One of the five goals of the National Wildlife Refuge System is "To foster understanding and instill appreciation of native fish, wildlife, and plants and their conservation, by providing the public with safe, high-quality, and compatible wildlife-dependent recreational uses. Such uses are hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and photography, and environmental education and interpretation." The Service recognizes hunting as an acceptable, traditional, and legitimate form of wildlife-oriented recreation and, in some instances, as a management tool to effectively control wildlife population levels.

We authorize hunting on refuges pursuant to the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd-ee), as amended and the Refuge Recreation Act of 1962 (16 U.S.C. 460k-k-4), as amended and in the enabling authorities for several individual refuges. The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 (16 U.S.C. 410hh-3233) specifically requires that Alaska refuges be open to hunting and fishing. Wetland Management Districts, comprised of Waterfowl Production Areas, are legally open to hunting and fishing, unless specifically closed.

The Administration Act closes national wildlife refuges to hunting and fishing unless specifically opened through rulemaking. We publish proposed refuge openings in the Federal Register for public review after completion, review, and Regional Office approval of hunting or fishing plans. These plans are subject to compatibility determinations, Section 7 consultation, letters of concurrence from affected States, and National Environmental Policy Act documentation. In addition, we require refuge managers to certify compatibility and related compliance for hunting and fishing programs on an annual basis.

The Office of Migratory Bird Management sets the general frameworks through their annual regulations permitting the sport hunting of migratory birds. The individual States set seasons within those frameworks. If necessary, we develop regulations that may be more restrictive than State hunting regulations in order to protect resources on a refuge-by-refuge basis. Otherwise, we observe State regulations on all refuges open to hunting.

Refuges use administrative procedures and guidelines as necessary to manage hunting programs. For example, we use refuge permits on some refuges to limit the number of hunters for safety or to improve hunt quality. We may zone hunting areas to distribute hunters or prevent conflicts with other programs. We use limited access and vehicle control to improve the quality of the hunt and prevent habitat disturbance and check stations to gather important biological information.

We evaluate current demands and opportunities for the general public to hunt in the vicinity of the refuge to determine the impacts a refuge hunt would have on the overall hunting opportunities in the area. Excessive demands for hunting may require additional regulations as hunter density is a major factor affecting hunting quality and safety.

We must coordinate hunting on refuges with other compatible wildlife-dependent public uses to minimize conflicts. We may use time and space scheduling to ensure quality experiences for both hunters and nonhunters. We ensure that adverse impacts to other wildlife, particularly threatened and endangered species, do not occur. As of 1991 we have required nontoxic shot for all waterfowl hunting. Several refuges now require nontoxic shot for other hunting as well, where these activities may lead to deposition of lead shot in wetlands.

Where can I go hunting? and other FWS hunting-related links

Hunting for the disabled

The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Federal Aid Program funds a variety of surveys to assess the status and trends of wildlife recreation in the United States. You can visit the Federal Aid web pages to obtain further information on their programs.