Critter Madness Fan Prediction: The Monarch of the Mountains Will Reign Again

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PLUS: This steelheader just got a little cooler

CM-catch — Image courtesy of Dennis Reasoner.

We want to send a big thanks to everyone who has voted in Critter Madness—here’s hoping your bracket is still going strong in the Final Four. We’re also happy to announce our round-one prize winner: Dennis Reasoner from Red Bluff, Calif., who has been following Critter Madness since the beginning. He will receive a cool new pair of Costa sunglasses—the better to spot steelhead with!

Reasoner’s money is on the elk—or “the monarch of the mountains,” as he says—to go all the way for the second year in a row, and we’ll soon get to see if he’s right. Round-three voting is on NOW! Make sure your favorite critter makes it to the finals, and register for the chance to win some great gear, including a Yeti cooler and a Mossberg shotgun.

Congratulations, Dennis! We hope you have great hunting and fishing this year.

by: Cyrus Baird

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March 23, 2016

Critter Madness Highlight Reel: The Race to the Final Four

The best and brightest of the backcountry, ag country, inshore, and offshore are represented

The second round of Critter Madness has come to a close, and your votes have determined the top four game and fish species of the tourney. Here’s how it played out:

The elk once again proved they are the dominant big-game species in this competition by running away with a victory over their east-coast rivals, the whitetails. It’s going to be hard to knock these sure-footed critters out of the Final Four. Meanwhile, in the battle for CRP bragging rights, the turkeys strutted past their Midwestern foes, the pheasants, to advance to the semi-finals. This matchup was neck-and-neck entering the final hours of competition, when a late surge of votes went to the turkeys.

On the wetter side of the bracket, the blue marlins just didn’t have what it takes to best the mighty Chinooks in this round. The salmon took out some line and ran away with almost 100 more votes than their billed competitors. The number-one seed will now swim against the freshwater contender, the rainbow trout, which won one of the most highly-contested battles of the entire tournament. The ‘bows move on after beating the largemouth bass by A SINGLE VOTE in a very tight race. Our condolences to BASS nation.

Semi-Finals Preview

On land, the elk now move on to face the turkeys, and both critters have huge fan bases. Look for big-game hunters all across the west to rally behind the elk, as they have in the first two rounds, but don’t count out the turkeys just yet. We know that turkey hunters are a passionate bunch, and they just might scratch out a win.

And on the heels of World Water Day, saltwater and freshwater fish face off first. The trout are looking to become the only lower-seed critter to advance to the finals, while the powerful Chinooks are looking to show why they are the top-seeded fish still left in this tournament. It could be a toss-up, but the fish that advances will take on a heavyweight: either last year’s champion or the big bird.

Make sure you vote for your favorite critter to advance! You could win more awesome gear, like a new Yeti cooler, or the final-round prize—a brand new Mossberg shotgun!

by: Kristyn Brady

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March 22, 2016

Sportsmen’s Community Highlights Conservation Goals at White House Water Summit

Groups call for federal action supporting healthy fish and wildlife habitat on World Water Day

To mark today’s international observance of World Water Day, hunting and fishing organizations participated in the White House Water Summit, where 150 diverse stakeholders highlighted a shared commitment to building a sustainable water future.

“We’re pleased that the administration is focusing its attention on how we use and conserve water,” says Scott Gudes, vice president of government affairs at the American Sportfishing Association. “We need to find ways to work together and find innovative solutions to the water issues that impact not just humans, but our fish and wildlife, as well.”

Gudes points to Chinook salmon in California as one example of an iconic fish species for recreational and commercial anglers that is being stressed by persistent drought conditions. But strong dialogue between federal agencies and stakeholders could help plan for future water crises.

Mia_WHWS_web — Image courtesy of Jimmy Hague.

The White House Water Summit archived webcast can be found here. Our own Mia Sheppard, the TRCP’s Oregon Field Representative, gave an impassioned speech highlighting the importance of cool, clean water for fish and wildlife, citing various issues with her home waters on the Deschutes River.

As participants in the summit, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership announced that its petition recognizing serious risks to the country’s water supply—including rising temperatures, falling water levels, and more demand than ever before—has been signed by over 1,000 sportsmen. And these Americans are calling for action from federal officials.

“The message from hunters and anglers across the country is that we need to create flexible water systems that can better weather the next drought or flood,” says Jimmy Hague, director of the Center for Water Resources with the TRCP. “We also need to promote healthy fish and wildlife habitat while providing water to cities and farms.”

Today Obama issued a Presidential Memorandum and supporting Action Plan on building national capabilities for long-term drought resilience. “This move to increase coordination of federal resources will better protect vital water supplies, especially in places like the drought-stricken Colorado River,” adds Hague.

Read the full report of commitments made in honor of the summit here.

WWD.Facebook — Image courtesy of Colorado River team.

Sportsmen have been setting the agenda on drought since last summer, when ASA and the TRCP joined B.A.S.S., Berkley Conservation Institute, The Nature Conservancy, and Trout Unlimited in delivering recommendations for federal actions to make our country’s waterways more drought resilient. These recommendations include a call for greater coordination between federal agencies and more investment in water conservation projects and voluntary water-sharing agreements—both of which the administration has made moves to address.

“Every antiquated water infrastructure problem is an opportunity to create new benefits for river health and drought resiliency,” says Laura Ziemer, senior counsel and water policy advisor for Trout Unlimited. “This is why we are calling for federal grant criteria to require that water infrastructure or supply projects selected for federal funding also create benefits for fish, wildlife, and recreation through improved instream flows, while improving water supplies for agriculture and cities.”

To learn about one such grant program through the Bureau of Reclamation, watch this video.

by: Kristyn Brady

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SPORTSMEN’S COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS CONSERVATION GOALS AT WHITE HOUSE WATER SUMMIT

News for Immediate Release

Mar. 22, 2016

Contact: Kristyn Brady, 617-501-6352, kbrady@trcp.org

Groups call for federal action supporting healthy fish and wildlife habitat on World Water Day

WASHINGTON, D.C. – To mark today’s international observance of World Water Day, hunting and fishing organizations will participate in the White House Water Summit, where 150 diverse stakeholders will highlight a shared commitment to building a sustainable water future.

“We’re pleased that the administration is focusing its attention on how we use and conserve water,” says Scott Gudes, vice president of government affairs at the American Sportfishing Association. “We need to find ways to work together and find innovative solutions to the water issues that impact not just humans, but our fish and wildlife, as well.”

Gudes points to Chinook salmon in California as one example of an iconic fish species for recreational and commercial anglers that is being stressed by persistent drought conditions. But strong dialogue between federal agencies and stakeholders could help plan for future water crises.

The White House Water Summit is being webcast live here.

As participants in the summit, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership will announce that its petition recognizing serious risks to the country’s water supply—including rising temperatures, falling water levels, and more demand than ever before—has been signed by more than 1,000 sportsmen. And these Americans are calling for action from federal officials.

“The message from hunters and anglers across the country is that we need to create flexible water systems that can better weather the next drought or flood,” says Jimmy Hague, director of the Center for Water Resources with the TRCP. “We also need to promote healthy fish and wildlife habitat while providing water to cities and farms.”

Today Obama issued a Presidential Memorandum and supporting Action Plan on building national capabilities for long-term drought resilience. “This move to increase coordination of federal resources will better protect vital water supplies, especially in places like the drought-stricken Colorado River,” adds Hague.

Read the full report of commitments made in honor of the summit here.

Sportsmen have been setting the agenda on drought since last summer, when ASA and the TRCP joined B.A.S.S., Berkley Conservation Institute, The Nature Conservancy, and Trout Unlimited in delivering recommendations for federal actions to make our country’s waterways more drought resilient. These recommendations include a call for greater coordination between federal agencies and more investment in water conservation projects and voluntary water-sharing agreements—both of which the administration has made moves to address.

“Every antiquated water infrastructure problem is an opportunity to create new benefits for river health and drought resiliency,” says Laura Ziemer, senior counsel and water policy advisor for Trout Unlimited. “This is why we are calling for federal grant criteria to require that water infrastructure or supply projects selected for federal funding also create benefits for fish, wildlife, and recreation through improved instream flows, while improving water supplies for agriculture and cities.”

To learn about one such grant program through the Bureau of Reclamation, watch our video.

Inspired by the legacy of Theodore Roosevelt, the TRCP is a coalition of organizations and grassroots partners working together to preserve the traditions of hunting and fishing.