Archery Community Celebrates Trump Administration’s Expansion of Hunting Opportunities 

On Aug. 13, the Trump administration's Department of the Interior announced the largest expansion of hunting and fishing opportunities in the history of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The expansion includes 1,488 new hunting and fishing opportunities across 32 states and a total of 92 million acres, with many of the new opportunities open to, or created specifically for, bowhunters. 

Earlier this year, in January, the Archery Trade Association, along with a coalition of hunting, fishing and conservation organizations, wrote to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to commend him for signing Secretarial Order 3447, "Expanding Hunting and Fishing Access, Removing Unnecessary Barriers, and Ensuring Consistency Across the Department of the Interior's Lands and Waters." The letter also encouraged Burgum to follow through on SO 3447 as a way of fulfilling President Trump's Executive Order 14313, "Establishing the President's Make America Beautiful Again Commission," which directed federal agencies to expand access to public lands for recreation, hunting and fishing. 

Public land access remains vital to growing participation in hunting and shooting sports, making this expansion especially significant for hunting and conservation organizations. With these new opportunities, many expect to see local increases in bowhunting activity as hunters take advantage of expanded opportunities or new ground to hunt.  

For the archery industry, this could mean a geographic and long-term boost. An increase in bowhunters brings additional revenue from license and tag sales, along with increased federal excise tax revenue from equipment sales. That creates a reciprocal cycle: more funding for conservation and land access, which in turn creates more bowhunting opportunities and more bowhunters. ATA will continue working alongside DOI and its coalition partners to help ensure these new opportunities translate into lasting gains for bowhunters and the industry. 

For more information or questions about ATA's advocacy and legislative efforts, contact Dan Forster, ATA's vice president and chief conservation officer, at danforster@archerytrade.org.