CRAZIEST BILL WINNER : Rhode Island ’ s Animal Lawyers — Sen . Dennis Algiere ( R ) dropped any pretense of hiding an animal-rights agenda when he sponsored Senate Bill 2227 , which appointed pro bono lawyers to animals in court cases . This is an agenda the Non-Human Rights Project has pushed for several years , legally equating animals with humans .

RUNNERS UP : Louisiana Animal Ordinance — A conflagration of animal ordinances out of St . Landry Parish that , among other things , protects rats and forbids dogs riding in cars . No Barking Dogs in Delaware — The Delaware House Health and Human Development Committee passed legislation to fine owners when their dog barks more than 15 minutes . It passed with a single “ yes ” vote .

WORST SPORTSMEN ’ S ISSUE WINNER : California ’ s Youth Marketing and Firearms — No other single piece of state legislation could undermine and damage the hunting and outdoor community more thoroughly than California Assembly Bill 2571 . Sponsored by Rep . Rebecca Bauer- Kahan ( D ), it was written to destroy the firearms industry , and in the process ended hunter safety classes and chilled protected First Amendment speech for print , digital , broadcast and social media concerning anything to do with hunting , shooting and youth .

RUNNERS UP : National Wildlife Refuge Hunt-Fish Rule — The Biden administration secretly negotiated a settlement with the Center for Biological Diversity and implemented a lead-ammunition and -fishing-tackle ban on refuges . RETURN Act — Rep . Andrew Clyde ( R-GA ) introduced a bill that would gut the Pittman-Robertson Act funding for wildlife and conservation by almost completely removing the excise tax on firearms and ammo .

WORST ANTI-HUNTING ORGANIZATION WINNER : Center for Biological Diversity — A group that usually plays second fiddle to the Humane Society of the United States , the Center for Biological Diversity has flexed its legal muscles over the last couple of years and has made a habit of suing and settling with the government to advance its agenda while collecting millions of

taxpayer dollars . No topic is too big or too small for this group to petition or sue over as it has done both regarding everything from wolves and grizzlies to interstate transport of game .

RUNNERS UP : Humane Society of the United States — The animal-rights world ’ s 800-pound gorilla , HSUS uses its bottomless financial reserves to end hunting . The extremist organization was relatively quiet in 2022 , which can ’ t be a good sign for 2023 and 2024 . Wildlife For All — A newcomer to the scene , Wildlife For All targets state game commissions and espouses protection of predators to control prey species instead of hunters , which will upend and bankrupt our wildlife management model .

WORST PUBLIC OFFICIAL WINNER : Deb Haaland , Secretary of Interior — A devout anti-trapping advocate , Haaland excluded sportsmen from settlement talks with the Center for Biological Diversity , approved the hunt-fish rule banning lead ammo and fishing tackle on refuges , removed a government website detailing settlement details and payouts , has pushed federal overreach in national parks and preserves found in Alaska , and has bottlenecked import of some African taxidermy . Her influence on the U . S . Fish & Wildlife Service and National Park Service , and the millions of acres of hunting land under their control , is unfriendly to sportsmen .

RUNNERS UP : Gov . Jay Inslee — The puppet master behind the end of Washington ’ s spring bear season , Inslee has filled the state ’ s game commission with anti-hunters interested only in protectionism . He ’ s also continued meddling in wolf and cougar management decisions . Gov . Gavin Newsom — California ’ s governor has never met a gun-control or anti-hunting bill he didn ’ t support .

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