POLISCOPE
Back to feed
NewsThe GuardianMay 8, 2026United States

Trump Administration Eases Hunting Restrictions on Federal Lands

The US Department of the Interior has issued an order directing managers of 55 national park and refuge sites to remove restrictions on hunting and fishing unless they can provide a specific legal justification for keeping them. The policy change has already led to the lifting of local prohibitions on activities like using hunting dogs, vehicle retrieval of animals, and cleaning game in public facilities.

National ParksHuntingPublic LandsUS Department of the InteriorWildlife Management
Read the full story at The Guardian

Why It Matters

This policy shift changes the rules for recreational access and wildlife management across 55 federal sites, potentially altering visitor experiences and safety protocols in national parks and preserves.

Key Facts

  • Secretary Doug Burgum issued an order in January requiring agencies to remove 'unnecessary' barriers to hunting and fishing on federal lands.
  • The order applies to 55 sites under the National Park Service jurisdiction in the lower 48 states.
  • Federal lands are now required to be open to hunting and fishing unless a specific, documented, and legally supported exception exists.
  • Local managers have already lifted bans on using hunting stands that damage trees, training hunting dogs, using vehicles to retrieve animals, and hunting along trails.
  • At Cape Cod National Seashore, the hunting season is being extended through spring and summer.
  • At Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, hunters are now permitted to clean kills in bathrooms.
  • At Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, alligator hunting is now permitted.
  • Only 4.2% of the US population identified as hunters over age 16 in 2024.
  • Hunting is currently allowed across approximately 51 million acres of National Park Service land spanning 76 sites.
  • Fishing is currently allowed at 213 National Park Service sites.

Who's Mentioned

organizationNational Parks Conservation Association“Organization that reviewed site regulations.”organizationUS Department of the Interior“Federal department overseeing the policy change.”personElaine Leslie“Former head of the NPS biological resources department.”personDan Wenk“Former Yellowstone national park superintendent.”organizationTheodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership“Advocacy group supporting the order.”personDoug Burgum“US Department of the Interior Secretary who issued the January order.”personElizabeth Peace“Interior Department spokesperson.”personDonald Trump“President whose administration is pushing the policy change.”organizationDucks Unlimited“Advocacy group supporting the order.”organizationNational Park Service“Agency managing the affected sites.”