ORGANIZATIONS

The Boone and Crockett Club praised the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture's bipartisan vote advancing the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, which includes funding for the Forest Conservation Easement Program. Club president Mary Webster highlighted the bill's conservation provisions supporting wildlife habitat and voluntary working lands programs benefiting both natural resources and producers.

Turkeys for Tomorrow and Hunt Regs have partnered to collect citizen science data on wild turkey populations. Hunters can submit sightings and observations through the Hunt Regs app or website, with chances to win guided hunts as incentives for participation in this wild turkey research initiative.

More than 120 Ducks Unlimited volunteers and 25 college students from 22 universities gathered in Washington, D.C. to advocate for wetlands conservation policies including the North American Wetlands Conservation Act and Farm Bill conservation initiatives. DU CEO Adam Putnam highlighted the record attendance and the program's impact on public policy.

Women for Gun Rights state directors including Dianna Muller, Dr. Lori Blackwell, JoAnne Max, Susan Meyers, Theresa Inacker, and others successfully opposed multiple restrictive firearm bills across nine states during recent legislative sessions, with measures in Arizona, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, Utah, and Virginia failing to advance.

Gun Owners of America endorses Senator Mike Lee's National Constitutional Carry Act, which aims to restore the right to carry firearms nationwide without state permitting requirements. GOA Senior Vice President Erich Pratt stated the legislation would preempt unconstitutional state regulations on firearms, ammunition, and magazine sizes.

The House Agriculture Committee passed the bipartisan Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 with support from Ducks Unlimited. DU CEO Adam Putnam praised the conservation programs, stating they are essential to partnerships with farmers and ranchers for habitat preservation while maintaining land production.

The Mule Deer Foundation mobilized $48.3 million for mule deer and black-tailed deer conservation in 2025, restoring over 537,000 acres of habitat across 153 projects in 17 states. MDF's investment leveraged $3.60 in on-the-ground impact for every $1 invested, benefitting 129 deer herds and eliminating 149 miles of hazardous fence.

Whitetails Unlimited offers complimentary Deer Management signs and booklets to help landowners manage their properties. The PVC signs measure 11.25 inches and are suitable for use throughout the United States. Interested parties can contact Whitetails Unlimited National Headquarters at 920.743.6777 or nh@whitetailsunlimited.com to order.

Bass Pro Shops donated $15,000 to the Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports to support R3 initiatives and strengthen national hunting and shooting sports participation. The contribution will expand educational resources and professional development across wildlife agencies and conservation stakeholders.

Safari Club International's Hunter Action Fund luncheon at its 54th Annual Hunters' Convention in Nashville raised significant funds to support pro-hunting candidates and Second Amendment rights. U.S. Representative Ryan Zinke highlighted threats to sportsmen's freedoms, while SCI CEO W. Laird Hamberlin emphasized HAF's critical role in defending hunters' rights during the midterm elections.

Pass It On – Outdoor Mentors announced Marshall Starks as its first Regional Director. With over 7 years of fundraising experience and a West Point degree, Starks will establish chapters nationwide and launch fundraising events to expand mentored hunting and fishing opportunities across 40 US states within four years.

The South Carolina Waterfowl Association and its Outdoor Heritage Institute program were featured at the Safari Club International Convention in Nashville, where Founder and CEO David Wielicki presented on the South Carolina Conservation Education Act as a national model for conservation literacy. SCWA's programs, including Camp Leopold and school-based initiatives, combine classroom instruction with outdoor experiences to build youth knowledge and stewardship.

The Easton Sports Development Foundation donated $1.4 million to the USA Archery Foundation to support archery development across the United States. The grant will fund instructor training, youth programs, training centers, and high-performance coaching, honoring the legacy of Jim Easton's contributions to the sport.

SLG2, Inc. released its 2024-2025 Annual Report highlighting significant growth across its three brands: Shoot Like A Girl, Safe LivinG, and Hunt Like A Girl. The report shows 5,655 signed-in guests and an estimated 17,000 people nationwide engaged with the firearms safety and shooting sports experiences, with 87% of Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's visitors making purchases.

Turkeys for Tomorrow (TFT) is funding groundbreaking research at the University of Florida Game Lab led by Dr. Marcus Lashley examining wild turkey poult survival and habitat quality. The Poult Project, conducted in partnership with the National Wildlife Research Center in Gainesville, is studying how habitat factors affect poult growth rates and foraging success through controlled aviary experiments with GPS-tagged hen eggs from Florida's Eastern and Osceola ranges.

Pass It On – Outdoor Mentors announced Steve Windom as its new Development Director. Windom brings over 20 years of fundraising experience and will focus on major donors, foundation giving, and corporate partnerships to expand the organization's mission throughout the Midwest.

The Mule Deer Foundation praised the Administration's MABA 250 strategic initiative, which strengthens the Western Big Game Seasonal Habitat and Migration Corridors Program. CEO Greg Sheehan emphasized that continued investment in habitat connectivity and migration corridors is essential for sustaining mule deer populations across the West.

The Blacktail Deer Foundation released a restoration mapping framework developed with the U.S. Forest Service and Alaska Department of Fish and Game, identifying 80,000 acres across Southeast Alaska for Sitka black-tailed deer habitat restoration. The report combines GIS and LiDAR technology to guide active forest management that will increase deer populations, support sustainable timber harvest, and strengthen subsistence hunting communities.

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation acquired RMEF OutdoorClass, an online learning platform featuring video courses by experts John Barklow, Corey Jacobsen, Randy Newberg, and Remi Warren. The platform offers hunting instruction on elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, and pronghorn, with upcoming classes from Jason Matzinger, Nate Hosie, and Kristy Titus.

The Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports (Council) is offering $5,000 student scholarship sponsorships to support emerging Recruitment, Retention, and Reactivation (R3) research and leadership professionals attending the National R3 Symposium. Sponsors receive logo recognition and direct engagement with scholars while helping build the future workforce for hunting, shooting sports, and conservation.