Interior Orders All Federal Lands Open to Hunting and Fishing by Default

The U.S. Department of the Interior has issued a new order that opens federal lands to hunting and fishing as a default. (Photo by Harry Collins Photography)

Hunting organizations are cheering a new order from the U.S. Department of the Interior that says federal lands should be open to hunting and fishing unless there’s a legal exception for closure.

According to kanw.org, the secretarial order issued in early January told land managers to find places with unnecessary barriers to hunting and fishing, expand access where possible, and increase coordination with states and tribes. It directed higher-up officials to review proposals that could reduce these recreation opportunities.

Organizations such as the Mule Deer Foundation (MDF), Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP) celebrated this move.

Madeleine West, vice president of western conservation at TRCP, said, “I see it as stepping back and acknowledging how important our country's public lands are to supporting hunting and fishing opportunities for so many Americans, and saying our public land should be available for this – except in the instances where there's a good and real justification for why they shouldn't happen,” she said.

She said she’s unsure of how many acres might be opened as a result.

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“But it’s pretty safe to assume that there will be areas that become available for hunting and fishing that aren't currently, by just putting the onus on justifying why these actions shouldn't occur and where they're not consistent,” West said.

The order applies to lands overseen by the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Indian Affairs, only where tribes express interest.

According to West, the order doesn’t change any laws or regulations about where hunting and fishing are allowed. For example, it doesn't apply to national parks where hunting is not currently permitted.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik explained to a U.S. House subcommittee how he plans to implement the policy.

“As director, I’m also going to be reviewing any decision or plan that could impact hunting or fishing access to make sure we’re doing everything we can to make public lands open for the American people,” Nesvik said.

He said the goal is to ensure all federal wildlife refuges and hatcheries are open to hunting and fishing within two years, except in “rare cases where conflicts with legal mandates, public safety or sensitive species or habitats exist.”

In December, Nesvik launched a review of all USFWS sites that may have been “established for a purpose that no longer aligns with the mission” of the bureau.