http://www.fws.gov/news/ShowNe...4C6-AA34272C61978A4A



Press Release
Service Proposes Expansion of Hunting and Fishing Opportunities on National Wildlife Refuges
June 9, 2015

Contact(s):
Vanessa Kauffman
703-358-2138
vanessa_kauffman@fws.gov


U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe today announced as part of Great Outdoors Month the agency is proposing to expand fishing and hunting opportunities on 21 refuges throughout the National Wildlife Refuge System. The proposed rule also modifies existing refuge-specific regulations for more than 100 additional refuges and wetland management districts.

“The Service is committed to strengthening and expanding hunting and fishing opportunities,” said Ashe. “By expanding hunting and fishing programs across the Refuge System we are furthering a rich tradition of providing quality recreational opportunities to the American people. These programs support local economies, help people connect with the outdoors, and encourage people to value nature.”

National wildlife refuges provide premier outdoor recreational opportunities across the Nation. There are more than 560 national wildlife refuges and 38 wetland management districts, including one within an hour’s drive from most major metropolitan areas. The Service manages refuge hunting and fishing programs to ensure sustainable wildlife populations, while offering traditional wildlife-dependent recreation on public lands.

Under the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, the Service permits hunting and fishing along with four other types of wildlife-dependent recreation when they are compatible with an individual refuge’s purpose and mission. Hunting, within specified limits, is permitted on 335 wildlife refuges. Fishing is permitted on 271 wildlife refuges.

Hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities on refuges help stimulate the economy and generate funding for wildlife conservation. The Service’s report Banking on Nature shows that refuges pump $2.4 billion into the economy and support more than 35,000 jobs. More than 47 million people visit refuges every year.

Other wildlife-dependent recreation on national wildlife refuges includes wildlife photography, environmental education, wildlife observation and interpretation.

The Service proposes opening the following refuge to hunting for the first time:

Oregon

Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge: Open to migratory bird hunting (youth only).
The Service proposes opening the following refuges to sport fishing for the first time:

North Dakota

Ardoch National Wildlife Refuge: Open to sport fishing.
Lake Alice National Wildlife Refuge: Open to sport fishing.
Rose Lake National Wildlife Refuge: Open to sport fishing.
Silver Lake National Wildlife Refuge: Open to sport fishing.
The Service also proposes expanding hunting and sport fishing on the following refuges:

California

Sacramento River National Wildlife Refuge: Expand big game hunting. The refuge is already open to migratory bird hunting, upland game hunting, and sport fishing.
Delaware

Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge: Expand migratory bird hunting, upland game hunting, and big game hunting. The refuge is already open to sport fishing.
Florida

St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge: Expand upland game hunting and big game hunting. The refuge is already open to migratory bird hunting and sport fishing.
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge: Add big game hunting. The refuge is already open to migratory bird hunting and sport fishing.
Illinois

Great River National Wildlife Refuge, IL and MO: Expand upland game hunting and big game hunting. The refuge is already open to migratory bird hunting and sport fishing.
Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge, IL and MO: Expand migratory bird hunting and big game hunting. The refuge is already open to upland game hunting and sport fishing.
Indiana

Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge and Management Area: Expand migratory bird hunting, upland game hunting, big game hunting, and sport fishing.
Iowa

Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge, IA and MN: Expand migratory bird hunting, upland game hunting, and big game hunting.
Louisiana

Bayou Cocodrie National Wildlife Refuge: Expand upland game hunting and big game hunting. The refuge is already open to migratory bird hunting and sport fishing.
Michigan

Seney National Wildlife Refuge: Expand migratory bird hunting, upland game hunting, and big game hunting. The refuge is already open to sport fishing.
Minnesota

Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge: Expand upland game hunting. The refuge is already open to migratory bird hunting, big game hunting, and sport fishing.
Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge, IA and MN: Expand migratory bird hunting, upland game hunting, and big game hunting.
Missouri

Great River National Wildlife Refuge, IL and MO: Expand upland game hunting and big game hunting. The refuge is already open to migratory bird hunting and sport fishing.
Mingo National Wildlife Refuge: Expand big game hunting. The refuge is already open to migratory bird hunting, upland game hunting and sport fishing.
Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge: Expand migratory bird hunting, upland game hunting, and big game hunting. The refuge is already open to sport fishing.
Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge, IL and MO: Expand migratory bird hunting and big game hunting. The refuge is already open to upland game hunting and sport fishing.
New Jersey/New York

Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge: Add upland game hunting and expand big game hunting. The refuge is already open to migratory bird hunting and sport fishing.
Oregon

William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge: Expand big game hunting.
Vermont

Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge: Expand migratory bird hunting, upland game hunting and big game hunting. The refuge is already open to sport fishing.
The Service is seeking comments from the public for 30 days regarding information pertaining to the proposed rule. Please go to www.regulations.gov Docket No. FWS-HQ-NWRS-2015-0029 for additional information. The proposed rule will publish in the Federal Register on June 11, 2015, comments must be received by July 13, 2015.

To view a complete list of all hunting/sport fishing opportunities on refuges, click here.

I have had some great hunts on NWR's in several states. It is nice, and somewhat surprising, to see this happening in this political climate.

Tom

quote:

Originally posted by TWall:
It is nice, and somewhat surprising, to see this happening in this political climate.

Tom

I agree 100%. It seems rare that science trumps politics.

A few years ago I spoke to a F&G biologist in CA about a wildlife refuge that was being converted into a standard "wilderness" area. He said that the idea behind wildlife refuges was to protect the wildlife so that the refuge could act as a reservoir to repopulate game in the adjacent areas but that 50 years of experience had shown that this was not necessary. With the game management that had been put in place, wildlife populations were as healthy outside the refuge as they were in the refuge itself.