Feds Open Refuges For Hunting: But Where?

The Department of the Interior has announced plans to open 92 million acres of National Wildlife Refuge System lands for hunting, providing over 1450 new opportunities under an “open unless closed” policy. 

At first blush I was excited to hear this news… more hunting opportunity right? But then my wheels began turning. . . this is great, but where? 

A lot of this country’s NWRs are located in eastern states, or so I thought before I began digging. Here’s what I found, and my research reveals more western opportunities than I realized existed. Below is a list of NWRs which are open to hunting or offer expanded hunting access. 

Keep in mind this is a “proposed rule”, as always, check the rules before you go hunting. 

Link to complete list (Credit: Outdoor Life)

Wyoming

Bamforth NWR – Big Game Hunting = Open

Cokeville Meadows NWR – Big Game Hunting = Open

Seedskadee NWR – Big Game Hunting = Open

 

Montana

Grass Lake NWR – Big Game Hunting = New Station

Hailstone NWR – Big Game Hunting = Open

Medicine Lake NWR – Big Game Hunting = Open

 

Colorado

Rocky Flats NWR – Big Game Hunting = New Station

 

Idaho

Kootenai NWR – Big Game Hunting = Open

Minidoka NWR – Big Game Hunting = Open

 

Oregon

Hart Mountain NAR – Big Game Hunting = Open

Umatilla NWR – Big Game Hunting = Open

 

Washington

Columbia NWR – Big Game Hunting = Open

Little Pend Oreille NWR – Big Game Hunting = Expanded

Turnbull NWR – Big Game Hunting = Expanded

Willapa NWR – Big Game Hunting = Expanded