Join us for breakfast hosted by our partners at Wild Sheep Foundation.

Eastern Breakout Session
8:00 - 9:00 (State Caucus Updates)
Hear from Northeastern and Southeastern CSF’s States Program Team members as they present on the activities of state caucuses, highlighting unique examples of events, communications deliverables, and key policy victories.

9:00 - 9:30 (Policy Options that Address Human/Wildlife Conflict and Support our Outdoor Traditions)
Human-wildlife conflicts are common throughout the country. From feral hogs, ungulates, and predators negatively impacting various forms of agriculture, to deer-vehicle collisions, to bird strikes at airports, every state has its own challenges when it comes to human-wildlife conflict. In most instances, hunting and trapping have been proven to be the most effective methods for managing wildlife populations to reduce human-wildlife conflict while also supporting conservation funding. This session will cover policy options to provide opportunities for sportsmen and women to address some of today’s wildlife management challenges.

9:30 - 10:00 (Mixed Fowl: A Discussion on Goose Management in the Atlantic Flyway)
This discussion seeks to educate legislators on the challenges that surround management approaches for resident goose populations in the Atlantic Flyway.

10:00 - 10:30 (Trail Cameras: Current Conversations and Policy Interventions to Address Localized Concerns)
This session will dive into Trail Cameras and the current events surrounding their use on both private and public lands. The discussion will cover topics around technology, legal use, ethics and challenges faced by states, users, and the general public.

Western Breakout Session
8:00 - 9:00 (State Caucus Updates)
Hear from Midwestern and Western CSF’s States Program Team members as they present on the activities of state caucuses, highlighting unique examples of events, communications deliverables, and key policy victories.

9:00 - 9:30 (The Commitment to State Wildlife Agencies)
State wildlife agencies and their commissions are being called to conserve more species and ensure they are relevant to stakeholders beyond the sporting community. The people running these institutions will need more money, and perhaps more authority, to do so. Efforts are underway to address all the above, but they are too often presented as disparate. We’ll examine these challenges – and solutions – together, and discuss how your states can play a role in crafting the future of wildlife management in this country.

9:30 - 10:00 (Wildlife Crossings: The Fight for Funding)
Due to the ever-expanding nature of development, wildlife habitat has become increasingly dissected across much of the United States. While the effects of habitat fragmentation can carry consequences for a variety of species, arguably no group faces the extent of challenges that fragmentation poses for migratory species. During this session, experts from sportsmen groups representing some of our nation’s most iconic migratory big game species will discuss these challenges, recent victories designed to address these impacts, and future opportunities for legislation to benefit for migratory big game species and the sportsmen and women who pursue them.

10:00 - 10:30 (Outdoor Recreational Infrastructure: Local Investments Yielding Significant Results for Sportsmen and Rural Economies)
Sportsmen and women pride themselves on their support for both the American System of Conservation Funding and the local, rural economies that benefit from our time-honored outdoor traditions. While the sporting-conservation community has rightfully focused much of its efforts on securing quality access for sportsmen and women, the conversation around access is growing beyond its historic focus on the places in which we actually hunt, fish, and trap. From local lodging and dining options to other critical needs, there are many factors that drive access and opportunity, and therefore influence the outdoor economy. Join us for a conversation discussing the importance of outdoor recreational infrastructure and steps that sportsmen and women, state fish and wildlife agencies, and state legislators can take to promote these activities in their districts.

Join us for a refreshment break in the exhibitor area and stop by exhibitor booths to enter a raffle.

(Eastern Breakout Session)
State Fish and Wildlife Agency Directors from the Northeast and Southeast regions will participate in a moderated panel discussion on a variety of high priority issues that agencies are presently dealing with.

(Western Breakout Session)
State Fish and Wildlife Agency Directors from across the Western and Midwestern Regions will participate in a moderated panel discussion on a variety of high-priority policy issues that agencies are presently dealing with.

Join us for lunch hosted by National Trappers Association and Fur Takers of America to discuss the crucial role that trapping and predator management plays in conservation.

1:00 - 1:30 (Protecting the Privacy of Firearm Buyers and Protecting the Firearm Industry from Frivolous Lawsuits)
New laws are critical to ensure that financial institutions and credit card companies are prohibited from sharing customers’ private financial information when purchasing firearms, ammunition and other related components and accessories. The Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act is necessary to prevent the potential exploitation of customer privacy and denial of services by politically motivated activists. The firearm industry is facing attacks on all fronts, but many have moved to the states where "public nuisance" laws are being pushed as an end-around to bypass the federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which protects members of the firearm industry against lawsuits for the criminal misuse of its lawfully manufactured and sold products.

1:30 - 2:00 (The Battle over Firearm Access– How the Outdoor Community is Pushing Back Against the Ongoing Attacks that Threaten Hunting, Recreational Shooting & Conservation Funding)
Each year, sportsmen and women generate millions of dollars for state fish & wildlife agencies across the country through hunting and fishing license fees and through federal excise taxes paid on sporting related goods such as firearms and ammunition. Ongoing attempts to restrict firearm access for lawful hunting and recreational shooting threatens conservation funding and frustrates R3 efforts. This panel discussion will look at how the outdoor community is responding to threats in several states across the country and why it’s important we protect this critical funding.

2:00 - 2:15 (Competitive Fishing Events - Good or Bad?):
In 1967, B.A.S.S. founder Ray Scott sparked a movement in the angling community when he convinced 100 die hard bass anglers to pay a fee to fish competitively against one another for a trophy, bragging rights, and a portion of the entry fees. Today, there are tens of thousands of competitive fishing events across the nation for bass, walleye, crappie, catfish, redfish, king mackerel and many, many other species. However, what do fishing tournaments mean for our fisheries resources and our economy?

2:15 - 2:25 (Rigs-to-Reefs - Saving Important Fisheries Habitat One Platform at a Time):
If you have ever fished offshore in the Gulf of Mexico from Alabama to Texas, chances are, you found fish near an offshore oil and gas platform. These hard structures that dot the Gulf provide valuable habitat for fish, corals and invertebrates and important fishing destinations for anglers and commercial fishermen alike. Unfortunately, many have been removed through decommissioning, but we at CSF are working to ensure those that remain can have an opportunity to be permanently converted artificial fish meccas.

2:25 - 2:40 (Restoring Coastal Habitat and Angler Success in Louisiana):
CCA Louisiana has a long history of partnering with local and national companies to restore habitat through building artificial reefs and floating islands, promoting new fish habitats and replacing disappearing lands along the coast and beyond.

2:40 - 3:00 (Saving Whales Without Sacrificing Access):
A proposed rule to limit vessel speeds to 10 knots currently under consideration by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in an attempt to protect the North Atlantic right whale will have drastic consequences for anglers, boaters, and many maritime businesses along the East Coast. While whale conservation is a priority for anglers, recreational boaters, and all who work and play along the Atlantic Coast, the rule, as proposed, will do little for North Atlantic right whale conservation while inflicting significant economic harm for East Coast communities. However, there is a better approach.

Join us for a refreshment break in the exhibitor area and stop by exhibitor booths to enter a raffle.

This session will focus on distilling down the impacts of recent court decisions to arm state legislative sportsmen’s caucus members with the necessary facts and talking points to combat misguided policy proposals that the courts have already ruled on.

Every year across the country, there are bills introduced that aim to provide certain segments of the population with free or discounted hunting and fishing licenses. While many of these bills are well intended and could eliminate potential barriers of entry to the outdoors or thank individuals for some level of public service, the passage of these bills can negatively impact funding for conservation. This session will discuss model legislation to protect conservation funding for state fish and wildlife agencies while retaining the ability for legislatures to provide free or discounted hunting and fishing licenses.

This session will explore the history of the right to hunt, fish, and harvest wildlife constitutional amendments (RTHF). Speakers will discuss recommended language and legislative strategy for advancing RTHF to protect our time-honored traditions and provide examples from various states where RTHF has been used to protect against attempts to restrict hunting or fishing.

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CSF President and CEO Jeff Crane and NASC Executive Council President Rep. Jeff Goley (NH) will make closing remarks; host state legislators will be recognized; awards will be given to legislators from each region, a state agency, and key NASC partners; and new Executive Council members will be announced. The host state and location of the 2024 NASC Sportsman-Legislator Summit will also be announced.

The evening is not over yet, as activities will continue with a cigar reception hosted by Reynolds American. A variety of cigars, hors d'oeuvres, and liquid refreshments will be provided, signifying the kickoff of this year's NASC Summit. Attendees are encouraged to join their colleagues for a toast to a productive conference and discuss plans for the next legislative session.