The Trump administration is quietly directing managers of national parks, refuges, and wilderness areas to significantly reduce hunting restrictions, sparking concerns over visitor safety and effects on wildlife.
Interior Department Order
Doug Burgum, the US Department of the Interior secretary, issued an order in January instructing multiple agencies to remove what he called "unnecessary regulatory or administrative barriers" to hunting and fishing. Agencies must justify any regulations they wish to keep.
"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," Burgum wrote. "The Department's policy is clear: public and federally managed lands should be open to hunting and fishing unless a specific, documented, and legally supported exception applies."
Changes Across 55 Sites
The order applies to 55 sites in the lower 48 states under the National Park Service's jurisdiction, according to the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA). A review by NPCA found that managers have already lifted prohibitions on hunting stands that damage trees, training hunting dogs, using vehicles to retrieve animals, and hunting along trails.
- In Cape Cod National Seashore (Massachusetts), the hunting season would be extended through spring and summer.
- At Lake Meredith National Recreation Area (Texas), hunters would be allowed to clean their kills in bathrooms.
- In Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve (Louisiana), hunters would be permitted to kill alligators.
Decline in Hunting
The order comes as hunting participation continues to decline amid increasing urbanization. Only about 4.2% of the US population over age 16 identified as hunters in 2024, according to US Fish and Wildlife Service and census data. This has left state wildlife agencies short on revenue from license sales and excise taxes on guns and ammunition.
Hunting advocates and conservative policymakers have been exploring ways to sustain the sport, including promoting it to women and young children, creating seasons for more species, and expanding access to public land.
Current Hunting Rules
Hunting is currently allowed across about 51 million acres of National Park Service land spanning 76 sites, though only about 8 million of those acres are in the contiguous United States, with the rest in Alaska. Fishing is allowed at 213 sites. NPS sites typically adopt state regulations but can impose additional restrictions for public safety and wildlife protection, such as prohibiting shooting along trails or near buildings.
Criticism from Former Officials
Dan Wenk, a former Yellowstone National Park superintendent and NPS deputy operations director, said park managers established regulations through stakeholder discussions, and most restrictions have been widely accepted. He questioned the need for the administration to upend that structure without substantial public discussion.
"Process never seems to stand in the way of many things with this administration," Wenk said. "This was never a big issue. I'd love to know the problem we're trying to solve."
Elaine Leslie, former head of the NPS biological resources department, said the order undermines science-based management. "I don't want to take my young grandchildren to a park unit only to have a hunter drag a gutted elk they shot across a visitor center parking lot," she said.
Administration Response
Interior Department spokesperson Elizabeth Peace called the order a "commonsense approach to public land management" and promised that closures or limits needed for safety, resource protection, or legal compliance would remain. "For decades, sportsmen and women have been some of the strongest stewards of our public lands," she said.
Groups like the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership and Ducks Unlimited have expressed support, saying the order balances wildlife management with outdoor traditions.
