Overview
- An internal directive told refuge staff that all permitted hunts will proceed across many of the roughly 600 National Wildlife Refuges.
- Interior spokesperson Elizabeth Peace said specific staff remain available for permitting, hunter access, and the protection of life and property.
- The Fish and Wildlife Service has furloughed 4,655 of its 7,001 employees under the shutdown plan, with visitor centers and most staffed services closed.
- Agency employees reported some unpaid or minimal on-site staff opening gates and supporting hunts, which appears to conflict with contingency rules limiting activities that require a federal presence.
- Advocates warn that habitat management, maintenance, and education programs are suspended after years of workforce declines across the refuge system.