Interior Department Docket FWS-HQ-NWRS-2026-1223 Final Rule

2026-19723: National Wildlife Refuge System; 2026-2027 Station-Specific Hunting and Sport Fishing Regulations; Correction

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Summary

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS or Service), are correcting a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on September 1, 2026. The rule opened or expanded hunting opportunities on 111 field stations, including 107 units of the National Wildlife Refuges System (Refuge System or NWRS) and 4 units of the National Fish Hatchery System (Hatchery System or NFHS).

The agency’s own summary, as published.

The rule, in full

2,130 words as published, September 25, 2026. View the original →

Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 185 (Friday, September 25, 2026) [Federal Register Volume 91, Number 185 (Friday, September 25, 2026)] [Rules and Regulations] [Pages 60900-60902] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2026-19723] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service 50 CFR Part 71 [Docket No. FWS-HQ-NWRS-2026-1223; FXRS12610900000-267-FF09R20000] RIN 1018-BI71 National Wildlife Refuge System; 2026-2027 Station-Specific Hunting and Sport Fishing Regulations; Correction

Agency

Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

Action

Correcting amendments. -----------------------------------------------------------------------

Summary

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS or Service), are correcting a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on September 1, 2026. The rule opened or expanded hunting opportunities on 111 field stations, including 107 units of the National Wildlife Refuges System (Refuge System or NWRS) and 4 units of the National Fish Hatchery System (Hatchery System or NFHS). [[Page 60901]]

Dates

This rule is effective September 25, 2026.

For Further Information Contact

Julie Henning, Branch Chief of Conservation Planning and Policy, [email protected], 571-389-3584. Individuals in the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay services. Individuals outside the United States should use the relay services offered within their country to make international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States.

Supplementary Information

We are correcting the final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on September 1, 2026, at 91 FR 56290 (FR document 2026-17895). The rule opened or expanded hunting opportunities on 111 field stations, including 107 units of the National Wildlife Refuges System (Refuge System or NWRS) and 4 units of the National Fish Hatchery System (Hatchery System or NFHS). The September 1, 2026, final rule included erroneous paragraph designations for NFHS units as part of amendatory instruction 33 on page 56365 which resulted in incorrect paragraph designations for several new entries. This document corrects paragraph designations and cross references for regulations in title 50 Code of Federal Regulations part 71 at Sec. 71.11 National fish hatcheries open for hunting. For clarity, we revise and republish Sec. 71.11 with this document. List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 71 Fish, Fishing, Hunting, Wildlife. Regulation Promulgation Accordingly, part 71, subchapter E of chapter I, title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations is corrected by making the following correcting amendments: PART 71--HUNTING AND SPORT FISHING ON NATIONAL FISH HATCHERIES 0

1. The authority citation for part 71 continues to read as follows:

Authority: Sec. 4, Pub. L. 73-121, 48 Stat. 402, as amended; sec. 4, Pub. L. 87-714, 76 Stat. 654; 5 U.S.C. 301; 16 U.S.C. 460k, 664, 668dd, 1534. 0

2. Revise and republish Sec. 71.11 to read as follows:

Sec. 71.11 National fish hatcheries open for hunting. The following hatcheries are open for hunting as governed by applicable Federal and State regulations, and are listed in alphabetical order with additional hatchery-specific regulations. (a) Craig Brook National Fish Hatchery--(1)Migratory game bird hunting. We allow the hunting of migratory game bird species authorized by the State on designated areas of the hatchery subject to the following conditions: (i) We prohibit night hunting. (ii) Hunters may enter the hatchery 1 hour before legal sunrise and must leave no later than 1 hour after legal sunset. (iii) We allow only portable stands and blinds for hunting, and they must be removed at the end of each day's hunt. (2) Upland game hunting. We allow hunting of upland game species authorized by the State on designated areas of the hatchery subject to the conditions set forth at paragraphs (a)(1)(i) through (iii) of this section. (3) Big game hunting. We allow hunting of big game species authorized by the State on designated areas of the hatchery subject to the conditions set forth at paragraphs (a)(1)(i) through (iii) of this section. (b) Green Lake National Fish Hatchery--(1) Migratory game bird hunting. We allow the hunting of migratory game bird species, authorized by the State on designated areas of the hatchery subject to the following conditions: (i) We prohibit night hunting. (ii) Hunters may enter the hatchery 1 hour before legal sunrise and must leave no later than 1 hour after legal sunset. (iii) We allow only portable stands and blinds for hunting, and they must be removed at the end of each day's hunt. (iv) Trapping, baiting, or hunting over bait is prohibited for all species. (2) Upland game hunting. We allow hunting of upland game species authorized by the State on designated areas of the hatchery subject to the conditions set forth at paragraphs (b)(1)(i) through (iv) of this section. (3) Big game hunting. We allow hunting of big game species authorized by the State on designated areas of the hatchery subject to the conditions set forth at paragraphs (b)(1)(i) through (iv) of this section. (c) Iron River National Fish Hatchery--(1) Migratory game bird hunting. We allow duck, goose, coot, rail, snipe, woodcock, dove, and crow hunting on designated areas of the hatchery. (2) Upland game hunting. We allow pheasant, bobwhite quail, ruffed and sharp-tailed grouse, Hungarian partridge, rabbit/hare, squirrel, coyote, fox, bobcat, raccoon, opossum, skunk, weasel, and woodchuck hunting on designated areas of the hatchery. (3) Big game hunting. We allow white-tailed deer, turkey, and bear hunting on designated areas of the hatchery subject to the following conditions: (i) You must label tree stands and ground blinds with the owner's State hunting license number. The label must be readable from the ground. (ii) You may place tree stands and ground blinds on the hatchery only from September 1 to December 31 annually. (d) Jordan River National Fish Hatchery--(1) Migratory game bird hunting. We allow the hunting of migratory game bird species authorized by the State on designated areas of the hatchery subject to the following conditions: (i) We allow entry into the hatchery 1 hour before legal sunrise and require hunters to leave the hatchery no later than 1 hour after legal sunset. (ii) We prohibit shooting on or over any hatchery road and shooting within 50 feet (15 meters) from the centerline. (iii) We allow the use of dogs while hunting, provided the dog is under the immediate control of the hunter at all times. (iv) We allow the harvest of pigeon during any open season. (v) You must remove all personal property, including but not limited to boats, decoys, blinds, blind materials, stands, platforms, and cameras, brought onto the refuge at the end of each day's hunt (see Sec. Sec. 27.93 and 27.94 of this chapter). (2) Upland game hunting. We allow hunting of upland game species authorized by the State, except hunting of English sparrow and European starling, on designated areas of the hatchery subject to the following conditions: (i) The conditions set forth at paragraphs (d)(1)(i) through (v) of this section apply. (ii) We prohibit night hunting of upland game from 30 minutes after legal sunset until 30 minutes before legal sunrise the following day. (iii) We allow the harvest of feral hogs, including Russian boar, during big game hunting. (3) Big game hunting. We allow hunting of bear, elk, white-tailed deer, and turkey on designated areas of the hatchery subject to the conditions set forth at paragraphs (d)(1)(i) through (v) of this section. (e) Leadville National Fish Hatchery--(1) Migratory game bird hunting. We allow migratory game bird hunting on designated areas of the hatchery. (2) Upland game hunting. We allow upland game hunting on designated areas of the hatchery. [[Page 60902]] (3) Big game hunting. We allow big game hunting on designated areas of the hatchery subject to the following conditions: (i) You must label tree stands and ground blinds with the owner's State hunting license number. The label must be readable from the ground. (ii) You may place tree stands and ground blinds on the refuge only from September 1 to December 31 annually. (4) Sport fishing. See Sec. 71.12(l) for hatchery-specific fishing regulations for this hatchery. (f) Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery--(1) Migratory game bird hunting. We allow migratory game bird hunting on designated areas of the hatchery subject to the following condition: We allow the use of dogs for hunting in accordance with State of Washington hunting regulations. (2) Upland game hunting. We allow upland game hunting on designated areas of the hatchery subject to the following condition: We allow the use of dogs for hunting in accordance with State of Washington hunting regulations. (3) Big game hunting. We allow big game hunting on designated areas of the hatchery subject to the following condition: We allow the use of dogs for hunting in accordance with State of Washington hunting regulations. (4) Sport fishing. See Sec. 71.12(m) for hatchery-specific fishing regulations for this hatchery. (g) Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery--(1) Migratory bird hunting. We allow hunting of crow on designated areas of the hatchery subject to the following conditions: (i) We only allow portable blinds and temporary blinds constructed of nonliving natural materials. Hunters must remove all equipment at the end of each day's hunt. (ii) We allow the use of dogs when hunting. (2) Upland game hunting. We allow hunting of bobcat, grouse, partridge, and porcupine on designated areas of the hatchery subject to the conditions set forth at paragraphs (g)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section. (3) Big game hunting. We allow hunting of bear, elk, black-tailed deer, mule deer, and turkey on designated areas of the hatchery subject to the conditions set forth at paragraphs (g)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section. (4) Sport fishing. See Sec. 71.12(n) for hatchery-specific fishing regulations for this hatchery. (h) Southwest Native Aquatic Resources and Recovery Center-- (1) Migratory game bird hunting. We allow the hunting of sandhill crane, light and dark goose, duck, merganser, coot, mourning and white-winged dove, and band-tailed pigeon on designated areas of the center. (2) Upland game hunting. We allow the hunting of Eurasian collared- dove; dusky (blue) grouse; pheasant; scaled quail; and Abert's, red, gray, and fox squirrel on designated areas of the center. (3) [Reserved] (i) Pendill's Creek National Fish Hatchery--(1) Migratory game bird hunting. We allow hunting of migratory game bird species authorized by the State on designated areas of the hatchery subject to the following conditions: (i) We allow entry into the hatchery 1 hour before legal sunrise and require hunters to leave the hatchery no later than 1 hour after legal sunset. (ii) We prohibit shooting on or over any hatchery road and shooting within 50 feet (15 meters) from the centerline. (iii) We allow the use of dogs while hunting, provided the dog is under the immediate control of the hunter at all times. (iv) We allow the harvest of pigeon during any open season. (v) You must remove all personal property, including but not limited to boats, decoys, blinds, blind materials, stands, platforms, and cameras, brought onto the refuge at the end of each day's hunt (see Sec. Sec. 27.93 and 27.94 of this chapter). (2) Upland game hunting. We allow the hunting of upland game species authorized by the State, except for English sparrows and European starlings, on designated areas of the hatchery subject to the following conditions: (i) The conditions set forth at paragraphs (i)(1)(i) through (v) of this section apply. (ii) We prohibit night hunting of upland game from 30 minutes after legal sunset until 30 minutes before legal sunrise the following day. (iii) We allow the harvest of feral hog, including Russian boar, during big game hunting. (3) Big game hunting. We allow white-tailed deer, turkey, and bear hunting on designated areas of the hatchery subject to the conditions set forth at paragraphs (i)(1)(i) through (v) of this section. (j) Spring Creek National Fish Hatchery--(1) Migratory bird hunting. We allow hunting of crow on designated areas of the hatchery subject to the following conditions: (i) We only allow portable blinds and temporary blinds constructed of nonliving natural materials. Hunters must remove all equipment at the end of each day's hunt. (ii) We allow the use of dogs when hunting. (2) Upland game hunting. We allow hunting of bobcat, grouse, partridge, and porcupine on designated areas of the hatchery subject to the following condition: The conditions set forth at paragraphs (j)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section apply. (3) Big game hunting. We allow hunting of bear, elk, black-tailed deer, mule deer, and wild turkey on designated areas of the hatchery subject to the following condition: The conditions set forth at paragraphs (j)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section apply. (4) Sport fishing. We allow sport fishing on designated areas of the hatchery subject to the following condition: We only allow fishing from legal sunrise to legal sunset. Jillian Eanett, Acting Chief, Policy and Regulations Branch, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. [FR Doc. 2026-19723 Filed 9-24-26; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4333-15-P

What this changes

Amends 1 part of the Code of Federal Regulations — the standing rules this notice rewrites.

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