Interior Finalizes Streamlined Process for Migratory Game Bird Hunting Seasons

WASHINGTON — The Department of the Interior today announced the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is finalizing a streamlined process for authorizing seasonal migratory game bird hunting, reducing unnecessary federal rulemaking while providing greater predictability for states, tribes and hunters. 

Under the new process, the Service will establish federal hunting season conditions through Migratory Game Bird Hunting memoranda rather than conducting annual federal rulemaking. The Service will continue to evaluate biological data and make science-based decisions on appropriate harvest levels each year, ensuring hunting remains compatible with migratory game bird populations and habitat conditions.

“Hunters and states should not have to navigate repetitive federal rulemaking every year when there is a faster, smarter way to get the job done,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. “This commonsense reform cuts unnecessary red tape, gives states and Tribes greater certainty to plan their hunting seasons, and maintains the science-based wildlife management that supports healthy migratory bird populations and America’s hunting traditions.” 

The Service first announced the streamlined process in June, when it published a direct final rule and concurrent proposed rule. The approach provided an opportunity for public comment while allowing the new process to move forward in time for the 2026–27 hunting season.

The change eliminates the need for annual federal rulemaking to establish seasonal hunting conditions, reducing administrative costs and workload and better accommodating state, Tribal and federal regulatory timelines. It will also allow hunting seasons to be authorized earlier, providing states, Tribes and hunters greater certainty for planning. 

“This commonsense change allows us to spend less time on repetitive administrative processes and more time working with our state and Tribal partners to manage migratory game birds,” said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik. “We will continue to make science-based harvest decisions every year while providing hunters and our partners with a more efficient and predictable process.” 

Migratory game bird hunting is managed cooperatively by federal, state and tribal governments. The Service establishes federal conditions governing such factors as season dates and lengths, shooting hours, bag and possession limits, and areas where hunting may occur. states and tribes establish their hunting seasons within those federal parameters. 

The new process maintains the Service’s conservation responsibilities under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and does not change how the Service evaluates biological information or determines appropriate harvest levels. 

Following publication of the final rule, the Service will issue the 2026 Migratory Game Bird Hunting Memorandum establishing authorization conditions for the 2026–27 through 2028–29 hunting seasons. The memorandum may be updated sooner if changes are warranted based on the Service’s annual harvest decisions. 

The final rule and memorandum will publish in the Federal Register in time for hunting season.   

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