Process for Authorizing Seasonal Migratory Game Bird Hunting

What it does

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service or we) is proposing changes to the administrative process for authorizing seasonal migratory game bird hunting in the United States. Migratory game bird hunting regulations are currently promulgated annually to provide opportunities for recreation and sustenance; aid Federal, State, and Tribal governments in the management of migratory game birds; and allow harvests at levels compatible with migratory game bird population status and habitat conditions.The Service proposes a more efficient administrative process for authorizing seasonal migratory game bird hunting. The Service would issue a memorandum for migratory game bird hunting once every 3 years. The Service would continue to make annual decisions on harvest levels and would update the memorandum sooner than 3 years if changes are prescribed by our decision frameworks. The process eliminates the need for subsequent annual Federal regulation promulgation and rulemaking and is expected to increase efficiency; better meet State, Tribal, and Federal rulemaking constraints; and reduce the complexity and costs. Our goal is to better serve State partners and the hunting public while continuing to meet the legal and conservation purposes of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Tribes are already authorized under a similar process.

The Fish and Wildlife Service's summary, as published in the Federal Register.

What it would change

1 part of Title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations:

50 CFR 20

Before this

1 earlier Federal Register document under regulation identifier 1018-BI04 since Jan. 1, 2025.

• June 26, 2026 Direct final rule; request for comments. Process for Authorizing Seasonal Migratory Game Bird Hunting

Since then:

• Aug. 31, 2026 Final rule. Process for Authorizing Seasonal Migratory Game Bird Hunting

What happens next and when

You may comment on this proposed rule until July 27, 2026.

The agency's dates, word for word.

Check it yourself

• The document in the Federal Register
• Docket FWS-HQ-MB-2024-0206 on Regulations.gov
• Title 50 on eCFR

The record as published

Source: the Federal Register (public domain). The document in the Federal Register