The 2024 U.S. Presidential election marks a pivotal moment for sportsmen, gun owners, and conservation organizations, with far-reaching implications for policies, rights, and public land access. As the nation transitions to a new administration, stark contrasts emerge between its anticipated approach and the previous four years. With changes expected in firearm regulations, conservation priorities, and federal policies, the stage is set for a significant shift that could redefine the future of hunting, shooting, and outdoor traditions. To give our industry clarity, I interviewed Mark Oliva, managing director of public affairs at the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), who shared his insights on what lies ahead.

Mark Oliva - Managing Director, Public Affairs, NSSF

1. Question: What immediate differences can sportsmen, and gun owners expect in policy, law, and funding directives under the new administration? 

Answer:  We can expect significant changes in how the Trump administration would work with the firearm industry versus what we’ve experienced over the past four years with the Biden-Harris administration. This started, of course, with President Biden calling firearm manufacturers “the enemy” from the debate stage. Since then, his administration has pushed a “whole-of-government” attack on the lawful production and sale of firearms. Immediate changes could be expected in the ATF’s “zero-tolerance” policy, which has seen hundreds of small business firearm retailers lose their licenses over minor clerical errors and many more forced to surrender those licenses instead of incurring the high monetary costs of fighting to keep their licenses. The ATF could be expected to resume the inspection process that was in place for decades, during which inspections were focused on assisting federal firearms licensees to stay within the laws and regulations instead of punishing them for minor clerical errors. For sportsmen, we could expect the Department of the Interior and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to reverse course on their “bait-and-switch” tactics of opening more public lands to hunting but forcing hunters to use only alternative ammunition through policies that are devoid of scientific evidence of detrimental wildlife population impacts. The more expensive and less available alternatives force some hunters to abandon their hunting traditions. Hunters should be free to choose which ammunition best suits them, and that aligns with sound science.
  
2. Question: What immediate differences can conservation organizations expect in policy, law, and funding directives under the new administration? 

Answer: Conservation is likely to be the priority for the next administration instead of the preservationist mindset that has been the focus of the Biden-Harris administration. Public lands belong to the public and should be open and available for all hunters, recreational shooters, and outdoor enthusiasts. The Biden-Harris administration, just months ago, restricted the use of public lands and shuttered vast swaths of the Bears Ears National Monument when the law specifically prohibits this action. Public use of public lands benefits all when there is a conservation mindset – that the lands' natural resources and the wildlife that dwell on them should be conserved for future generations instead of walled off and only available to a select few. This invests outdoorsmen and women in the imperative that the lands and wildlife they enjoy are conserved for future generations to have the same opportunities.
 
3. Question: What will get better or easier for sportsmen?

Answer: There will still be challenges for sure, especially by special-interest groups working to attack hunting at the state level. At the federal level, we can expect some of these barriers to participation to ease. In the final days of 2024, Congress passed the EXPLORE Act, which included the NSSF-priority Range Access Act. When President Biden signs that law, we will see public recreational shooting ranges constructed on qualifying Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service properties where no other public recreational shooting ranges are available nearby. This is a win for recreational shooters and firearm safety and helps make recreational shooters better neighbors across the board. Having safe recreational shooting ranges reduces the likelihood of negligent misuse of firearms and reduces the pollution in our environment. All responsible gun owners want a safe and clean place to shoot and want to see the stereotype of trash-laden ad hoc ranges on public lands become a thing of the past.

4. Question: What will get better or easier for gun owners?

Answer: Gun owners can expect a White House administration that respects the lawful ownership and lawful use of firearms instead of one that demonizes them for exercising their rights. President-elect Trump said that Second Amendment rights would be a priority for him in the next administration, and his overall track record from his previous term bears that out. He supported lawful gun ownership and appointed justices to the U.S. Supreme Court who believe the Constitution and Bill of Rights mean what they say – that the right to keep and bear arms belongs to “We, the People” and not be relegated to the bureaucracy that can pluck it away at a whim.

5. Question: What will get better or easier for conservation organizations?

Answer: Conservation organizations will always have to prove their worth, no matter the administration. What will change is that the Trump administration will listen to the voices in the conservation community and treat their priorities with the value that they deserve. 
 
6. Question: What will become more difficult for sportsmen and conservation organizations?

Answer: There will still be battles on the state fronts for many sportsmen and women. Take the example of Colorado and Arizona. Colorado introduced wolves onto the landscape through a ballot initiative. That didn’t account for the impact those wolves would have on wildlife and ranching, and we’ve seen that even the Native American tribes that assisted in relocating wolves to Colorado have abandoned that program because it isn’t being administered the way they were promised. Ranchers are pleading with the state to take more decisive measures to deal with predation on livestock. We saw special-interest groups try to push a ban on big cat hunting in Colorado that would have cost the state tens of millions of dollars and could have had devastating impacts on elk and mule deer. That was voted down. However, some of those same special-interest anti-hunting groups are trying to do the same thing in Arizona now.
 
7. Question: What will become more difficult for gun owners and conservation organizations?

Answer: Gun owners in some states still face significant challenges. Washington state lawmakers pre-filed bills that would radically change the process to lawfully obtain a firearm, including permits-to-purchase, state-mandated efficiency tests, registration, and more. Colorado passed a 6.5 percent excise tax on all firearm businesses by ballot initiative in 2024. That will increase the cost of exercising the right to purchase a firearm legally. Other issues, like bans on entire classes of firearms and standard-capacity magazines, are making their way through the courts, and the U.S. Supreme Court is still considering a petition to challenge at least one state’s ban on Modern Sporting Rifles.
  
8. Question: What are some new administration concerns you have that may surprise the hunting, shooting, and conservation communities?

Answer: NSSF hopes the incoming administration will improve the outlook on hunting, recreational shooting, and conservation. The record of achievement is there. The reality is that this administration is facing significant challenges on many issues that will require Congress to address some of these issues as well. The interests of the hunting, shooting, and conservation community are only one part of a big “to-do” list for the next four years. This is also why NSSF urges all hunters and gun owners to remain plugged in and attend their polling places in local and midterm elections. Those voting opportunities are no less critical to the viability of our priorities than the presidential elections.

9. Question: What can advocates within the hunting, shooting, and conservation communities do to engage the new administration successfully, and specifically, what will be different about this engagement versus the past administration?

Answer: Advocates should engage with their elected officials. Voters hire them to do a job, and the hunting, shooting, and conservation communities must remind them that our voices deserve to be heard and respected. If they are discounted, then voters have the option to hire someone else who will represent their interests. Additionally, as policies are presented, those same communities should make those policymakers aware of their support or opposition. Public engagement in the policy process is invaluable, and voices make a difference. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently rolled back a “woke” policy proposal that would have put climate change ahead of conservation policies for public lands. That policy proposal was abandoned after more than 50,000 comments were submitted to the Federal Register, most of which told policymakers that this agenda wasn’t acceptable.

As the 2024 political landscape evolves, the future of sportsmen, gun owners, and conservation organizations will be shaped by opportunities and challenges. The incoming administration’s focus on public land access, Second Amendment rights, and science-driven conservation policies offers hope for positive change. However, success will depend on the active involvement of these communities. By staying informed, engaging policymakers, and advocating for their priorities, hunters, recreational shooters, and conservationists can ensure their voices are heard and their traditions preserved for future generations. The power to shape the future lies in collective action and unwavering commitment.

Jay Pinsky
Editor - The Hunting Wire
jay@theoutdoorwire.com

By: Taylor Schmitz, Director of Federal Relations for the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation and 2024 American Wildlife Conservation Partners Chairman

Three days ago, the 119th Congress kicked off with new members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate taking the oath of office to serve as elected officials at the highest legislative body in our country. In exactly two weeks, the country will have a new Presidential Administration with a new cabinet and senior level political positions. As leadership and decision-makers change, it is no secret that policy values and priorities change as well. 

With these changes in Washington, D.C., a couple questions arise that are of importance to sportsmen and women. First, how does a new Congress and a new Presidential Administration know what to focus on to improve conditions for sportsmen and women? The answer to this question is that we as outdoor enthusiasts are responsible for promoting our priorities. The question then becomes how do we as sportsmen and women ensure that Congress and the Administration focus on the important issues for wildlife conservation, hunting, recreational shooting, trapping, and other activities that make us sporting-conservationists? Thankfully, a nearly 25-year-old consortium known as the American Wildlife Conservation Partners (AWCP) has been working for roughly a year to develop a collective set of priorities that will meet this challenge. During this time, I had the honor and privilege of serving as the Chairman of the American Wildlife Conservation Partners, where I worked alongside my AWCP colleagues to identify and develop an agenda for the next four years.  

In 2000, the American Wildlife Conservation Partners was founded by many of our nation’s leading conservationists, who at the time recognized the need to unify and bring the sporting-conservation community under the same umbrella to promote wildlife conservation, public access for sportsmen and women, and science-based wildlife management principles. The idea was simple, but its impact on the sporting-conservation community has been quite profound. Prior to the establishment of AWCP, we had organizations who served critical niche roles that continue to this day, ranging from policy to deploying boots-on-the-ground wildlife scientists to work alongside state and federal wildlife managers and private landowners to better support wildlife habitat management objectives and public access. However, our community lacked a unifying body to effectively connect all the dots and leverage each organization’s strengths to the betterment of the whole community. This is not to say that our community was ineffective, but rather we were not maximizing our full potential. To fill this void, AWCP was established, and today consists of 52 organizations. This collective force of sporting-conservation organizations works to build unity and consensus around the most pressing issues facing sportsmen and women and ultimately helps our community present a united front to federal policymakers on the most critical issues of the day. 

Every four years, leading up to a Presidential election, AWCP evaluates our priorities and develops a collective set of recommendations to guide the next Presidential Administration and the next two Congresses, for a total of four years, in a document known as Wildlife for the 21st Century (W-21). At the outset, it is important to note that W-21 is not everything to everyone. This document does not, and cannot, reflect every single priority of each AWCP organization. At its core, W-21 is a set of mutually agreed upon priorities that represent consensus amongst AWCP organizations. While each AWCP member organization maintains its own primary areas of interest and initiatives, W-21 represents a set of priorities that are developed and driven by the sporting-conservation community at large.  W-21 is written in a non-partisan manner and is finalized well in advance of election day because, at the end of the day, conservation and our sporting traditions continue to be bipartisan issues in the nation’s Capital. Put simply, W-21 serves as the blueprint and roadmap as to how we as sportsmen and women can work with Congress and the Presidential Administration to improve conservation, access, and our outdoor traditions. 

In the latest edition of W-21, Volume VII contains 9 umbrella recommendations that cover the entire spectrum of challenges and opportunities facing our community.  To develop each recommendation contained in W-21 Volume VII, AWCP members volunteered to leverage their respective expertise with the larger partnership to develop the recommendations contained in W-21. It is this type of partnership – leveraging individual strengths in a collaborative manner – that the community’s vision can become a reality. Each of the umbrella recommendations, as outlined below, contain numerous sub-recommendations that strategically identify clear directives to the Administration and Congress on how to deliver meaningful advancements for conservation and access in the 21st century. 

1.         Funding for Conservation 

2.         Access

3.         Wildlife Migration

4.         Energy Development 

5.         Private Land Conservation 

6.         Active Management of Federal Lands 

7.         Species Conservation 

8.         Wildlife Health 

9.         Climate Change 

While developing recommendations and priorities is a lengthy and sometimes cumbersome process, it is necessary that we as a community are coordinated, organized, and strategic so that we may better tackle the problems we are facing and to identify and advance opportunities to improve our hunting and outdoor traditions. What is even more difficult than developing recommendations amongst 52 organizations with sometimes differing priorities, is the work that is required to make the vision contained in Wildlife for the 21st Century a reality. We all know that coming up with ideas is often one of the easiest steps in a strategic plan. More times than not, the most challenging step is executing the vision. 

However, thanks to members of the American Wildlife Conservation Partners, through their consistent collaboration, communication, and coordination, the community’s priorities are well-positioned to become a reality. Over the coming months and years, the organizations that make up AWCP will continue to communicate, strategize, and work to deliver on the recommendations contained in W-21. The reality is that advancing policy does not get done in a vacuum and that is why AWCP is a critical coalition for sportsmen and women. As such, I encourage you to stay abreast of what is happening in Congress and the Administration through our communications channels at the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, and to be ready to engage with your elected officials when the timing in right.  

Rachel Barringer - Marketing & Digital Manager, Blaser Group
Allen Forkner - Vice President Public Relations & Brand Management - Gunbroker.Com
Cassie Gasaway - Outdoor Content Creator & Freelance Writer
Jeff Rawlinson - Vice President, National Archery in Schools Program
Tom Ryle - Sales and Marketing Manager, State R3 Lead for Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife
Taylor Schmitz - Director, Federal Relations, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation

Facilitators

• Peter Churchbourne, Managing Director, NRA Hunting Division and Hunter Leadership Forum
• Jim Curcuruto, Executive Director, Outdoor Stewards of Conservation Foundation
• James “Jay” Pinsky, Editor, The Hunting Wire & Archery Wire

The Voice of Leadership Panel is an appointed group of outdoor industry leaders who have volunteered to contribute their voices on crucial hunting and outdoor recreation issues to inform, inspire, and educate participants within our community.

There’s something about this time of year that speaks directly to my heart as a hunter. Maybe it's the anticipation of the waterfowl season opener passing, the rush and excitement of traveling to new and old destinations to hunt, yet knowing we still have weeks on the books and there’s no anxiety about the season coming to a close. The holidays have passed, yet their warmth lingers. Shared meals, stories, and the moments that remind us why we cherish this way of life. I sat in the blind this morning and took it all in – The frost on the ground before the sunrise, the sound of wings cutting through the crisp January air, the distant calls of birds looking for a place to fill their bellies, and It all reminds me why we do what we do. It’s not just about having success on our hunts; it’s about the history, the heritage, and the responsibility we carry to honor the traditions of those who came before us.

For generations, we as hunters have been the providers. Extending from Christmas to the start of a fresh year, there’s no better way to celebrate this role than with a roasted bird at the center of the table. But the sentiment runs deeper for hunters. It's our story. The story that ties us to the land, to our ancestors, and to the pride of doing things the right way, and finishing what we started.

A Bird Worth Celebrating

Before modern conveniences and the abundance of domestic turkeys, the goose reigned supreme as the holiday centerpiece. Symbolized prosperity and abundance, it wasn’t Christmas without a golden-brown goose on the table. 

Before the convenience of grocery stores, for hunters, the goose was symbolic, a reward for their effort and skill in the field. Every time we step into the marsh or tuck into the blind, we’re connecting with a tradition that runs deeper than most of us even realize.

Earning A Place in History

If you think about it, hunting geese isn’t just another day in the field; it’s a rite of passage. These birds are some of the smartest, most elusive animals out there. They’ll circle a spread three or four times, looking for any flaw. They know how to use the wind, how to spot movement, and how to make even confident hunters question their spreads.

When you’re able to outsmart a flock and drop a bird from the sky, there’s a connection to something ancient. Thousands of years ago, early hunters depended on these same wild geese for survival, their feathers for warmth, their fat for fuel, and their meat to sustain their families through harsh winters. Today, the stakes might not be as high, but our pride in the hunt remains just as powerful.

I think about the generations of hunters before us—pioneers breaking trail through snow-covered prairies, kneeling in frozen grasslands with a single-shot shotgun. They didn’t hunt for sport; they hunted because it meant survival. And when they brought that bird home, it wasn’t just food. It was proof of their determination, their connection to the wild, and their ability to provide.

More Than a Meal

There’s something special about carving into a goose that you harvested yourself, a feeling a grocery store bird just can't replicate. It’s the pride in knowing you earned it. That every bite represents a story: the preparation, the moments spent in the blind, the camaraderie with friends, and the connection to the land that gave it to you.

Goose meat is rich and flavorful, and it demands care and respect in its preparation. This isn’t fast food. It’s a slow roast, paired with sides that speak to the season. The kind of meal that brings people together, makes you lean back in your chair when you’re done, and look around at your family with a sense of fulfillment that goes far beyond being full.

Rekindling Tradition

In today’s world, where convenience often replaces effort, hunting your own harvested goose is about keeping tradition alive, living a connected life, and teaching our kids that food doesn’t come from a plastic-wrapped package. It’s about showing them that the sweat, the cold, and the time spent outdoors mean something. It’s about preserving a connection to the animals we eat, and a connection to the past while building memories that will outlive us.

This new year, don’t just look at that goose as a meal. Look at it as a legacy carried forward. As hunters, we are a part of something greater than ourselves. We’re carrying on a tradition that’s as old as humanity itself. There is still pride in the hunt, pride in the feast, and knowing that what we do as hunters still matters!

Happy New, and Keep Talkin'.

Building on a strong tradition of crafting reliable hunting gear, Millennium proudly introduces the M-8 and M-35—two new treestand models designed with the modern hunter in mind.

 Silencer Central announces a new strategic partnership with LMT Advanced Technologies to fulfill online suppressor purchases through the Delivered by Silencer Central program.