"Doug Burgum, the US Department of the Interior secretary, issued an order in January directing multiple agencies to remove what he termed unnecessary regulatory or administrative barriers to hunting and fishing, to and justify regulations they want to keep in place. 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, Burgum wrote. The Department's policy is clear: public and federally managed lands should be open to hunting and fishing unless a specific, documented, and legally supported exception applies."
"The order applies to 55 sites in the lower 48 states under the National Park Service's jurisdiction, according to the National Parks Conservation Association. Managers at various locations have already lifted prohibitions on hunting stands that damage trees and on training hunting dogs, using vehicles to retrieve animals and hunting along trails, according to an NPCA review of site regulations the organization recently performed after learning of the order."
"The hunting season in the Cape Cod national seashore in Massachusetts, for example, would be extended through the spring and summer. Hunters in the Lake Meredith national recreation area in Texas would be allowed to clean their kills in bathrooms. And hunters would be allowed to kill alligators in the Jean Lafitte national historical park and preserve in Louisiana."
"Burgum's order comes as hunting continues to decline in the face of increasing urbanization. Only about 4.2% of the US population identified as a hunter older than age 16 in 2024, according to US Fish and Wildlife Ser"
An order from the Department of the Interior directs agencies to remove regulatory and administrative barriers to hunting and fishing on Department-managed lands. The policy states that public and federally managed lands should be open to hunting and fishing unless a specific, documented, and legally supported exception applies. The order covers 55 sites in the lower 48 states under National Park Service jurisdiction. Managers at multiple locations have already lifted prohibitions related to hunting stands that damage trees, training hunting dogs, using vehicles to retrieve animals, and hunting along trails. Reported changes include extending hunting seasons at Cape Cod National Seashore, allowing hunters to clean kills in bathrooms at Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, and permitting alligator hunting at Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve. The move occurs as hunting participation declines amid urbanization.
#hunting-policy #national-parks #wildlife-management #department-of-the-interior #public-land-access
Read at www.theguardian.com
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