OSCP opposes Initiative Petition 28 (IP 28). While we believe IP 28 faces long odds on the 2026 Oregon ballot, it is a critical public conversation about how wildlife conservation actually works, and who pays for it. Oregon’s hunters, anglers and trappers have a long history of intentional stewardship that has helped restore wildlife populations, protect habitat and fund science-based management for the benefit of everyone.
IP 28 advances a misleading narrative that blurs the line between animal abuse and lawful, regulated wildlife management. Oregon can be uncompromising about cruelty and still protect a conservation model that has delivered some of the most successful wildlife recoveries in the world. OSCP will continue to advocate for ethical fair-chase hunting and angling, responsible trapping, and science-based conservation under the public trust.
IP 28 and the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation
Oregon’s fish and wildlife are managed under the public trust; meaning wildlife belongs to all people, and agencies are responsible for conserving it for today and for future generations. This system works because it is grounded in science, accountability and dedicated conservation funding.
The conservation approach used across the United States and Canada is often called the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. It is widely recognized for restoring many species that were once in steep decline and for creating a durable framework for wildlife management based on biology, seasons, bag limits, enforcement and public participation.
A long tradition of stewardship by hunters, anglers and trappers
Hunters, anglers and trappers are not separate from conservation; they have been central to it for more than a century. In Oregon and across North America, sportsmen and women have helped build a conservation system that delivers real results through:
Dedicated conservation funding
- Licenses, tags and user-paid fees that support wildlife science, habitat work and enforcement
- Contributions from sporting organizations that fund on-the-ground projects and access improvements
Habitat conservation and restoration
- Volunteer-led habitat projects, stream improvements and wetland restoration
- Partnerships with private landowners, conservation groups and agencies to conserve working lands and wildlife habitat
Science-based wildlife management
- Wildlife management guided by population data and modern biology
- Regulated seasons, harvest limits and methods that are reviewed and adjusted over time
Ethical standards and accountability
- Fair-chase ethics and responsible harvest practices
- Strong penalties for poaching and genuine cruelty
Why OSCP opposes IP 28
OSCP opposes IP 28 because its messaging and structure threaten to destabilize the conservation framework that keeps wildlife abundant and sustainably managed. Efforts that treat lawful hunting, fishing and regulated wildlife management as “cruelty” ignore how conservation succeeds in the real world: through science, enforceable rules, habitat protection and stable funding.
Oregon can protect animal welfare while also defending the proven conservation model that benefits all Oregonians, hunters and non-hunters alike.
What OSCP stands for
OSCP supports:
- Science-based fish and wildlife management
- Ethical hunting and angling
- Responsible trapping
- Habitat conservation and restoration
- Public trust management and broad public benefit
- Real solutions that improve animal welfare without undermining conservation
