The Biden administration, working with environmental advocates, has developed new regulations that would limit hunting and fishing in several US states.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to issue these regulations, which would limit the use of certain types of gear on public refuge lands and increase the range of areas where lead ammunition and fishing gear are prohibited. Luke Hilgemann, executive director of T. Roosevelt’s International Order, is leading an initiative to put constitutional amendments on the ballot to guarantee the right to hunt and fish across the country. IOTR is a proactive hunting and conservation foundation focused on protecting the rights of hunters and upholding the conservation model for North American wildlife.
Hilgemann told Fox News, “What we see here with the rule coming out of the Biden administration is the potential to close millions of acres of public land that had been opened up under the Trump administration to hunting and fishing.”
Biden's bullet ban could effectively ban hunting as we know it on millions of acres of public lands. IOTR is fighting back – @LHilgemann joined Simon Conway on 1040 WHO in Iowa to discuss our work defending the right to hunt and fish. #IOTR #HuntingRights #FishingRights pic.twitter.com/ewiOQ9YQ2E
— International Order of T. Roosevelt (@IntlOrderTR) May 3, 2023
“They’re doing this by banning the most common forms of hunting cartridges that most people buy on the market and by requiring that lead cartridges not be used on any federal land.”
According to many experts, hunting, and fishing are actually important tools for managing wild populations and ensuring the long-term health of ecosystems. By controlling the size and distribution of animal populations, hunters and fishermen can help prevent overgrazing, protect endangered species, and maintain a balanced ecosystem.
Additionally, many hunting and fishing enthusiasts argue that their activities actually help fund conservation efforts, as they are required to purchase licenses and permits that contribute to conservation programs. By restricting access to public lands and limiting the types of equipment that can be used, the proposed regulations could potentially reduce revenue for these programs and have unintended consequences for conservation efforts.
Hilgemann explained, “If that happens, it will force people to go back and buy different types of cartridges that are simply not available at the levels needed to meet the demand of hunters in the field.”
“For generations, hunters have been central to conservation efforts,” Hilgemann said. “These misguided attacks by radical activists will only further erode the number of hunters in the sport and jeopardize future conservation efforts supported by the outdoor lifestyle.”
