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Hunting and Fishing Opportunities Expanded on Wildlife Refuges- (09/10)
National

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has expanded hunting and angling activities on several wildlife refuges within the National Wildlife Refuge System.

The USFWS issued a final rule, effective immediately, adding ten new refuges and wetland management districts to a list of areas open to hunting and angling. It has increased available activities at seven other refuges. The USFWS also announced its intent to develop “refuge-specific regulations for those activities and amend certain regulations on other refuges that pertain to migratory game bird hunting, upland game hunting, big game hunting and sport fishing for the 2004-2005 season.”

The following National Wildlife Refuges have been opened to migratory bird hunting, upland game hunting, big game hunting and/or angling:

Waccamaw NWR in SC – Migratory bird, upland game, big game hunting and sport fishing

Crescent Lake NWR in NE – Migratory bird hunting

Mountain Longleaf NWR in AL – Migratory bird, upland game, big game hunting

Red River NWR in LA – Migratory bird, upland game, big game hunting and sport fishing

Trinity River NWR in TX – Upland game and big game hunting

Cross Creeks NWR in TN – Migratory bird hunting

Tennessee NWR in TN – Migratory bird hunting

Cypress Creek NWR in IL – Sport fishing

Big Oaks NWR in IN – Upland game hunting

Big Branch Marsh NWR in LA – Upland game hunting

Savannah NWR in GA/SC - Migratory bird hunting

Devils Lake WMD in ND – Migratory bird, upland game, big game hunting and sport fishing

Huron WMD in SD – Migratory bird, upland game, big game hunting and sport fishing

Lake Andes WMD in SD - Migratory bird, upland game, big game hunting and sport fishing

Madison WMD in SD - Migratory bird, upland game, big game hunting and sport fishing

Sand Lake WMD in SD - Migratory bird, upland game, big game hunting and sport fishing

Waubay WMD in SD - Migratory bird, upland game, big game hunting and sport fishing



According to the USFWS, lands acquired as “waterfowl production areas,” which are generally managed as part of wetland management districts (WMD), are open to the hunting of migratory game birds, upland game, big game and sport fishing and subject to the provisions of state law and regulations.



Further, the DeSoto NWR in Iowa will close to migratory bird hunting this year. It will remain open for big game hunting and sport fishing. Stillwater NWR in Nevada is closing to sport fishing this year due to concerns over mercury contaminants in the fish.



The opening of NWR lands for sportsmen’s activities is consistent with the National Refuge System Improvement Act, which Congress passed in 1997 to ensure that the refuge system is managed for wildlife conservation and that hunting and fishing are priority public uses on refuge units. The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance lobbied intensively for the passage of the landmark act.



Anti-Hunters Bring Lawsuit to Stop Hunting on Refuge Lands

The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance is taking on anti-hunters in a legal battle to protect hunting on National Wildlife Refuges.



The anti’s, including the national anti-hunting groups the Fund for Animals brought a suit in March 2003 to challenge the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s opening of hunting on 39 National Wildlife Refuges since 1997. The case was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.



The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation maintains that U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service acted well within its authority when opening the hunting programs. The antis’ suit flies in the face of the Congress’ intent as made clear by the 1997 National Wildlife Refuge Improvement Act. The law firmly established hunting as a priority use of the nearly 100 million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System.