EO-14429
Reinvigorating America's Hunting Heritage
- Signed
- Sep 17, 2026
- Published
- Sep 22, 2026
Federal Register: 2026-19416
Source: Federal Register.
Expanding Hunting and Fishing Access on Federal Lands
Impact3/10
What it does
This order directs federal agencies to expand hunting, fishing, and shooting access on federal lands, including allowing hunting of certain species in two national monuments. It also directs agencies to review restrictions on lead ammunition, reform river-access lotteries to prioritize U.S. citizens, promote youth and veteran hunter education, and encourage game meat donation programs to food banks and schools.
Who benefits
Hunters, anglers, and shooting-sport enthusiasts; outfitters and hunting-related businesses that rely on access to federal land; veterans and youth participating in hunter education or adaptive sports programs; food banks and schools receiving donated wild game meat; U.S. citizens applying for river-access lotteries; state fish and wildlife agencies receiving federal cooperation and funding guidance.
Who is affected
Non-hunting recreational users of federal lands (hikers, wildlife photographers, campers) who may encounter expanded hunting seasons or areas; conservation and wildlife-protection groups concerned about hunting in national monuments; wildlife populations subject to predator management and hunting expansion; foreign nationals or non-citizens currently using river-access lotteries; environmental advocates concerned about lead ammunition's ecological effects; land management agencies tasked with implementing new access presumptions within tight deadlines.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that hunters and anglers have historically funded conservation through license fees and excise taxes, and that reducing bureaucratic barriers to federal land access restores a long-standing American tradition while promoting wildlife population management. They contend that allowing regulated hunting in specific monuments, prioritizing citizen access to lotteries, and expanding youth and veteran outreach would strengthen conservation funding and community engagement in land stewardship.
Opponents argue
Opponents argue that expanding hunting access into national monuments risks harming the historic, scientific, or ecological objects these areas were designated to protect, regardless of the President's determination otherwise. They contend that presumptive access policies and predator-control directives could conflict with existing conservation science, disadvantage non-hunting recreational users, and use lead ammunition despite documented environmental and wildlife health risks.
Constitutional basis
Executive orders rest on constitutional authority or statutory delegation. This summary describes the legal grounding cited or implied by the order.
The order relies on the President's Article II authority to supervise the executive branch and direct federal agencies (including the Department of the Interior, Agriculture, War/Defense, and Commerce) in managing federal lands, combined with statutory authorities such as the Antiquities Act proclamations governing the named monuments, the Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1533), the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act, and 54 U.S.C. 104909 governing volunteer wildlife management on federal lands.