SCI submitted a comment letter on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s proposed 2024-2025 Station-Specific Hunting and Sport Fishing Regulations. SCI’s letter supports the proposal to open or expand hunting opportunities on twelve National Wildlife Refuges across approximately 210,000 acres. However, SCI points out that hunting conservation groups identified more than 100 new potential hunting opportunities on Refuges, and the FWS seems to have now ignored that list for several years. The FWS could contact state wildlife agencies or survey hunters and anglers who use the Refuge System to identify new opportunities they would like to see opened, but they haven’t done so.
SCI expressed its disappointment that the Proposed Rule focuses only on opportunities that prohibit the use of lead ammunition and tackle, which limits the scope of possible openings and expansions. SCI does not oppose lead restrictions where specifically tailored and supported by location-specific science. But the FWS has yet to point to any science regarding the relevant Refuges in the Proposed Rule. And the Proposed Rule fails to explain why the FWS’ can’t implement voluntary, incentive-based ammo-swap programs instead. SCI and other hunting conservation organizations have objected to restrictions on use of lead ammo and tackle in part because alternative ammo is not always available or easy to source.
Read SCI’s comment letter here.
Below is a summary of the proposed changes for each of the Refuges in the 2024-2025 Hunt Fish Rule:
Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge, Louisiana: The proposal expands migratory bird and archery deer hunting on 635 acres of the Refuge. Notably, hunting is consistent with the Refuge’s goals to “identify, conserve, manage, and restore populations of native fish and wildlife species representative of the Lower Atchafalaya Basin, with emphasis on Louisiana black bear, migratory birds, and other threatened and endangered species.” SCI, SCI Foundation, and SCI’s Acadiana Chapter have significantly contributed to the opening of the first black bear season in the “Sportsmen’s Paradise” since the 1980s.
Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge, West Virginia: The proposal expands migratory bird, upland game, and big game hunting on 2,412 acres of the Refuge, encompassing recently acquired acres surrounding the Big Cove area. Non-lead ammunition will be required on newly acquired acres. SCI is currently in litigation defending the FWS’ previous decision not to prohibit the use of lead ammunition on Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge.
Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge, J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge, Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge, and Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge, North Dakota: The proposal opens elk hunting on 14,145 acres on Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge, 58,939 acres on J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge, 27,331 acres on Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge, and 32,026 acres on Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge. The FWS aims to increase public land hunting opportunities in Northeast North Dakota while providing a more “backcountry” style elk hunting opportunity. The proposal includes a prohibition on the use of lead ammunition to hunt elk.
Green River National Wildlife Refuge, Kentucky: The proposal opens 793 acres of the Refuge to migratory bird, upland game, and big game hunting. Hunting is a priority public use of the Refuge System and would be a new use on the Green River National Wildlife Refuge.
Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge, Texas: The proposal opens three new areas to archery deer hunting and allows two new species of migratory birds to be hunted on 2,510 acres of the Refuge. The Refuge has the goal to open an additional 25 percent of the Refuge to big game, upland game, and waterfowl hunting, striving to reach 1,000 hunter use days annually.
Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, Washington: The proposal expands fall turkey hunting opportunities to an additional 330 acres of the Refuge. Opportunities to hunt in the greater Spokane area are increasingly scarce due to an ever-growing population, urbanization, and a relative lack of public land open to these uses. The proposal estimates that an additional 25-35 turkeys will be harvested from the fall hunt due to the expansion and additional hunters afield.
Valentine National Wildlife Refuge, Nebraska: The proposal expands turkey hunting on 70,549 acres of the Refuge. Currently, turkey hunting closes on March 31. The FWS proposesto extend the spring turkey hunting season through May 31. An extended season would apply to all areas of the Refuge that are currently open to turkey hunting.
Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge, South Carolina: The proposal expands existing youth migratory bird hunting to an additional 43 acres.
