1. United States
2. S.C.
3. Letter

As of May 2026, the Trump administration has directed an expansion of hunting and trapping in U.S. national parks, wildlife refuges, and wilderness areas, lifting restrictions at 76 federal sites. The directive removes barriers like bans on baiting, using traps, and using hunting dogs, aimed at increasing access for sportsmen and strengthening conservation. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum ordered a rapid removal of "unnecessary regulatory or administrative barriers" to hunting, affecting over 74 national wildlife refuges. Some of the specific impacts of this expansion include the changes allow for activities such as killing alligators in Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, using spotlights for deer hunting, and building tree stands. The move has raised concerns regarding visitor safety and the ecological impact on wildlife within protected areas. These changes apply to 55 sites in the lower 48 states under National Park Service jurisdiction, with some rules allowing game processing in public areas, such as public restrooms. Only about 4.2% of the U.S. population identified as a hunter older than 16 in 2024, according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Census data. Once again, this administration is selling out our once protected public lands. It's time to wake up and reverse course before more damage is done to our parks and wildlife than we can fix!