National Wildlife Refuge System; 2026-2027 Station-Specific Hunting and Sport Fishing Regulations

What it does

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS or Service), open or expand hunting opportunities on 111 field stations, including 107 units of the National Wildlife Refuges System (Refuge System or NWRS) and 4 units of the National Fish Hatchery System (Hatchery System or NFHS). This includes opening hunting or sport fishing opportunities for the first time on 14 National Wildlife Refuges (NWR) and 3 National Fish Hatcheries (NFH). These actions will open or expand more than 1,450 opportunities for hunting and fishing across the NWRS and NFHS in order to increase access for the American public. In accordance with Secretary's Order (S.O.) 3447 and Director's Order (D.O.) 233, we also make changes to existing station-specific regulations in order to improve the clarity and accuracy of regulations, reduce the regulatory burden on the public, ensure consistency across FWS lands and waters, and comply with a Presidential mandate for plain-language standards.

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

What changed in the regulation

2 parts of Title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations:

50 CFR 32, 50 CFR 71

Wording on eCFR: the day before it took effect and from the day it took effect (first part listed).

Compared with

The Fish and Wildlife Service has published 29 final rules in 2026 so far, compared with 13 in all of 2025.

Counted by the Tribune from Federal Register records since Jan. 1, 2025.

Before this

1 earlier Federal Register document under regulation identifier 1018-BI71 since Jan. 1, 2025.

• May 27, 2026 Proposed rule. National Wildlife Refuge System; 2026-2027 Station-Specific Hunting and Sport Fishing Regulations

Since then:

• Sept. 25, 2026 Correcting amendments. National Wildlife Refuge System; 2026-2027 Station-Specific Hunting and Sport Fishing Regulations; Correction

What happens next and when

This rule is effective August 31, 2026.

The agency's dates, word for word.

Check it yourself

• The document in the Federal Register
• Docket FWS-HQ-NWRS-2026-1223 on Regulations.gov
• Title 50 on eCFR

The record as published

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