★State of the Outdoors - June 2026 ★

The outdoor world never stands still, and neither do the challenges and opportunities facing America's hunters and anglers.

Welcome to the first edition of The State of the Outdoors, your source for the stories, policies, and conservation issues shaping the future of hunting and fishing across the country. Every month, we'll break down the topics that matter most to sportsmen, from major legislative battles and public land access victories to wildlife management concerns, emerging technologies, and the latest developments in the woods and on the water.

This month, we're taking a closer look at Oregon's controversial PEACE Act, a ballot initiative that many hunters and anglers believe could have far-reaching implications for the future of hunting, fishing, trapping, and wildlife management. We'll also cover one of the biggest public land success stories in recent memory: a proposed expansion of hunting and fishing access across more than 100 National Wildlife Refuges nationwide.

Why Hunters and Anglers Should Be Paying Attention to Oregon's PEACE Act

For decades, disagreements within the outdoor community have centered around seasons, bag limits, tag allocations, habitat management, and access. Those are the norm nationwide, however the PEACE Act (Oregon Initiative Petition 28) is a whole different beast entirely..

This is not a debate over how hunting and fishing should be conducted. It’s not a debate on suitable conservation practices, bag limits, or the other typical legal jargon we see from year to year. 

This is a debate over whether hunting and fishing should exist at all.

The PEACE Act would remove long-standing exemptions from Oregon's animal cruelty statutes that currently allow legal hunting, fishing, trapping, commercial activities including Livestock and Poultry farming, pest and rodent control/extermination, and various wildlife management and recreational activities such as the aforementioned hunting, fishing, and trapping. The whole bill is linked below so you can read it in its entire context. 

Oregon IP28 Bill

This Challenges the North American Conservation Model

Hunters and anglers have funded wildlife conservation in North America for more than a century.

The recovery of whitetail deer, wild turkey, elk, waterfowl, pronghorn, and countless non-game species didn't happen by accident. It happened because sportsmen funded habitat restoration, wildlife research, law enforcement, public land acquisition, and conservation programs through license fees and excise taxes.

Today, hunters and anglers remain one of the largest sources of conservation funding in the United States through license fees and Pittman-Robertson act taxes. The PR act adds a tax to hunting and fishing equipment nationwide that goes direct to the USFWS to help fund state-specific conservation initiatives. 

Below is a chart of estimated sources of conservation related funding that would disappear if the PEACE act were to be voted into law.

If hunting and fishing are redefined as criminal acts rather than conservation tools, the financial foundation supporting wildlife and habitat management would disappear overnight. 

Wildlife Still Requires Management

Whether someone hunts or not, wildlife populations do not manage themselves.

State wildlife agencies use regulated hunting and fishing seasons to help maintain healthy populations, reduce disease transmission, limit habitat damage, and address human-wildlife conflicts.

When populations exceed what habitat can support, the result is often increased disease, starvation, crop damage, vehicle collisions, and habitat degradation.

The PEACE Act ignores this reality and replaces practical wildlife management with an ideology that leaves few tools available to state biologists.

The Effects Reach Beyond Hunting

While hunting and fishing receive the most attention, the proposal would also affect ranching, farming, trapping, animal research, and other activities both commercial and recreational that are currently protected by statutory exemptions. This legislation (if passed) would have wide ranging environmental and economical consequences for rural communities and resource-based industries throughout Oregon.

That is one of the largest reasons that hunters, anglers, agricultural organizations, tribal interests, and many conservation groups.

Why Hunters Everywhere Should Care

Some may look at this and say, "I don't live in Oregon, why should I care?"

Major policy movements often begin in one state before spreading elsewhere. Whether you're a deer hunter in Nebraska, a duck hunter in Arkansas, a walleye angler in Minnesota, or an elk hunter in Colorado, we can’t take a passive stance just because it’s not OUR state. 

Regulated hunting and fishing are the CORE fundamentals of the North American model of conservation, widely recognized as the superior method of wildlife conservation.

The  PEACE Act is one of the clearest attempts in recent memory to challenge that principle directly.

What You Can Do

The outdoor community has always been strongest when it is informed and engaged.

Read the proposal. Understand both sides of the argument. Follow updates from your state's wildlife agency and conservation organizations. Discuss the issue with fellow hunters and anglers. Most importantly, stay involved in the policies that affect the future of hunting, fishing, and conservation.

The future of our outdoor traditions will not be determined only in the woods, marshes, and on the water. Increasingly, it will be determined in ballot boxes, legislative chambers, and public conversations.

Whether you agree or disagree with the PEACE Act, one thing is certain: this is a conversation the hunting and fishing community cannot afford to ignore.

Historic Expansion of Hunting and Fishing Access on National Wildlife Refuges

In late May, the U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced what they described as the largest proposed expansion of hunting and fishing access opportunities in agency history. The proposal would open or expand more than 1,450 hunting and fishing opportunities across 111 federal stations in 32 states. If finalized, more than 92 million acres, or over 95% of National Wildlife Refuge System lands would be available for public hunting and fishing access.

For sportsmen, this is significant because it continues a long-standing push to treat hunting and fishing as priority uses of federal lands rather than exceptions requiring special justification.

What Does This Actually Mean?

The proposal includes new hunting opportunities on wildlife refuges that previously had little or no hunting access, expanded hunting seasons and species opportunities on existing refuges, additional fishing access on federal lands and hatcheries, and a broader policy that federal lands should generally be open to hunting and fishing unless there is a specific reason to restrict access.

For many hunters, this represents a major win after years of concerns about shrinking access and increasing restrictions on public lands.

National Park Hunting Restrictions Being Rolled Back

At the same time, the National Park Service has begun removing various hunting restrictions at dozens of sites where hunting is already authorized.

According to reports, restrictions involving dog training, game retrieval methods, hunting along certain corridors, and other site-specific limitations are being reevaluated or removed at dozens of National Park Service units. This is fantastic news, as yet again, it expands access to the hunting public and gives more recreational opportunities. 

Specific Refuge Openings Matter More Than Headlines

One thing that often gets lost in the headlines is that not all refuge openings are equal.

Several refuges are being considered for first-ever hunting opportunities or significant expansions of existing programs. Examples cited in conservation discussions include new deer hunting opportunities on previously closed refuge lands, expanded waterfowl access, new upland game and small-game opportunities, additional acreage opened for public use.

For many sportsmen, even a few thousand additional acres can mean the difference between overcrowded public ground and quality hunting opportunities.

The outdoor community often focuses on threats to hunting, and rightly so. But public-access victories deserve just as much attention.

The reality is that access remains the number-one barrier for many new hunters. Public lands are increasingly important as lease and land costs rise. Every new hunting opportunity strengthens the argument that hunters remain a valued part of conservation.

Many hunters spend years fighting proposed closures. It is equally important to support agencies and policymakers when new access is created.

The Pack-Out

As we've seen throughout this edition of The State of the Outdoors, the future of hunting and fishing is being shaped far beyond the woods, marshes, and waterways we love to explore.

From Oregon's controversial PEACE Act and the questions it raises about the future of hunting, fishing, and wildlife management, to the exciting expansion of public access across more than 100 National Wildlife Refuges, these issues highlight both the challenges and opportunities facing sportsmen today. The decisions being made in state capitals, federal agencies, and ballot boxes can have lasting impacts on our outdoor traditions and the conservation efforts that support them.

The outdoor world never stands still, and neither does the responsibility of hunters and anglers to stay informed and involved. Whether it's advocating for public access, supporting science-based wildlife management, or simply staying up to date on the issues affecting our community, every voice matters.

Thank you for reading the first edition of The State of the Outdoors. We'll continue bringing you the stories, policies, and conservation topics that matter most to sportsmen across the country. Until next time, stay safe, enjoy the outdoors, and keep fighting for the future of hunting and fishing.