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

Latest Episodes:

TSV Roundup Week of February 17th, 2025 Feb 20, 2025

Show notes

During this week's edition of the Sportsmen's Voice Roundup, Fred discusses the latest news in conservation, leading off with conservation legend Will Primos' collaboration with leading organizations to promote, The Truth About Conservation through a HISTORIC firearm auction. Fred then gives several updates on legislative initiatives including the Right to Hunt and Fish (RTHF) in Iowa, new Hunter Ed programs in Georgia, bear population increase leading to management plan changes in Massachusetts, and so much more!

Takeaways

Will Primos: Will Primos is leading a campaign to promote conservation awareness by partnering with CSF and other conservation nonprofits to auction off his iconic collection of Purdey hammer shotguns - you heard it here first! Tune into the Truth About Conservation Campaign here: Know The Truth | THE TRUTH
RTHF In Iowa?: Legislation is being introduced to protect the Right to Hunt and Fish in Iowa, which has seen success in several other states including, recently, in Florida.
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative: The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is vital for maintaining fisheries and access to native fish in the Great Lakes region.

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TSV Roundup Week of February 10th, 2025 Feb 13, 2025

Show notes

During this week's edition of the Sportsmen's Voice Roundup, Fred is joined by CSF’s Bob Matthews to discuss the bipartisan support for legislative efforts to introduce hunter education in schools in Michigan and Illinois and the potential impact these bills have on youth engagement in hunting and outdoor activities. Bob highlights the collaboration between the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Education in Michigan, as well as the challenges and prospects for similar legislation in Illinois. Then, Fred covers all the other news fit to print on conservation and hunting legislation around the country, including the appointment of Governor Gianforte as Chair of the Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus, Maryland's misguided proposed lead ammunition phase-out, updates the Georgia Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, the reintroduction of the Disaster Reforestation Act, and initiatives from the Hawaii Legislative Outdoor Heritage Caucus.

Takeaways

Hunter Education In Schools: Hunter education in schools can expand the base of hunters, by providing an elective experience targeted towards teens who have not come from a hunting household that can get them outdoors. Even when ultimately unsuccessful, this kind of legislation introduced now can gain momentum for future sessions.
Get To Know The New Chair For The GSC: Governor Gianforte has a strong track record in conservation even before his term as Governor, when he served as a member of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus,
Misguided Lead Bans Stand To Hurt Hunting: Incentive-based programs for non-lead ammunition should be encouraged in Maryland, rather than an outright ban. The financial impact of hunting and fishing on conservation funding is significant.

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

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Episode 39 - The Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus With Governors Gianforte and Gordon Feb 07, 2025

Show notes

Fred and the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation have a big show today - with not one, but TWO, members of the Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus joining the program. Kicking things off is CSF’s Vice President of Policy Brent Miller who speaks to the history of the Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus, then hear from the new Chair of the Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus, Montana Governor Greg Gianforte and member of the Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon who talk about some of the sporting issues that matter to their states, what they’re working on in the year to come, and so much more! Meanwhile, in the second half of the show Fred was able to catch up with Angi Bruce of Wyoming Game And Fish as well as CSF Board Members Joe Bartozzi of NSSF and Brandon Maddox of Silencer Central at CSF’s SHOT Show reception!

Key Takeaways:

Montana Governor Greg Gianforte: Governor Gianforte, the new Chair of thew Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus, joins the program from the floor of SHOT show in Nevada to discuss our hunting and fishing heritage, the sporting issues states are fighting for, an outlook on the new federal administration, and (of course!) a shameless plug for the Sportsmen’s paradise of Montana!
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon: Governor Gordon discusses troubling 2A legislation nationwide and the comfort states receive from the support they count on in Congress fighting back against the ‘bad’ bills, and more.

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

Sign up for FREE legislative tracking through CSF’s Tracking the Capitols tool: www.congressionalsportsmen.org/tracking-the-capitols/

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TSV Roundup Week of February 3rd, 2025 Feb 05, 2025

Show notes

During this week's edition of the Sportsmen's Voice Roundup, Fred is joined by CSF Senior Manager for the Western and Midwestern States Kent Keene with some exciting news - Governor Mike Kehoe of Missouri is the 23rd active member of the Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus! Then, Fred covers other important news to the sporting community including the return of the annual attack on the New Hampshire Fish and Game Commission, Doug Burgum’s rise to Secretary of the Interior, Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus leadership for the 119th Congress, Arkansas Forestry Day at the state capitol, priority access legislation in South Carolina, and more!

Takeaways

A New Secretary Of Interior: Doug Burgum's confirmation as Secretary of the Interior is crucial for conservation efforts, and was strongly supported by CSF, as it heralds a new direction for an agency with immense regulatory control of sporting enthusiasts.
Access And Activism: Arkansas spent some time celebrating the importance of forestry management for wildlife and economy, meanwhile South Carolina introduced legislation to protect hunting access amid population growth.
Big WINS For CSF: Thanks to the support of listeners like YOU, we are in the Top 5 of the Apple charts for outdoor podcasts!

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

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TSV Roundup Week of January 27th, 2025 Jan 30, 2025

Show notes

During this week's edition of the Sportsmen's Voice Roundup, Fred covers some HUGE breaking news regarding some key conservation bills in Congress, talks challenges faced by state wildlife management authorities, and dives deep into the importance of venison donation programs, and the role of sportsmen and women in conservation efforts around the nation.

Takeaways

A New State Legislative Session Underway: It’s that time of year, with state legislative sessions under way and with them new bills to watch being introduced that may impact conservation funding and the sporting lifestyle. Get the update on what’s on the horizon in your state from Fred!
Free Licenses In Mississippi: A proposal for free licensing, which can sound great at first glance, could threaten funding for wildlife management and important sportsmen’s initiatives.
Big Changes In Washington: Governance changes in Washington could affect public input in wildlife management, highlighting the need for bipartisan support for wildlife management initiatives.
Venison Donation Drives: Venison donation programs are vital for community support of hunting and wildlife management, but inflation is impacting the sustainability of venison donation programs.

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

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Episode 38 - Recorded LIVE from the Traditions booth at SHOT Show Jan 26, 2025

Show notes

Fred is working the floor at SHOT Show and sits down with CSF partners at Traditions. Tom and Allison Hall, talk about all things muzzleloading, the new firestick technology, and new products like Traditions’ own NitroBolt – the first Firestick-capable bolt action muzzleloader which was test fired at Industry Day at the Show.

Key Takeaways:

Check Out Traditions’ NitroFire: This award winning firearm teamed up with Hodgdon Powder and Federal’s new Firestick technology to increase muzzleloader reliability, safety and accuracy
New Technology Makes Muzzleloading Accessible: This revolutionary new technology stands to welcome back hunters (and their hunter dollars spent on more gear, additional tags, and more days afield) to muzzleloading by providing a reliable, safe and accurate platform.

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

Episode: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/cnu8coavovnbqlerwr30t/38_Traditions-01-23-25.mp3?rlkey=ujk6qf9jql9dh7khiz0zk9mqg&st=6yi5xtij&dl=0

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TSV Roundup Week of January 20th, 2025 LIVE From SHOT Show Jan 24, 2025

Show notes

Fred is joined LIVE from SHOT Show 2025 by Taylor Schmitz, Director, Federal Relations. They discuss Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus members getting to work on new legislation in 2025, CSF’s new year end report (available now), 3 CSF priorities set to receive vote on the House floor, efforts to maintain recreational shooting on 1.3 million acres of public land, and so much more!

Takeaways

Caucus Members Getting To Work: A tremendous week for sportsmen in DC saw the introduction of the Hearing Protection Act, the Sporting Firearms Access Act, maintaining recreational shooting access at Bear’s Ears Monument, and more!
The Fix Our Forests Act And Fire Management: The Fix Our Forest Act aims to improve forest health by putting tools in the hands of land managers to maintain great habitat free of destructive wildfires.
CSF’s Year End Report is now available here for your review: https://online.fliphtml5.com/ainum/hchh/#p=1

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TSV Roundup Week of January 13th, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Show notes

Fred is joined by our first Roundup guest of 2025, CSF Forest Policy Director John Culclasure, to discuss significant changes in forest policy with the incoming administration and new Congress, particularly the withdrawal of the National Old Growth Amendment by the US Forest Service. They explore the implications of this decision, the ongoing debate between active management and preservation of forests, and the urgent need for effective forest management in light of increasing wildfires. Fred then covers all that’s fit to print about sporting news across the Nation - including grizzly bear delisting efforts, revisiting the SHARKED Act, air rifles and more!

Takeaways

Grizzly Delisting: It’s critical to follow the science and delist recovered animals in order to maintain the integrity of the Endangered Species Act and not dilute funding and efforts towards species that do need our help.
The SHARKED Act: CSF continues to support key legislation like the SHARKED Act which would establish a task force to work with fisheries management groups to address the problems posed by increased shark depredation

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Episode 37 - What To Expect In The New Year For Sportsmen - CSF’s Policy Forecast 2025 Jan 09, 2025

Show notes

New year, new problems? Or new opportunities to win for conservation? In this episode, Fred Bird and Brent Miller discuss CSF’s exclusive forecast for what to expect for sporting legislation in 2025 - including new legislative challenges and opportunities for the sportsmen's community, the importance of state-level wildlife management, and the impact of new leadership within CSF’s own board. Brent emphasizes the need for proactive strategies to advance pro-hunting and fishing policies, including the establishment of Wildlife Councils for Public Education and the integration of hunter education into schools. They also address the importance of retaining young hunters through College Student Licenses, and much more!

Key Takeaways:

New Year, New Challenge: The new year brings new legislative challenges and opportunities. New board leadership is energizing the sportsmen's community.
CSF’s Crushing It: The organization saw a record state legislator membership in 2024 and held a record-setting Annual NASC Sportsman-Legislator Summit. Introduced anti-sportsmen bills are on the rise, but pro-sportsmen bills are still passing in far greater numbers, thanks to CSF’s bipartisan, bicameral caucus leadership.
Retaining Hunters Is A Strategic Play: Integrating hunter education into schools can foster interest in outdoor activities. Meanwhile, college student licenses can help retain young hunters who have shown an interest in the outdoor sports.

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

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TSV Roundup Week of January 6th, 2025 Jan 08, 2025

Show notes

Welcome back to our FIRST TSV Roundup of 2025! Your host Fred Bird covers the latest updates in conservation and outdoor advocacy as we enter the new year, including new leadership on the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation (CSF) Board of Directors, significant legislative wins with both the ACE Reauthorization Act and the Explore Act being signed into law, updates from the Mississippi Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus, trends in suppressor registrations, and a reminder of the importance of voter registration for sportsmen and women.

Takeaways

Legislative Wins: The President has signed two landmark laws. ACE Reauthorization Act is a significant win for conservation. The Explorer Act enhances public land access for sportsmen.
Suppressor Registrations On The Rise: Suppressor registrations have seen a significant increase.

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

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