Let’s call this a moment of multicultural understanding: An administration led by a real estate developer from Manhattan is proposing a federal rule change that will substantially improve access to public lands for hunting and fishing. But there’s an important proviso, as federal rule changes require a public comment period, and anti-hunting groups will certainly flood the comment period with opposition.
You can comment on the proposed rule changes here, and scroll down below the comment form to read the proposed rule changes in detail. Public comment must be received by June 26 to be considered.
The X account known by the username Rodeo Professor provides a detailed state-by-state breakdown of the local effects of the proposed rule change, giving you a quick way to see what it means where you live.
The proposed rule change follows an order from Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, which found that “public and federally managed lands should be open to hunting and fishing unless a specific, documented, and legally supported exception applies.” The order changes the underlying presumption in the federal management of public lands, applying what is sometimes called an “open unless closed” premise in which hunting and fishing access is the default position that requires specific exemptions.
“Hunting and fishing are foundational components of the Nation’s conservation tradition,” Burgum wrote in his order. “For generations, sportsmen and women have contributed to wildlife and fisheries management through license sales, excise taxes on equipment, and voluntary conservation efforts. Expanding opportunities for the public to hunt and fish on Department-managed lands not only strengthens conservation outcomes, but also supports rural economies, public health, and access to America’s outdoor spaces.”
While new rules from Department of the Interior agencies like the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management are expected to follow, the rule change proposed this week affects public lands managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
“This includes opening hunting or sport fishing opportunities for the first time on 14 National Wildlife Refuges (NWR) and 3 National Fish Hatcheries (NFH),” the summary of the rule change says. “The proposed actions will open or expand more than 1,450 opportunities for hunting and fishing.”
The 30-day public comment period is now open.
