Written by HLRBO Staff|
Last updated
Here are the stories that caught our eye from the worlds of land, hunting, and conservation for the week of May 23-29th. Wildlife refuges opening to hunters, a new Texas state park, a new MeatEater store, and more.
The Biggest Federal Hunting Expansion in History — and the Fight It's Starting
The Department of the Interior dropped a major announcement this week: the largest proposed expansion of hunting and sport fishing access in U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service history. The proposal would open or expand more than 1,450 opportunities across 111 stations — 107 national wildlife refuges and four national fish hatcheries — spanning 32 states. If finalized, more than 92 million acres, or over 95% of the entire National Wildlife Refuge System, would be open to hunting.
We covered the controversy a few weeks ago, generated mostly from non-hunters and national media that ran with the headline and assumed this meant free reign for shooting game in iconic National Parks like Grand Canyon and Yosemite (not true).
The rule would also create first-ever hunting or fishing opportunities at 14 refuges and three hatcheries, and includes more than 500 revisions and deletions to existing regulations aimed at reducing complexity and better aligning federal rules with state wildlife laws.
At the same time, the National Park Service announced it is rescinding 114 hunting-related closures and restrictions across 36 park units where hunting is already authorized by law — removing what the agency called duplicative requirements that exceeded what's necessary for public safety.
"For too long, access to hunting and fishing on federal lands has been limited by unnecessary restrictions. We are opening more land, aligning with state expertise, and putting decision-making back where it belongs." — Interior Secretary Doug Burgum
The proposal isn't without controversy. The FWS is simultaneously moving to rescind previously finalized nonlead ammunition, shot shell, and tackle requirements at nine refuges — including Patoka River, Rachel Carson, Blackwater, Chincoteague, and five others — rules that were set to take effect September 1, 2026. Critics and environmental groups are raising alarms about both the speed of the rollout and the lead ammunition rollback, warning that raptors and scavengers are at risk from lead ingestion via gut piles and carcasses. Legal challenges are widely anticipated.
On the legislative front, Senator Michael Bennet introduced the Public Lands Integrity Act, a bill designed to make it significantly harder for the federal government to sell off public land — a direct response to growing concerns in the hunting and conservation community about federal land disposal.
Public comments are open through June 26 at regulations.gov, docket number FWS-HQ-NWRS-2026-1223.
Texas Lands a New State Park — and Takes On Mountain Lions
Texas had a big week of its own. The state acquired Silver Lake Ranch, which will become the second-largest state park in Texas at nearly 54,000 acres — a major win for public outdoor access in a state where public land is notoriously scarce.
Separately, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission voted on a proposal to require mandatory 24-hour reporting for mountain lion harvests. Texas currently has some of the least restrictive mountain lion regulations in the nation: no harvest limits, no reporting requirements, leaving wildlife managers with almost no usable population data.
Under the proposal, hunters would report kills through the Texas Hunt and Fish app within 24 hours of harvest and submit a premolar tooth and tissue sample within 60 days so biologists can confirm age and sex. Hunter location data would remain confidential under state law. The approach mirrors mandatory reporting systems that have proven effective in other Western states.
Wired to Hunt Is Fighting to Save 4,000 Acres in North Carolina
Mark Kenyon and the Wired to Hunt crew are putting their platform to work for public land. In a recent podcast episode, Kenyon sat down with Travis Morehead to lay out an urgent campaign to protect 4,000 acres of prime hunting ground at the Tuckertown Gamelands in North Carolina's Piedmont region. The goal is to secure the land as public hunting ground in perpetuity — onX and MeatEater have both committed matching funds. If you care about public land in the Southeast, this one is worth your time.
Public Land Wins Across the Country
It was a solid week for acreage. A 1,400-acre addition to the Talladega National Forest in Alabama officially transferred to the feds through a conservation group, permanently protecting land along the Pinhoti Trail corridor — a win for hunters and thru hikers throughout that part of the South.
In Wyoming, the Game and Fish Commission voted to purchase 368 acres adjacent to the Table Mountain Wildlife Habitat Management Area in Goshen County. The parcel includes 84 acres of water rights, will stay in agricultural production, and would be folded into the existing WHMA — expanding habitat and public hunting access along a unit managed cooperatively with the Bureau of Land Management.
Washington authorized the removal of a gray wolf in the Aladdin Valley following confirmed livestock attacks. Wolf management decisions in the Pacific Northwest remain among the most closely watched wildlife policy stories in the region.
State Notes
Georgia — Quota hunt applications open June 1 through the Go Outdoors Georgia website, covering deer, alligator, waterfowl, dove, and youth hunts on Wildlife Management Areas across the state. First deadline is July 15 for alligator hunts.
Nebraska — The Game and Parks Commission is recruiting more landowners for its Open Fields and Waters Program. Currently more than 940 landowners provide walk-in access to over 471,000 acres statewide. Payments run up to $20 per acre for CRP ground.
MeatEater Updates
MeatEater dropped a trivia episode yesterday (Ep. 881) and announced a new retail store opening in Edina, Minnesota this summer, adding to the brand's growing brick-and-mortar presence. Read our coverage here.
Gear & Industry
Nocpix BOLT H50R — Nocpix launched a new high-definition thermal riflescope with a claimed 2,600-meter detection range, aimed at serious night hunters. One of the more impressive thermal specs on paper in a market that keeps getting more crowded.
TrueTimber Tekari Camping Line — TrueTimber's Walmart-exclusive Tekari brand dropped a new camping lineup featuring two instant-up tents (29- and 30-second setup) and two sleeping bags rated to 0°F and −20°F. Accessible price point, purpose-built for hunters who camp.
Solo Stove — The brand is pushing into Europe with new fire pits and griddles, continuing its international expansion beyond its North American base. It's also pushing a new high-tech cooler for summer: the Solo Stove Windchill series that uses battery power to circulate air inside for faster chilling and also can blow out for passive AC bursts.
BOA FS2 Fit System — BOA debuted its new FS2 fit system for helmets, expanding the dial-fit technology it's known for in footwear into head protection.
Pebble Flow — The all-electric travel trailer with "Magic Hitch" auto-hitching technology is doing live demos at the REI Denver flagship through May 31 as part of REI's Outside Days event. The trailer runs on a 45 kWh battery with 1.1 kW solar and claims seven days of off-grid capability.
In Brief
Patagonia vs. Pattie Gonia — The outdoor apparel giant is in a legal trademark dispute with drag queen and environmental activist Pattie Gonia over the similar name. The case is drawing attention across the outdoor industry.
KORE Outdoors Rehub — Launched Canada's first dedicated outdoor gear repair and circular technology center in British Columbia's Kootenay region, aimed at extending the life of outdoor equipment rather than sending it to the landfill.
Sources: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service • U.S. Department of the Interior • GearJunkie • Sportsmen's Alliance • FOX 26 Houston • MeatEater / Wired to Hunt • Wyoming Game & Fish • PR Newswire • WebWire