Silent Alarm Alert

The Trump administration is moving to expand hunting in national parks, wildlife refuges and wilderness areas, a shift that has sparked concerns about public safety and wildlife management.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum directed federal agencies to eliminate what he described as unnecessary barriers to hunting and fishing on public lands. Burgum said expanding access would support conservation, strengthen rural economies and give Americans more opportunities to hunt and fish.

The directive affects 55 National Park Service sites across the lower 48 states and could change how hunters and other visitors share public lands. The changes may create new safety and recreation conflicts, which include.

Safety risks for hikers, runners and families if hunting is allowed closer to trails, campsites and trailheads.

More encounters between nonhunters and hunting dogs as dog-training access expands into shared recreation areas.

Greater overlap between hunting activity and other outdoor recreation when tree stands and hunting setups are permitted closer to trails and campgrounds.

Hunting participation has declined nationally. According to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Census data, only about 4.2% of Americans over age 16 identified as hunters in 2024. That drop has reduced revenue for state wildlife agencies, which rely heavily on hunting license sales and taxes on firearms and ammunition.

Dan Wenk, who previously served as Yellowstone superintendent and deputy director of operations for the National Park Service, questioned why the administration is moving forward without broader public debate. “This was never a major issue,” Wenk told The Associated Press. “I’d like to understand what problem they believe they’re solving and whether the potential costs — especially in terms of staffing and visitor safety — are worth it.