The litigious Center for Biological Diversity has sued the federal government over expansion of hunting and fishing opportunities made under the Trump Administration in 2020 on 2.3 million acres within the national wildlife refuge system . The extreme environmental organization claims that critical habitat for endangered species will be trampled by hunters ( but somehow not by hikers or bird watchers ), that hunters will mistakenly shoot grizzly bears while black bear hunting or in self-defense , and that lead fishing tackle and fragments from lead ammunition threaten to poison a myriad of endangered species . |
“ A few short months ago , the Biden Administration was touting the largest expansion of hunting and fishing in history on these lands , and now they ’ re negotiating with animal-rights activists over hunting opportunities , while excluding sportsmen from having a seat at the table ,” said Evan Heusinkveld , president and CEO of the Sportsmen ’ s Alliance Foundation , which has been preparing to defend hunting on wildlife refuges in the case . “ It ’ s no surprise that animal-rights and anti-hunting groups want to stop hunting , but sportsmen shouldn ’ t tolerate being shut out as the Biden Administration negotiates away hunting opportunities on public lands .” |
Many national wildlife refuges are popular public-land spots for hunting waterfowl , upland birds , whitetail deer and other game .
The Sportsmen ’ s Alliance was preparing to intervene in the case and was the first organization to point out the possibility of losing the public-land access and opportunities . We will continue to fight for the expansion of hunting and fishing on refuges nationwide , because for us it ’ s personal . The Sportsmen ’ s Alliance was at the forefront of the 1997 Refuge Improvement Act and helped shepherd it through Congress , which has allowed every president since to open millions of acres for hunting , fishing and trapping .
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COURTESY OF USFWS |