Trump Administration Eases Hunting Rules in National Parks and Refuges

The Trump administration is directing managers of national parks, wildlife refuges and wilderness areas to dramatically scale back longstanding hunting restrictions, with changes already taking effect at multiple sites. Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum issued the order in January, instructing agencies to remove what he termed “unnecessary regulatory or administrative barriers” to hunting and fishing and to justify any rules they wish to retain.

The directive applies to 55 sites in the lower 48 states under National Park Service jurisdiction, according to the National Parks Conservation Association. Managers have already lifted prohibitions on hunting stands that damage trees, training hunting dogs, using vehicles to retrieve animals and hunting along trails.

Specific examples include extending the hunting season through spring and summer at Cape Cod National Seashore in Massachusetts, allowing hunters to clean kills in bathrooms at Lake Meredith National Recreation Area in Texas, and permitting alligator hunting at Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve in Louisiana.

The order states that public and federally managed lands should be open to hunting and fishing unless a specific, documented and legally supported exception applies. He questioned the need for the changes without public discussion. “Process never seems to stand in the way of many things with this administration,” Wenk said in a telephone interview.

“I’d love to know the problem we’re trying to solve. “For decades, sportsmen and women have been some of the strongest stewards of our public lands, and this order ensures their access is not unnecessarily restricted by outdated or overly broad limitations that are not required by law,” Peace stated.

Hunting participation has continued to decline amid increasing urbanization. Only about 4.2% of the U.S. population identified as a hunter older than 16 in 2024, according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Census data. That trend has left state wildlife agencies short on revenue from license sales and excise taxes on guns and ammunition.

Hunting is currently allowed across about 51 million National Park Service acres spanning 76 sites, though only about 8 million of those acres are in the contiguous United States, with the rest in Alaska. Fishing is permitted at 213 sites. NPS sites generally follow state hunting and fishing regulations but can add stricter rules to protect safety and wildlife, such as bans on shooting near trails or buildings.

Hunting advocates and conservative policymakers have sought ways to sustain the activity, including promoting it to women and young children, creating seasons for additional species and expanding access to public lands. The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership called the order a balance between wildlife management and outdoor traditions.

Ducks Unlimited said it recognizes duck hunters’ “vital role” and will streamline regulations to align more closely with state rules.

““Expanding opportunities for the public to hunt and fish on Department-managed lands not only strengthens conservation outcomes, but also supports rural economies, public health, and access to America’s outdoor spaces.””

The changes represent one of several environmental policy shifts by the administration, which has also moved to weaken certain Biden-era limits on PFAS chemicals in drinking water and faced legal challenges over tariffs and research funding cuts, including a high-profile Colorado court battle over the future of the National Center for Atmospheric Research.