Animal Extremists Mount Legal Offensive Against Sportsmen

by
posted on February 21, 2025
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
SA And HLF

Animal extremist groups have recently announced their decisions to hire additional attorneys to challenge predicted federal government regulations and actions regarding energy, the environment and endangered species. The Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) and Earthjustice are hiring six and eight additional attorneys.

“While the specifics of their lawsuits are still unclear, one thing is certain: these animal extremists are committed to dismantling sportsmen’s rights in our country, and they have the funding to pursue as much,” said Dr. Todd Adkins, senior vice president at the Sportsmen’s Alliance. “Years and years of sue-and-settle schemes have lined the coffers of ideologues, and they have no shame in utilizing those funds to pursue silly, superfluous lawsuits without legal or scientific backing.”

The new presidential administration has brought a wave of new administrative actions —many of which have created anxiety and ideological roadblocks for animal extremists. But these organizations are no strangers to suing the federal government. CBD sued the previous Trump administration more than 280 times, while Earthjustice took the administration to court over 200 times. These numbers are staggering—especially when you consider the lunacy of many of their arguments—but not surprising.

CBD has over 70 in-house attorneys, and Earthjustice employs at least 200. For scale of reference, prominent hunters' right group Sportsmen's Alliance Foundation's Office of Litigation Counsel employs just five.

“We’ve been litigating against CBD, Earthjustice and other animal extremists for years, and their tactics have changed very little,” said Michael Jean, litigation counsel at the Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation. “But they’re willing to spend exorbitant amounts of money to pursue their ideologies. Fortunately, we’ve been very effective and efficient at defending against these attacks.”

For more updates on the continual fight against those who seek to take away the rights of hunters, head on over to NRA's Hunter's Leadership Forum, visit the Sportsmen's Alliance, or of course, check back with us right here at americanhunter.org.

Latest

SUPPORT Finisher Chest Pack Pro
SUPPORT Finisher Chest Pack Pro

First Look: Blocker Outdoors Finisher Chest Pack Pro

The Blocker Outdoors Finisher Chest Pack Pro is the kind of gear that takes the basic tenets of turkey hunting into consideration, while attempting to minimize the burden of a cumbersome full-size vest. This makes it a a straightforward alternative to a full-size turkey vest for run-and-gun hunters who want to balance loadout with freedom of movement.

The Value of Post Season Scouting in the Snow

Although for most of the country deer season is over, there are some important aspects of deer hunting to be understood, particularly when it snows during the winter months. In my part of the country, we don’t often get a good blanket of snow until the deer season closes. However, when it does snow, I make a point to get outdoors and visit each of my hunting areas to learn when the learning is best.

Tuo Introduces New Camouflage Pattern: Ryse

Tuo launched its proprietary Verse camo pattern in 2024. While the supplemental light tans and sharp lines render effectiveness in wooded environments as well, Tuo wanted to offer a second exclusive pattern for whitetail hunters. It has done so with Ryse.

New for 2026: SIG Sauer Zulu10 HDX Binoculars

SIG Sauer’s new Zulu10 HDX binoculars are engineered for hunters and shooters who prioritize optical performance and mechanical precision as much as durability.

Renewed Hunting and Fishing Focus on Interior Department-Managed Property

On Jan. 7 U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum issued an order stating, “…public and federally managed lands should be open to hunting and fishing unless a specific, documented, and legally supported exception applies.”

#SundayGunday: Benelli Lupo HPR

This week on #SundayGunday, we test-fire the Lupo HPR, a bolt-action rifle from Benelli with a host of proprietary, high-performance features that drop it in the gap between long-range competition rig and custom hunting rig. Learn more about it in this exclusive video.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.