As we move deeper into 2026, the war on science-based conservation and the North American model of wildlife conservation continues, driven in part by anti-hunting groups. This year presents an especially challenging landscape, as it is a midterm election year for Congress, with many state legislatures also holding elections—creating threats from multiple angles.
In Oregon, a particularly serious threat to our way of life has emerged in the form of Initiative Petition 28 (IP28), also known as the PEACE Act (People for the Elimination of Animal Cruelty Exemptions). This measure aims to place hunting, fishing, trapping and farming under Oregon’s animal abuse statutes, effectively banning these practices.
To qualify for the ballot, the petition must receive 117,173 valid signatures by July 2. As of February, it had already collected around 100,000 signatures, putting it dangerously close to meeting the necessary threshold. If this initiative makes it to the ballot, it could set a concerning precedent nationwide and potentially lead to similar efforts in other states. With 2026 being a midterm election year, the political environment adds another layer of risk, as higher voter turnout could bring more anti-hunting voters to Oregon’s ballot boxes.
While challenges are mounting in Oregon, there has been some ground gained—or at least maintained—in Colorado. Beaver trappers and hunters were under threat from House Bill 1323, which would have made it illegal to kill or trap beavers for recreation on state public lands and federal lands where state rules apply.
The bill was introduced under the premise that eliminating legal trapping would provide a “cost-free” solution to the state’s wildfire and drought concerns. Fortunately, the bill was defeated after being indefinitely postponed during this session in a committee vote of 10-3.
As the year continues and elections move forward, it is critical that bowhunters stand together to protect the right to hunt across the country, continue promoting the North American model of wildlife conservation and support the impact of the Pittman-Robertson Act, which remains one of the strongest funding mechanisms for conservation in the United States.
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