Further reinforcing the Trump administration’s focus on increasing opportunities for sportsmen and women, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum has issued a secretarial order aimed at greatly expanding hunting and fishing on publicly managed lands.
Secretarial Order 3447, “Expanding Hunting and Fishing Access, Removing Unnecessary Barriers, and Ensuring Consistency Across the Department of the Interior Lands and Waters,” establishes a department-wide policy that “public and federally managed lands should be open to hunting and fishing unless a specific, documented, and legally supported exception applies.” Specifically, the order instructs the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), National Park Service (NPS), Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to identify and eliminate unnecessary regulatory barriers and facilitate access to hunting and fishing whenever feasible.
“This Order reaffirms and strengthens the Department of the Interior’s longstanding commitment to expanding high-quality hunting and fishing opportunities for the American public while ensuring responsible stewardship of the Nation’s wildlife and natural resources,” the order states.
The order also directs all bureaus and offices to “identify and remove unnecessary regulatory or administrative barriers to hunting and fishing on Department-managed lands and water; expand access and opportunities where compatible with law, refuge purposes, park enabling statutes, reclamation area requirements, safety, and conservation needs; improve coordination and regulatory alignment with State, Tribal, and Territorial wildlife agencies; and elevate any proposed reduction or incompatibility determination involving hunting or fishing to appropriate Bureau or Office leadership for transparent and accountable review.”
In the order, Burgum highlighted how vital hunters and anglers are in funding fish and wildlife efforts across the country. He also emphasized the significance of hunting and fishing to small communities nationwide.
“Hunting and fishing are foundational components of the Nation’s conservation tradition,” Burgum wrote. “For generations, sportsmen and women have contributed to wildlife and fisheries management through license sales, excise taxes on equipment, and voluntary conservation efforts. 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.”
In the “Directives” section of the secretarial order, Burgum emphasized that within 60 days, each bureau and office shall identify lands and waters where new or expanded hunting and fishing opportunities may be available, including big game, upland game, waterfowl, small game and recreational fishing. They should also prioritize opportunities recommended by state, tribal, and territorial wildlife agencies; state, tribal, and local governments; and gateway communities, all in accordance with statutory authorities and the purposes of the units.
In that 60-day period, the agencies must also “review outdated or unnecessary restrictions in existing plans, superintendent’s compendiums, station-specific regulations and other site-level policies that may limit access or methods of take beyond what is required; and ensure that any proposed limitation on hunting or fishing access is supported by clear, documented justification based on statutory requirements, public safety, or resource conditions, and that all proposed limitations are reviewed by the Bureau or Office heads.”
Leaders with the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) said the move would greatly benefit sportsmen and women.
“For years, hunters and anglers have had to deal with outdated and confusing regulations when choosing to hunt on federal lands,” said John Commerford, executive director of NRA-ILA. “This decision will streamline much needed changes to existing policy and demonstrates a true commitment to sportsmen and women by the Trump administration.”
Another pro-hunting group, Pheasants Forever, also cheered the secretarial order.
“Designating DOI managed lands as ‘open unless closed’ will remove regulatory barriers and increase alignment with states, tribes, and territories, who have the primary authority for wildlife management,” the organization posted on Facebook.
Of course, not everyone was pleased with Burgum’s executive order. In fact, the National Parks Conservation Association criticized the move, saying it aims for access that already exists across many national parks.
“Our national parks are the gold standard for American conservation where we must maintain a careful balance between fish and wildlife restoration, recovery, and recreational and subsistence access,” Bart Melton, senior wildlife program director for the National Parks Conservation Association, said in a news release responding to the order. “Our parks are for everyone and provide numerous experiences for exploration and adventure. At a time when park staffing is at an all-time low, with more than 25 percent of park experts lost since January 2025, Secretary Burgum should be investing in the success of professional wildlife management in our parks, not exploring opportunities to inject more process into wildlife decision-making.”
Additionally, the Facebook group Our Public Lands And Waters implied that the secretarial order was a ploy by the Trump administration to shore up the hunting and fishing voting bloc.
“This particular Order must be seen as the result of consistent lobbying on the part of certain hook-and-bullet organizations,” the group posted. “It must also be regarded as (a potentially very successful) attempt to bring hunters and anglers—many of whom have voiced their strong opposition to numerous of the Trump administration’s policies, and a group that’s crucial to the future defense of public lands, waters, and wildlife—back into the right-wing fold.”
It’s difficult to understand such a sentiment, given that Burgum and the Trump administration are simply trying to provide more access to America’s hunters and anglers—obviously a positive move. Ultimately, in the order, Burgum included a directive for various bureaus and offices to report to the secretary on their progress in response to the secretarial order.
“Within 150 days, each Bureau and Office shall submit to the Office of the Deputy Secretary the results of a review of its hunting and fishing regulations, policies, and directives, identifying provisions that are outdated, duplicative, or more restrictive than required by law; recommended changes to streamline or improve clarity; and a timeline for initiating the recommended revisions. Each Bureau and Office Director is responsible for ensuring timely completion of these deliverables and for coordinating with the Office of the Deputy Secretary on compliance, tracking, and follow-up actions necessary to carry out the purposes of this Order.”
