Exciting Updates in U.S. Game and Fish Management: Expanded Recreational Access, Infrastructure Improvements, and Seasonal Adjustments

In the past week, significant developments have emerged in the U.S. game and fish management landscape. The Arizona Game and Fish Commission is scheduled to meet on May 9 in Kingman at the Mohave County Auditorium, with proceedings beginning at 8 a.m. This public meeting represents an important opportunity for citizens to engage with wildlife management policies in the Southwest region.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been working to expand recreational access to America's public lands. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum recently announced 42 new proposed hunting and fishing opportunities, continuing the agency's commitment to conservation while providing Americans with greater outdoor recreation options.

Improvements to visitor infrastructure are also underway, with efforts focused on enhancing the Backbone Infrastructure and Visitor Experience at Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge as of May 14, 2025. These improvements aim to make wildlife areas more accessible to the public while maintaining conservation priorities.

For waterfowl hunters, significant changes are coming for the 2025-26 season. The pintail bag limit has been increased despite the 2024 population of 1.98 million birds remaining below long-term averages. Wildlife management officials note that habitat decline has a greater impact on population dynamics than daily bag limits. The special teal hunt season has been shortened, with specific dates established for white-fronted goose season, snow goose season, and the light goose conservation order extending into spring 2026.

In New Jersey, seasonal closures in five Wildlife Management Areas will take effect from May 22 through September 1, 2025, implemented to protect public safety and wildlife during critical periods.

These developments occur against a backdrop of earlier controversy, as February saw approximately 370 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employees terminated by the Department of the Interior. These firings disproportionately affected biologists and natural resource professionals, raising concerns about the future of science-based conservation efforts across the nation's 573 wildlife refuges encompassing 95 million acres of land and 750 million acres of marine habitat.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service continues its mission as the nation's oldest conservation agency, managing fish, wildlife and plant resources while providing communities with environmental benefits including healthier ecosystems, clean water, flood control, and economic opportunities.