The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently announced a proposal to open one new refuge to hunting and to expand hunting opportunities at 16 national wildlife refuges in 14 states. If approved, the proposal would provide additional public hunting opportunities in fulfillment of the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997.

The proposal would open the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, MI, to migratory bird hunting, upland game hunting and big game hunting for the first time since its establishment in 2001. The refuge is closed to sport fishing.

The proposal calls for closure of Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge, HI, to big game hunting. With this change, the refuge will be closed to all hunting activity. The refuge is also closed to sport fishing. The proposal also calls for closure of the Santee National Wildlife Refuge, SC, to migratory bird hunting. The refuge is open to sport fishing.

All but two of the refuges in the proposal are open to sport fishing and would remain so.

Other proposed changes are:

Big Muddy National Fish & Wildlife Refuge, MO: Expansion of areas for migratory bird hunting, upland game hunting and big game hunting. The refuge ...

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