Data / Federal rules / 2024-25905

National Wildlife Refuge System; 2024-2025 Station-Specific Hunting and Sport Fishing Regulations

The Fish and Wildlife Service published this final rule in the Federal Register on November 7, 2024. It took effect on November 6, 2024.

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What the agency says

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), open or expand hunting opportunities on 12 National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs). We also close hunting on 111 acres at Crab Orchard NWR so that the area can be repurposed for other recreational uses, including camping. We also make changes to existing station-specific regulations in order to reduce the regulatory burden on the public, increase access for hunters and anglers on Service lands and waters, and comply with a Presidential mandate for plain-language standards. Finally, the best available science, analyzed as part of this rulemaking, indicates that lead ammunition and tackle have negative impacts on both wildlife and human health. With this final rule, Canaan Valley NWR in West Virginia will require lead-free ammunition for all hunting on the new Big Cove Unit. Additionally, Des Lacs, J. Clark Salyer, Lostwood, and Upper Souris NWRs in North Dakota will require lead-free ammunition for newly opened elk hunting. While the Service continues to evaluate the future of lead use in hunting and fishing on Service lands and waters, this rulemaking does not include any opportunities that increase or authorize the new use of lead.

Key facts

Document number: 2024-25905
Type: Final rule
Action: Final rule
Agency: Interior Department; Fish and Wildlife Service
Published: November 7, 2024
Takes effect: November 6, 2024
Dates: This rule is effective November 6, 2024.
Docket: Docket No. FWS-HQ-NWRS-2024-0034; FXRS12610900000-245-FF09R20000
Regulation ID (RIN): 1018-BH17
Code of Federal Regulations: 50 CFR 32
Topics: Fishing; Hunting; Reporting and recordkeeping requirements; Wildlife; Wildlife refuges
Pages: 24

The document on federalregister.gov PDF

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General Provisions; Revised List of Birds Protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act 2026-20123	Proposed rule	Oct 1
National Wildlife Refuge System; 2026-2027 Station-Specific Hunting and Sport Fishing Regulations; Correction 2026-19723	Final rule	Sep 25
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removal of Gila Chub From the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife 2026-18470	Proposed rule	Sep 10
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Nine Species Not Warranted for Listing as Endangered or Threatened Species 2026-18123	Final rule	Sep 4
National Wildlife Refuge System; 2026-2027 Station-Specific Hunting and Sport Fishing Regulations 2026-17895	Final rule	Sep 1
Process for Authorizing Seasonal Migratory Game Bird Hunting 2026-17733 · significant	Final rule	Aug 31

Everything from the Fish and Wildlife Service · Rules on fishing · Rules on hunting · Rules on reporting and recordkeeping requirements · Published in November 2024

Read from the Federal Register API, last updated 2026-10-23. The document on federalregister.gov is the official record; dates and dockets can change through later corrections. Free to reuse with credit to SpecStream under CC BY 4.0.