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

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Fred Bird hosts The Sportsmen's Voice, a podcast from the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation dedicated to conservation, hunting, and fishing advocacy. Join us as we explore key issues in hunting, fishing, outdoor access, gun rights and wildlife management. CSF exists to inform, influence and defend policies that protect and promote our outdoor traditions. Listen in as Fred delivers the most important news and explores the most pressing topics in the hunting, fishing, gun rights and outdoor heritage spaces.

  1. Sunday Hunting Victory in Pennsylvania: A Conservation Milestone

    1D AGO

    Sunday Hunting Victory in Pennsylvania: A Conservation Milestone

    A decades-long fight ends, opening new opportunity for hunters across Pennsylvania.   Pennsylvania has officially expanded Sunday hunting, marking one of the most significant conservation policy wins in the Northeast. After years of stalled efforts and narrow defeats, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation along with the Pennsylvania Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus Members, the Pennsylvania Game Commission, and a broad coalition of conservation groups worked together to roll back long-standing restrictions and restore access for sportsmen and women.   Championed by Representatives Mandy Steele and Anita Kulik, and signed into law by Governor Josh Shapiro, the legislation gives the Game Commission authority to fully incorporate Sundays into regulated hunting seasons. For working families balancing youth sports, church, and packed schedules, the added day means more time afield and on the waterways, and greater opportunity to mentor new hunters.   Beyond access, the impact stretches into wildlife management and agriculture. Expanded hunting days can help address crop damage from high deer populations, reduce deer-vehicle collisions, and support long-term conservation funding through license sales. Early reports from wardens indicate strong participation and heartfelt appreciation from families finally able to hunt together on Sundays.   This milestone also sets a precedent for regional states like Maine and Massachusetts, where full prohibitions remain. Pennsylvania’s success proves that bipartisan collaboration, strong data, and a unified conservation community can deliver meaningful change for the outdoors.   Follow the show for more weekly hunting and fishing conversations.   Get the FREE Sportsmen’s Voice e-publication in your inbox every Monday: www.congressionalsportsmen.org/newsletter  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    35 min
  2. TSV Roundup Week of February 16th, 2026

    2D AGO

    TSV Roundup Week of February 16th, 2026

    Longer red snapper seasons could transform South Atlantic fishing opportunities this year. Momentum is building for South Atlantic red snapper anglers from Florida to North Carolina. After years of frustrating two-day federal seasons, state-led data collection reforms may finally open the door to significantly expanded access. Florida is requesting a 39-day season, while Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina are pursuing up to 62 days through exempted fishing permits and mandatory reporting programs. The shift mirrors the Gulf of Mexico’s success, where state management and improved recreational fishing data expanded red snapper seasons from just three days to more than 100 days in some states. At the heart of the debate is how catch, release mortality, and discard estimates are calculated in offshore fisheries management. Better, angler-driven reporting could convert estimated dead discards into real harvest opportunity while maintaining sustainable biomass levels. Beyond saltwater fishing policy, this week covers right to hunt and fish protections in New Hampshire, license reimbursement reform in Mississippi, drone-assisted deer recovery legislation in Iowa and South Dakota, and prescribed fire projects in Vermont’s Green Mountain National Forest. From White-tailed deer management and elk recovery to forest habitat restoration and conservation funding, these battles shape the future of hunting, fishing, and the outdoors nationwide. Follow the show for more weekly hunting and fishing conversations. Follow the show for more weekly hunting and fishing conversations. 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  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    31 min
  3. Hunter Education in Schools and the Future of Hunting Heritage

    FEB 12

    Hunter Education in Schools and the Future of Hunting Heritage

    The fight for hunting heritage is happening in classrooms and state capitols. The future of hunting, fishing, and America’s outdoor traditions depends on more than recruitment. It hinges on smart conservation policy, access to quality land, and educating the next generation about their role on the landscape. Leaders from the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation break down proactive legislation shaping the sporting future across the Midwest and West. From hunter education in schools to bipartisan firearm safety efforts, they explain how states like Michigan and Arkansas are building pathways for youth exposure to hunting, conservation funding, and responsible firearm ownership. The conversation goes deeper than recruitment. You’ll hear why the American System of Conservation Funding must be taught alongside physical science, how wildlife councils in Colorado and Michigan are reshaping public perception of hunters, and why access programs in Wisconsin are critical for maintaining quality hunting and fishing opportunities. This is an insider look at how state legislators, fish and wildlife agencies, and sportsmen’s groups are protecting access, strengthening conservation funding, and defending private property rights. If you care about waterfowl hunting, deer management, public land access, or the long-term future of our outdoor heritage, this conversation matters. Follow the show for more weekly hunting and fishing conversations.   Get the FREE Sportsmen’s Voice e-publication in your inbox every Monday: www.congressionalsportsmen.org/newsletter  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    27 min
  4. TSV Roundup Week of February 9th, 2026

    FEB 11

    TSV Roundup Week of February 9th, 2026

    Wildlife policy battles are reshaping hunting access, conservation funding, and forest management nationwide. Fred breaks down the most consequential conservation news impacting hunters, anglers, and the broader outdoors community. From prestigious recognition in the hunting world to legislative fights that could redefine wildlife management, this conversation goes beyond headlines and into what it means for boots-on-the-ground sportsmen. Jeff Crane’s receipt of the Peter H. Capstick Hunting Heritage Award underscores the power of strong leadership in conservation. But while individual achievements are worth celebrating, policy decisions in states like Indiana, Maryland, and Arizona could have lasting effects on waterfowl hunting, big game seasons, veteran hunting access, and the science-based management model that has long defined North American wildlife conservation. We examine the controversy over lead ammunition restrictions in Maryland and what it means for hunter participation, economic accessibility, and Second Amendment-adjacent debates. We also unpack how changes to natural resources commissions can disrupt science-driven wildlife policy, and why bipartisan conservation legislation remains essential to protecting hunting and fishing traditions. Finally, we explore proactive forest management and wildfire mitigation critical issues for elk hunting habitat, whitetail range, and public land access. If you care about the future of hunting, fishing, and conservation policy, this episode delivers the context you need to stay informed and engaged. Follow the show for more weekly hunting and fishing conversations. 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  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    27 min
  5. Who Pays for Conservation? Michigan’s Fight for Wildlife Funding and Access

    FEB 5

    Who Pays for Conservation? Michigan’s Fight for Wildlife Funding and Access

    License fees, fish hatcheries, and hunter education collide in Michigan’s high-stakes conservation debate. Michigan’s outdoor heritage runs on a model many hunters and anglers take for granted: user-funded conservation. Michigan DNR Deputy Director Shannon Lott and State Senator John Bumstead pull back the curtain on how hunting and fishing license dollars actually keep fisheries stocked, wildlife managed, and public lands open. The discussion centers on Michigan’s long-overdue license fee restructuring and why it matters now more than ever. Rising costs have put pressure on fish hatcheries, Great Lakes stocking programs, and wildlife management budgets that are funded almost entirely by sportsmen and women. When license revenue falls short, the ripple effects show up fast, from threatened stocking cuts to deferred maintenance on state lands relied on by hunters, anglers, and outdoor recreationists. With fewer legislators holding hunting or fishing licenses, education has become critical. From the role of Sportsmen’s Caucuses to the importance of maintaining agency authority grounded in science, the episode highlights how conservation policy is shaped long before it reaches the field. A major focus lands on Hunter Education in schools and why early exposure to firearm safety, conservation funding, and outdoor traditions matters for the future of hunting, fishing, and public access. Take a candid look at who pays into the system, who doesn’t, and why protecting this funding model is essential for Michigan’s outdoor economy and way of life.   Get the FREE Sportsmen’s Voice e-publication in your inbox every Monday: www.congressionalsportsmen.org/newsletter  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    29 min
  6. TSV Roundup Week of February 2nd, 2026

    FEB 4

    TSV Roundup Week of February 2nd, 2026

    From classrooms to statehouses, the future of hunting access is being decided right now. State legislatures are moving fast, and the decisions being made right now will shape hunting and fishing access for decades. This nationwide conservation roundup breaks down the most important policy fights affecting sportsmen and women, from the Southeast to the Great Plains. The conversation opens with Tennessee’s push to expand hunter education opportunities by allowing schools to offer voluntary hunter safety courses for grades five through twelve. The discussion explores why early exposure to hunting ethics, firearms safety, and wildlife management matters, and how similar efforts have already gained bipartisan support in states like Georgia and Michigan. Out West, attention turns to Wyoming, where proposed legislation could affect transferable landowner tags, the use of tracking dogs for wounded game, and funding structures for state fish and wildlife agencies. These policies directly influence elk hunting access, fair-chase recovery practices, and long-term conservation funding. In the Northeast, Massachusetts presents a major opportunity with potential Sunday hunting rollbacks and expanded crossbow inclusion during archery season. The stakes are high for whitetail deer management, Lyme disease concerns, and giving working families more time afield. The roundup closes in the Midwest, covering Kansas efforts to reimburse wildlife agencies for discounted licenses and an Iowa proposal aimed at increasing political participation among hunters and anglers through voter registration. For anyone who hunts, fishes, or cares about protecting outdoor traditions, this episode connects policy to real-world impact and explains why showing up at the state level has never mattered more. 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  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    20 min
  7. Public Lands Under Fire: Policy Battles Shaping America’s Wildlife Future

    JAN 29

    Public Lands Under Fire: Policy Battles Shaping America’s Wildlife Future

    Behind closed doors, lawmakers decide the future of hunting, fishing, and access to public lands.   Host Fred Bird sits down with a panel of seasoned policy experts to unpack one of the most consequential issues facing hunters and anglers today: the fight over public lands and wildlife management. This isn’t surface-level debate—it’s a clear-eyed look at how decisions are actually made, who influences them, and why sportsmen need to pay attention long before legislation hits the headlines.   Joined by CSF’s Sr VP Taylor Schmitz, and Delta Waterfowl’s Chief Policy Officer, John Devney and VP of Government Affairs, Cyrus Baird, the crew breaks down the recent public lands battle and explains the formal process that governs how federal lands are managed, from National Wildlife Refuges to multi-use landscapes critical for hunting access and fishing opportunity. Listeners will gain insight into the outsized role state legislators play in shaping land use policy, wildlife funding, and access for future generations of hunters, anglers, and outdoor families.   Fred and his guests also explore the growing importance of caucus networks—organized groups of lawmakers and advocates working behind the scenes to protect wildlife habitat, sustain public access, and keep conservation grounded in sound science. The discussion highlights the challenges facing the National Wildlife Refuge System, including declining awareness and the real consequences that come with disengaged communities.   This episode equips sportsmen with the context needed to engage intelligently, advocate effectively, and ensure America’s public lands remain places where hunting, fishing, and outdoor traditions can thrive.   Get the FREE Sportsmen’s Voice e-publication in your inbox every Monday: www.congressionalsportsmen.org/newsletter  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    31 min
  8. TSV Roundup Week of January 26th, 2026

    JAN 28

    TSV Roundup Week of January 26th, 2026

    A once-in-a-generation vote could decide the future of hunting, fishing, and wildlife management in New Hampshire.   Across the country, hunting and fishing traditions face mounting pressure from declining participation and well-funded opposition. In New Hampshire, that reality has sparked a pivotal effort to amend the state constitution and permanently secure the right to hunt, fish, and trap using traditional methods.   This conversation breaks down why that fight matters now, what CACR 15 actually does, and what it absolutely does not. Listeners gain clarity on how constitutional protection differs from statute, why wildlife laws remain unchanged, and how private property rights, seasons, bag limits, and enforcement stay firmly intact. The discussion goes deeper into how hunting and fishing license sales fund boots-on-the-ground conservation through the American System of Conservation Funding (ASCF), the “user-pays-public benefits” model, supporting fisheries management, waterfowl habitat, backcountry trout streams, and healthy wildlife populations statewide.   The episode also tackles common misconceptions around trapping, hound hunting, baiting, and fears of unchecked harvest, grounding each concern in real regulatory frameworks and science-based management. From bobcat population debates to the growing role of anglers and hunters in habitat restoration and clean waterways, this is a clear-eyed look at how outdoor heritage connects directly to conservation outcomes.   Woven throughout are updates on fisheries legislation, invasive species management, public lands advocacy, and the broader national landscape shaping the future of hunting, fishing, and the outdoors. For sportsmen and women who care about access, funding, and the long game of wildlife management, this is required listening. 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  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    30 min
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4.8
out of 5
27 Ratings

About

Fred Bird hosts The Sportsmen's Voice, a podcast from the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation dedicated to conservation, hunting, and fishing advocacy. Join us as we explore key issues in hunting, fishing, outdoor access, gun rights and wildlife management. CSF exists to inform, influence and defend policies that protect and promote our outdoor traditions. Listen in as Fred delivers the most important news and explores the most pressing topics in the hunting, fishing, gun rights and outdoor heritage spaces.

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