The Fish and Wildlife Service will expand an incentive program designed to encourage use of lead-free ammunition on selected national wildlife refuges.
Citing the results of hunter surveys as well as a pilot project, the federal agency announced Friday that the Voluntary Lead-Free Hunting Ammunition Incentive Program for the 2025-2026 hunting season will include 25 hunting seasons at 13 refuges in 11 states.
“We are committed to providing access to quality hunting experiences on national wildlife refuges and supporting the contributions of the hunting community to wildlife conservation,” Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik said in a statement.
Nesvik added that an analysis of the first year of the lead-free pilot project indicated that “most hunters were satisfied with the program.”
