★ Florida Constitution · Article I, Section 28
The Right to Hunt & Fish Is Now the Law of the Land.
In 2024, Floridians voted overwhelmingly to enshrine hunting and fishing in our Constitution. The Florida Legacy Foundation exists to defend that mandate — protecting sportsmen, landowners, and the Fourth Amendment against government overreach.
A Florida 501(c)(4) social-welfare organization · Sportsmen · Landowners · Constitutional conservatives
Standing Guard Over Florida's Sporting Heritage
Constitution
Defending your right to hunt and fish, and protecting outdoorsmen's First Amendment freedoms.
Property Rights
Your land is your land. We fight to keep the invisible line of private property respected.
Conservation
Abundant wildlife and robust freedom are not in conflict — sportsmen are the original conservationists.
Advocacy
Legislation, testimony, coalitions, and like-minded candidates — pressing the fight where it counts.
Putting on your camouflage shouldn't mean taking off your civil liberties.
— The Florida Legacy FoundationOur Lobbying Efforts
From restoring warrant protections against FWC overreach to holding the line on the 2024 mandate, we are actively engaged in Tallahassee and in your county. See where the battles stand — and where we need you.
View Current Lobbying Efforts →Join a Movement 6.9 Million Strong
Get action alerts, candidate scorecards, and the truth about what's happening to your rights in Tallahassee. No spam — just the fight.
Where the Fight Stands
The Florida Legacy Foundation tracks and champions the legislation that protects your right to hunt, fish, and hold private property. Here is where our priority efforts stand.
HB 1249 — Police Powers of the FWC
Sponsored by Rep. Jason Shoaf, this bill would require FWC officers to enter private property "in the same manner and subject to the same requirements as a law enforcement officer" — restoring warrant protections outside the home.
We proudly stood with Rep. Shoaf. The bill earned a favorable report from the Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee (Feb. 4, 2026) before it died in the Criminal Justice Subcommittee. We are committed to bringing it back.
Amendment 2 — Right to Hunt & Fish
Passed by 67% of Florida voters in 2024, Amendment 2 enshrined the right to hunt and fish in Article I, Section 28 of the Florida Constitution — making Florida the 24th state to do so.
Our job now is to ensure agencies and courts honor this mandate — and that it supersedes older legal theories like the "Public Trust Doctrine" used to erode sportsmen's access.
HB 1133 — Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission
Rep. Jason Shoaf's 2025 bill restructured the FWC with regional representation and set clear limits on when its officers may enter private property. It cleared the House 116–0 and the Senate 36–2.
Despite near-unanimous, bipartisan support, the bill was vetoed by the Governor on June 18, 2025. We are committed to seeing its protections enacted — the fight carried forward into HB 1249 in the 2026 session.
If you're working in your garage with the door open, an officer can't walk up your driveway and demand receipts for your power tools. HB 1249 simply asks FWC officers to respect that same line.
— From "This Land Is Your Land," Florida Legacy FoundationHow We Move the Needle
Legislation
Drafting, sponsoring, and shepherding bills that protect sportsmen and landowners.
Testimony
Showing up in Tallahassee to put sportsmen's voices on the record in committee.
Coalitions
Uniting hunters, anglers, farmers, and property-rights allies into one voice.
Candidates
Identifying and supporting like-minded candidates who will defend the mandate.
Where They Stand on Your Rights
Elections have consequences for the outdoors. We track where Florida candidates and officeholders stand on the right to hunt and fish, private property, and reining in agency overreach — so you can vote your values.
Rep. Jason Shoaf
Sponsor of HB 1249 to restore warrant protections against FWC overreach on private land. A proven ally of Florida's sportsmen and landowners.
How We Grade
Grades reflect voting records, public statements, questionnaire responses, and sponsorship of pro-sportsmen legislation — from A (champion) through F (opponent), or "Not yet rated" until we've reviewed the race.
2026 Florida Candidate Directory
Candidates who qualified for the November 3, 2026 general election, from the Florida Division of Elections (qualifying closed June 12, 2026). Search and filter below — we add grades as we review each race.
| Candidate | Party | Office | District | FLF Grade |
|---|
How We Rate
Grades reflect voting records, public statements, questionnaire responses, and sponsorship of pro-sportsmen legislation.
Candidate Questionnaire
Edit Link your candidate survey here so campaigns can go on the record with Florida's sportsmen.
Get Involved
Volunteer, host a meet-and-greet, or help us reach sportsmen in your district before the next election.
VolunteerThis Land Is Your Land
As outdoorsmen, we respect the rules. We buy our licenses, we follow bag limits, and we teach our kids to be stewards of the land. But for too long in Florida, there has been a different set of rules for the government agents who police us…
The piece makes the constitutional case for HB 1249 — that a 67% mandate for the right to hunt and fish should not require sportsmen to surrender their Fourth Amendment protections. Warrantless "compliance checks" on private land treat law-abiding hunters differently from every other citizen.
Read the full editorial
Right now, Representative Jason Shoaf is sponsoring HB 1249, a bill that seeks to restore a basic constitutional right to Florida's sportsmen and landowners. The bill is simple. It amends state law to say that Florida Wildlife Commission (FWC) officers may enter private property "in the same manner and subject to the same requirements as a law enforcement officer." That's it.
Currently, an FWC officer operates under a different standard than any other law enforcement agent. Unlike a deputy, who needs a warrant to enter your property, an FWC officer can enter your private land (outside of your home) without a warrant, without probable cause, and without your permission, simply to "check" for compliance.
In 2024, a commanding 67% of Floridians voted to pass Amendment 2, enshrining the Right to Hunt and Fish in our Constitution. This undeniable mandate supersedes the legal theories of the past like the 'Public Trust Doctrine' and demands a higher standard of protection. HB 1249 resolves this conflict, proving that we do not have to sacrifice our Fourth Amendment rights just to go hunting.
Some claim that without warrantless access, wildlife can't be protected. But this insults the intelligence of our conservation officers. Our State Troopers catch drug traffickers without strip-searching every minivan. Our Sheriff's Deputies catch burglars without kicking in every front door. They do it through investigation, evidence, warrants, and good police work. We believe FWC officers are capable of doing the same.
The Florida Legacy Foundation is proud to stand with Representative Jason Shoaf. Join us in supporting this fight. Let's ensure that the legacy we leave our children includes both abundant wildlife and robust freedom — because putting on your camouflage shouldn't mean taking off your civil liberties.
The Podcast & Video Channel
Conversations with lawmakers, biologists, landowners, and sportsmen on the front lines of Florida's fight for the outdoors.
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The Florida Legacy Foundation
A 501(c)(4) social-welfare organization advocating for hunting and fishing rights across the Sunshine State.
Our Mission
We advocate for hunting and fishing rights in Florida through legislation, advocacy, support for like-minded candidates, and publishing the information sportsmen need to defend their heritage.
We believe abundant wildlife and robust freedom go hand in hand. Sportsmen are the original conservationists, and the license fees and stewardship of hunters and anglers have funded Florida's conservation for generations. Defending the right to hunt and fish is defending conservation.
What "501(c)(4)" Means
As a 501(c)(4) social-welfare organization, the Foundation is built to advocate. Unlike a charity, we can lobby without limit on issues that advance our mission and can engage in political activity — including educating voters and supporting candidates — within IRS rules.
Fund the Fight for Florida's Freedom
Every dollar goes to work in Tallahassee and in your county — defending your right to hunt, fish, and hold your land. Chip in today to protect the 2024 mandate and defend Florida's sportsmen.
Make a Donation
Any amount fuels the fight. Your gift powers our lobbying, legislative testimony, candidate work, and public education across the Sunshine State.
Donate NowYour privacy is protected. As a 501(c)(4) social-welfare organization, the Florida Legacy Foundation is not required to publicly disclose its supporters, and under IRS Revenue Procedure 2018-38 and Treasury Regulations (T.D. 9898) it is not required to report the names or addresses of its donors to the IRS on Schedule B of its annual Form 990. Your support stays private.
Tax status: Contributions are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. Funds may be used for lobbying and political activity in furtherance of our mission; certain election-related spending may be subject to separate disclosure under applicable campaign-finance law.