Original vision for American conservation pushed aside for trophy hunting special interest groups
WASHINGTON (January 14, 2026)—Increasingly aggressive policies from the U.S. Department of the Interior are putting wild animals at risk and limiting how all people can enjoy public lands across the country says Humane World Action Fund, formerly called Humane Society Legislative Fund. Below is a statement on a move by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to open the floodgates to hunting and fishing on federally managed lands with little regard to the environmental impact of these actions and the interests of Americans who do not hunt or fish.
“The Interior Department’s new Secretarial Order 3447 is essentially a gift to trophy-hunting special interests, and it reflects a deeply troubling shift away from responsible stewardship by federal conservation leaders. This move puts wildlife in the crosshairs, and disadvantages birdwatchers, kayakers, canoers, hikers, photographers and others who use those same public lands for recreation. Around 332 million visitors travel to national parks every year to reconnect with nature through activities like those, and their experiences must be extremely carefully balanced with hunting to remain safe for everyone,” said Gillian Lyons, managing director of regulatory affairs at Humane World Action Fund. “This order could open the door to expanded hunting on national park properties, casting aside long-standing protections and the original conservation vision for America’s public lands. Additionally, the Department of the Interior indicates that it will limit barriers to the use of toxic lead ammunition by hunters, a well-documented threat to over 130 species as well as humans. Our national parks and public lands belong to all Americans, not just the 4.7% of Americans who hunt.”
From the outset of President Trump’s second term last year, his administration has been signaling that it intends to gut—if not entirely wipe out—federal protections for wildlife. Humane World Action Fund is paying close attention to what these policy proposals mean for people and animals. Read more on our blog.
Media Contact: Liz Bartolomeo, 240-472-0475, ebartolomeo@humaneaction.org
