SEPTEMBER TOWN HALL

It’s safe to say our 2025 Clay Buster Bonanza was a big success and a smashing good time for all who came out to shoot. We had 50 people and a dozen teams that safely fired off about 5,000 rounds across the course at some fun and challenging stations at the Caldwell Gun Club on Aug. 21, 2025. 

It was great to see a lot of first-time shooters and new teams from across the state. We had the largest caucus group in the Idaho House and Senate. We appreciate that staff from all four members of Idaho’s congressional delegation showed up to network with the group. They were joined by staff from many of Idaho’s natural resource agencies and staff from each of the federal delegation offices. The robust turnout from elected officials and staff is a testament to commitment and support to the fundamental values of Idaho Sportsmen Access & Opportunity.

We also want to thank U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo for serving as our headliner and kicking off the event with a few opening remarks. He thanked ISAO for the diligence and support we provided during negotiations this summer on the One Big Beautiful Bill, lifting the tax on suppressors as well as blocking the sale of millions of acres of public federal land in western states. Help from ISAO, along with our partners from the local, state, and national hunting and shooting communities, contributed to the removal of the long-dreaded tax on suppressors and short-barrel rifles. Even more importantly, Crapo said the outpouring of comments and efforts led to the removal of language in the bill that would sell off public lands for development.

Crapo said the message from Idaho was loud and clear about keeping public lands in public hands, and he vowed to continue fighting against future efforts to auction off public acreage in Idaho and across the West.

“The vast majority of Idahoans don’t want public lands sold off to the highest bidder,” Benn Brocksome, of ISAO, said during the September Town Hall. “We were working hard at the end of the negotiations in the Senate to make sure that wasn’t part of the process. Kudos to Rep. Simpson and Senators Crapo and Risch for working to remove that from the One Big Beautiful Bill.”

Proposed legislation was also front and center at the Town Hall. Brocksome discussed a bill coming from Sen. Ben Adams that would place any new land the state acquires from the federal government into a trust. Adams said the intention is to protect those lands in perpetuity and block any attempt to sell them off for any reason. His legislation calls for amending the Idaho Constitution, meaning it would also require voter approval after passage in the legislature.

Idaho Sportsmen is supportive of the concept of the bill, Brocksome said. But he also said there are some tweaks that can be made to make the legislation a better fit for Idaho.

Additionally, Brocksome said he anticipates another effort to craft a solution to address the nonresident outfitted hunting tag issue as well as some pro-gun legislation coming forward this session, but he hasn’t seen final drafts just yet. Details on both are few right now, but we’ll be sure to share more about these and other relevant policy initiatives as we get close to the start of the 2026 Idaho Legislature.

There are a few more state government items to highlight, including an update on Idaho’s general fund health and the potential impact on spending and programming.

The most recent forecast suggests the state is facing an $80 million deficit, largely due to revenue declines resulting from historic tax cuts approved earlier this year. In response, Gov. Little announced a 3 percent budget holdback for all state agencies, except for K-12 public schools.

Idaho Fish and Game is likely to avoid the budget cuts because it’s an agency supported by dedicated funding from the sale of tags and licenses rather than general fund dollars.

“We expect the agency to be left whole, but it’s something we’ll be keeping our eyes on,” Brocksome said. 

Finally, some news about the quagga mussel infestation in a stretch of the Snake River in the Magic Valley. The Department of Agriculture announced last week that the river area impacted by the species is more than 50 percent of a year ago – essentially a reduction from 7.2 river miles to 3.5miles. No mussels have been detected upstream or down river from the section of the river treated last summer, agency officials said. The agency, in collaboration with Fish and Game, is in the process of preparing its plan to treat the river again this year.

As you can see from the press release, ISAO continues to support state efforts to aggressively treat and combat the further spread of the species.

Our next Town Hall is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 7th. Bring your best hunting stories from the start of the fall season.