If appoved, the USFWS proposal will increase public land for hunting by over 200,000 acres.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) issued a press release earlier this month announcing a proposed rule to expand hunting and fishing opportunities to over 10 National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs). The government now seeks public commentary on the proposal until September 4.
The proposed regulation calls for expanding public access to hunting and fishing in NWRs in 10 states: Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Carolina, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Click here to see the complete list of NWRs included in the proposal.
If the rule is approved, approximately 211,000 acres of land will become publicly available for hunting and fishing in time for the 2024-2025 hunting season. The largest expansions to public hunting grounds would be in North Dakota, with over 100,000 acres added for elk hunting.
Service Director Martha Williams said in the press release that the FWS is "pleased to expand access and offer new opportunities that are compatible with National Wildlife Refuge System purposes" and is "committed to responsibly manage wildlife health and these areas for the benefit of future generations.”
According to the USFWS, the Refuge System is a network of 571 NWRs and 38 wetland management districts that serve as habitats for plants and animals and designated locations for recreational activities.
The expansion of protected lands for public use aligns with the USFWS's conservation approach and the U.S. Department of the Interior's America The Beautiful initiative.
In an attempt to appease conservationalists, many of the clauses in the proposal also call for requiring non-lead ammunition on the stated NWRs.
Hunters and anglers can view the entire docket, broken down into 30 documents, and public comments by going to www.regulations.gov and searching for the docket number FWS-HQ-NWRS-2024-0034. Comments can be submitted directly on the website.
