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#conservation

Standing up for Public Lands

Monday, May 12, 2025
Written by Shotgun Life Staff
Categories: Briefs
Tags: #americanwoodcocksociety, #conservation, #huntingonpubliclands, #ruffedgrousesociety, #wingshooting

May 9, 2025 by Ruffed Grouse Society — Last week the U.S. House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee passed a budget bill ordering the sale of thousands of acres of public lands in Utah and Nevada.

Using a budget bill is an unacceptable departure from the proper means of evaluating land transactions. Existing laws for sale or exchange of public lands require due process and the return of revenue to the public land system. A budget bill meets neither requirement, preventing evaluation and diverting revenue to the Treasury.

RGS & AWS is joining many partners in advocating the removal of the land sale provisions from the forthcoming budget bill on the House floor. Before a budget bill is enacted, it must also be approved by the Senate. The process could take several weeks or longer.

At RGS & AWS, our commitment to conserving wildlife habitat is simultaneous with keeping public lands secure. This reflects our community’s values – and is a message we underscore with our elected leaders as they weigh decisions about public lands policy. That guides our work in Washington, D.C., where we engage on a bipartisan basis to increase public access – not reduce it – and enhance conservation value, not lose it.

The House budget bill further complicates this equation. Since the amendment was advanced through the budget reconciliation process, the revenue raised from the sale of these public lands goes to the general Treasury fund. It would not be reinvested in public lands, as is standard practice for public lands sales, via the Federal Land Disposal Account, a Treasury account used by federal departments to purchase other lands, especially those with high conservation, recreation and/or public access value.

A budget reconciliation bill is not the right place to legislate public lands sales. Fundamentally, these proposals should include ample opportunity for public consideration and feedback. And they must be advanced via agency action or congressional authorization to keep the money raised from their sale within our public lands system.

If you value our public lands and waters, we ask you to make your views known to your elected leaders in Congress. Take a moment today to express your strong opposition to the House budget amendment mandating the sale of public lands. Call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to be connected to your delegates’ offices. Or email your senators or representatives right now.

Also this week, a bipartisan group of House members launched the Public Lands Caucus, a congressional coalition focused on conserving and expanding access to public lands. Co-chaired by Reps. Gabe Vasquez (D-NM) and Ryan Zinke (R-MT), the caucus intends to unite lawmakers of all stripes to advance pragmatic, consensus-based public lands policy that advances conservation and supports recreation, local economies and public access.

Remember, when sportsmen unite, sportsmen win. Our system of U.S. public lands and waters is the envy of the world – and a mainstay in equal-opportunity access to all kinds of outdoor recreation, not just hunting. Let’s work together to make sure this legacy endures for future generations to experience and enjoy.

Take a stand for healthy forests. Support RGS & AWS and join our conservation network. Every donation helps us amplify your voice in important policy matters that affect wildlife, habitat and hunting.

Be part of the habitat solution! Join, renew or give a gift membership in RGS & AWS today.

Ducks Unlimited, Bass Pro Partnership Allows Hunters and Anglers to Protect Waterfowl Habitat

Thursday, May 08, 2025
Written by Shotgun Life
Categories: News
Tags: #basspro, #cabelas, #conservation, #ducksunlimited, #waterfowlhunting

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – May 7, 2025 — Thanks to Bass Pro Shops’ newest $500,000 commitment, Ducks Unlimited’s (DU) conservation partnership with Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund is poised to make an even greater impact on critical wetlands and associated habitat for waterfowl. This latest investment will permanently protect nearly 1,400 additional acres in the U.S. and Canadian portions of the Prairie Pothole Region—DU’s highest priority conservation landscape and the heart of North America’s waterfowl breeding grounds.

Since 2018, this fund, powered by generous Bass Pro Shops customers who choose to round up their purchases for conservation, has given more than $3.8 million to DU’s conservation efforts. DU has leveraged these contributions into more than $11 million in additional funds, resulting in a remarkable $14.8 million investment in habitat conservation focused on places that matter the most for waterfowl and waterfowlers across North America.

“We are proud of our longtime affiliation with Ducks Unlimited, and to partner with customers throughout North America to support DU’s important work to conserve this critical waterfowl habitat in the Prairie Pothole Region,” said Johnny Morris, noted conservationist and founder of Bass Pro Shops. “These efforts are clearly making a difference, and it’s exciting to see the impact this will have on future generations of conservationists.”

This sustained support has helped conserve and enhance over 83,000 acres of wetlands and grasslands, bringing tremendous benefits to waterfowl, wildlife, and people. More than 64,000 acres of these efforts have been focused in the Prairie Pothole Region. Despite its ecological importance as the primary breeding ground for waterfowl and other migratory birds, this landscape faces significant threats, losing an estimated 50,000 acres of high-value habitat each year.

“Our long-standing partnership with Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s Outdoor Fund, their dedicated Outfitters, and loyal customers is a shining example of how passionate outdoor enthusiasts can make a real, lasting impact on the health of our wetlands and wildlife,” said DU CEO Adam Putnam. “Through this shared commitment, we’re not just conserving habitat—we’re ensuring that future generations can continue to enjoy the rich traditions of hunting, fishing, and other outdoor recreation activities.”

DU, Bass Pro Shops, and a network of conservation partners and landowners are advancing shared goals to protect wetlands and grasslands and deliver large-scale solutions for migratory birds and other wildlife across these vital landscapes.

About Bass Pro Shops

Bass Pro Shops, North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company, was founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris started selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri. That was the company’s sole location for the first 13 years, and it has since grown to nearly 200 retail locations throughout North America. Today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops united with Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Newsweek as “America’s Most Trusted Retailer for Outdoor Gear.”

Bass Pro Communications
press@basspro.com

Wednesday, April 16, 2025
Written by Shotgun Life Staff
Categories: News
Tags: #conservation, #ruffedgrousesociety

New Eastern Ruffed Grouse Conservation Plan Aims to Restore Populations

The Eastern Grouse Working Group (EGWG), a collective of state and provincial wildlife agency biologists, has developed a strategic plan to guide ruffed grouse recovery in the eastern half of their range. The newly released Eastern Ruffed Grouse Conservation Plan (ERGCP) 2025-2034 outlines critical actions for habitat restoration and conservation efforts over the next decade.

While ruffed grouse are non-migratory, their survival depends on large-scale habitat restoration. Conservation success in one state or province alone is not enough to ensure the long-term stability of ruffed grouse populations across the region. A coordinated, multi-state effort will provide greater ecological, social and economic benefits than isolated habitat management efforts.

Two Decades of Conservation Planning

The ERGCP builds on nearly 20 years of planning. In 2006, the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ Resident Game Bird Working Group endorsed a Ruffed Grouse Conservation Plan aimed at restoring populations to 1980 levels. Despite this plan, ruffed grouse populations have continued to decline in the eastern region. This prompted state wildlife agency biologists to call for a more strategic, coordinated initiative.

In January 2021, a planning workshop was held to evaluate the biological, social, political and economic conditions affecting ruffed grouse. From this effort, the EGWG identified Desired Future Conditions (DFCs), Current Conditions (CCs), gaps between them, and the barriers and opportunities to closing those gaps. This framework helped guide the development of the new conservation plan.

High-Priority Actions

During a strategic planning workshop in October 2023, EGWG members and key partners identified 21 priority actions necessary to achieve conservation goals. The highest-priority actions include:

• Evaluating the current distribution of quality grouse habitat using standardized methods.
• Identifying priority areas for habitat management based on biological and socio-economic factors.
• Developing and implementing forest ecosystem diversity plans in priority areas.
• Securing and allocating resources for effective grouse habitat management.
• Addressing resource gaps and barriers that hinder conservation efforts.

A Collaborative Approach

No single agency or organization has the resources to implement the ERGCP alone. However, strategic collaboration between states, provinces and conservation partners will create highly effective partnerships and conservation outcomes. Through coordinated efforts, ruffed grouse populations can be stabilized and improved across their eastern range.

The full Eastern Ruffed Grouse Conservation Plan 2025-2034 is available for review and provides detailed strategies for achieving long-term conservation success. Together, we can advance landscape-scale conservation efforts and secure the future of ruffed grouse.

While ruffed grouse are non-migratory, their survival depends on large-scale habitat restoration. Conservation success in one state or province alone is not enough to ensure the long-term stability of ruffed grouse populations across the region. A coordinated, multi-state effort will provide greater ecological, social and economic benefits than isolated habitat management efforts.

Two Decades of Conservation Planning

The ERGCP builds on nearly 20 years of planning. In 2006, the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ Resident Game Bird Working Group endorsed a Ruffed Grouse Conservation Plan aimed at restoring populations to 1980 levels. Despite this plan, ruffed grouse populations have continued to decline in the eastern region. This prompted state wildlife agency biologists to call for a more strategic, coordinated initiative.

In January 2021, a planning workshop was held to evaluate the biological, social, political and economic conditions affecting ruffed grouse. From this effort, the EGWG identified Desired Future Conditions (DFCs), Current Conditions (CCs), gaps between them, and the barriers and opportunities to closing those gaps. This framework helped guide the development of the new conservation plan.

High-Priority Actions

During a strategic planning workshop in October 2023, EGWG members and key partners identified 21 priority actions necessary to achieve conservation goals. The highest-priority actions include:

• Evaluating the current distribution of quality grouse habitat using standardized methods.
• Identifying priority areas for habitat management based on biological and socio-economic factors.
• Developing and implementing forest ecosystem diversity plans in priority areas.
• Securing and allocating resources for effective grouse habitat management.
• Addressing resource gaps and barriers that hinder conservation efforts.

A Collaborative Approach

No single agency or organization has the resources to implement the ERGCP alone. However, strategic collaboration between states, provinces and conservation partners will create highly effective partnerships and conservation outcomes. Through coordinated efforts, ruffed grouse populations can be stabilized and improved across their eastern range.

The full Eastern Ruffed Grouse Conservation Plan 2025-2034 is available for review and provides detailed strategies for achieving long-term conservation success. Together, we can advance landscape-scale conservation efforts and secure the future of ruffed grouse.

For more information visit the Ruffed Grouse Society/American Woodcock Society web site at https://ruffedgrousesociety.org

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