoors the same way Americans have for centuries.

 

Follow the show for more weekly hunting, fishing, and conservation policy conversations.

 

Get the FREE Sportsmen’s Voice e-publication in your inbox every Monday: ⁠www.congressionalsportsmen.org/newsletter⁠ 
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