An animal-rights group and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are in the midst of settlement discussions over a lawsuit that could take away hunting opportunities on nearly 100 National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs) nationwide. In November, the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) filed a lawsuit over the 2020 expansion of hunting and fishing opportunities on 2.2 million acres of refuge land. The CBD claims that hunting on refuges threatens endangered species due to hunters trampling critical habitat, through lead poisoning from spent ammunition and because grizzly bears are mistakenly shot by hunters believing them to be black bears or in self-defense.
Government officials recently shared that settlement talks include banning lead ammunition and fishing tackle throughout NWRs. The Sportsmen’s Alliance and other conservation groups were not made aware of the pending talks, nor invited to the discussions.
“The administration is needlessly negotiating away millions of acres of land and opportunities for hunters and anglers to participate in the activities that finance a great majority of the already underfunded refuge system,” said Evan Heusinkveld, president and CEO of the Sportsmen’s Alliance. “America’s sportsmen deserve better. They deserve a seat at the table and a say in how the lands they financially support are used.”
A lead ban could impact millions of sportsmen, both hunters and anglers, in every state throughout the country. Sinkers, jigs or other lures containing lead could be prohibited for fishing, while expensive alternative ammunition would be the only option for hunters.
“We’re still in one of the worst ammunition shortages this nation has ever experienced, and now they’re considering making it even more expensive to hunt, if people can even find acceptable alternative ammunition and afford the gas to visit a refuge,” said Heusinkveld. “And all of this is taking place without any consultation with the hunters and recreational shooters who pay for conservation.”
The lawsuit seemed unlikely to succeed given the 1997 National Wildlife Refuge Improvement Act, which ensured that hunting, fishing and trapping would occur on any refuge where it is compatible. The law has allowed hunting on millions of acres as every presidential administration since has touted expansion of opportunities within the system. It’s now clear that the Biden administration, through the Department of Interior and USFWS, is willing to revoke opportunities for tens of millions of hunters, anglers and shooters in settlement talks with radical environmentalists.
The best way to preserve our hunting privileges is for American sportsmen to contact their U.S. congressmen and U.S. senators to oppose these backroom negotiations.
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