The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced the implementation of a pilot program at seven National Wildlife Refuges during the Fall 2024 hunting season. The initiative aims to test voluntary, incentive-based efforts to increase the use of lead-free ammunition by hunters on Service-administered lands. According to available scientific data, lead ammunition and fishing tackle can negatively impact wildlife.
The pilot program was developed in collaboration with the Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Council (HWCC), a federal advisory committee established by the Secretaries of the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture, along with state, non-governmental, and industry partners. In December 2023, HWCC recommended that federal agencies adopt wildlife management strategies encouraging hunters to voluntarily switch from lead to lead-free ammunition as a non-regulatory means of addressing lead poisoning in wildlife on federal lands.
“The Service is committed to providing access to National Wildlife Refuges and also to minimizing the impacts on wildlife from lead exposure,” said Service Director Martha Williams. “This pilot program and the lessons learned will be critically important in determining our best approach to managing lead use by outdoor recreationists on refuge lands and waters.”
The following sites have been identified for piloting voluntary, incentive-based lead-free hunting opportunities for Fall 2024:
- Patoka River NWR in Indiana – Deer hunting
- Blackwater NWR in Maryland – Deer hunting
- Wallkill River NWR in New Jersey – Hunting for all species
- Pocosin Lakes NWR in North Carolina – Deer hunting
- William L. Finley NWR in Oregon – Elk hunting
- Canaan Valley NWR in West Virginia – Hunting for all species
- Trempealeau NWR in Wisconsin – Deer hunting
A rebate program will be implemented at these refuges for hunters who opt for lead-free ammunition. This includes prepaid credit cards reimbursing the cost of lead-free ammunition with proof of purchase and other specific economic incentives. The Service will share detailed information as it becomes available. Additionally, a monitoring component will assess program impacts, aiming to develop effective models for incentivizing voluntary use of lead-free ammunition that can guide future actions by land and wildlife managers.
John Devney, Chair of HWCC, expressed support: “We commend the Service for its willingness to work in collaboration with the Council to implement a new and, we hope, durable solution to increasing the use of lead-free ammunition by the hunting public on federal lands and reducing the incidence of lead poisoning in wildlife.”
Chuck Sykes, Director of Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries and President of AFWA added: “Continued communication and engagement with state wildlife agencies where pilots will be conducted will be critical to success.”
Jeff Crane from Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation emphasized: “As a member of HWCC, we appreciate FWS launching a process where hunters can make their own determination as to what type of ammunition they prefer through voluntary approaches.”
Becky Humphries from TRCP noted: “Voluntary incentives and public education continue to represent the most effective approach to convince hunters to use non-lead ammunition.”
Land Tawney from HWCC stated: “Together we forged a path forward to address this challenging issue responsibly.”
Simon Roosevelt from Boone & Crockett Club commented: “Promoting non-lead alternatives and learning how hunters can best adopt them will most effectively address remaining concerns about lead.”
Ed Arnett from The Wildlife Society remarked: "We encourage voluntary replacement of lead-based hunting ammunition; these pilot programs are a good step."
For more information about U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service initiatives visit www.fws.gov or connect via social media channels including Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, YouTube, and Flickr.
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