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The Sportsmen's Voice | Hunting, Fishing and Conservation Advocacy with Congressional Sportsmen's FoundationYour inside connection to outdoor legislation. Author: Fred Bird Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation
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. Language: en Genres: News, News Commentary, Sports, Wilderness Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Episode 65 - Public Lands Under Fire: Policy Battles Shaping America’s Wildlife Future
Episode 65
Thursday, 29 January, 2026
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
