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The National Shooting Sports Foundation is applauding a new White House order focused on hunting access and participation.
President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14429, “Reinvigorating America’s Hunting Heritage,” on Sept. 17. NSSF President and CEO Joe Bartozzi attended the Rose Garden signing.
NSSF called the order a major victory for hunters. The organization highlighted provisions involving public lands, traditional ammunition and Sunday hunting.
“This is a tremendous victory to ensure that America’s hunting heritage is protected,” Bartozzi said.
Table of contents
More Access to Federal Land
The order directs federal agencies to review policies restricting hunting and other outdoor recreation.
Within 180 days, those agencies must propose changes that generally allow hunting unless officials can justify a specific closure. National parks remain excluded from that presumption.
The order also promotes access through voluntary easements, land exchanges and agreements with states or private landowners.
Within 90 days, the Interior Department must allow hunting of eligible species inside Castle Mountains National Monument and Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve. Federally protected species remain excluded.
These provisions are not all immediate openings. Many require agencies to propose regulations or revise existing policies first.
Traditional Ammunition and Sunday Hunting
The order directs federal agencies to propose policies permitting traditional lead ammunition and fishing tackle on federal lands.
That language addresses a longtime NSSF priority. The organization opposes broad lead-ammunition bans that lacks sufficient population-level wildlife evidence.
NSSF also argues that more expensive ammunition requirements can discourage participation.
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The group noted that firearm and ammunition manufacturers help fund conservation through Pittman-Robertson excise taxes. Those contributions have exceeded $29 billion since 1937 when adjusted for inflation.
The order also addresses Sunday hunting. It gives the Interior Department one year to encourage state wildlife agencies to expand Sunday opportunities.
That provision does not automatically override state law. States with remaining restrictions would still control their own changes.
Hunter Education and Wildlife Management
The order directs the Labor and Education departments to clarify federal funding rules for school archery and hunter-education programs.
Interior must also identify additional recruitment opportunities for young people and veterans. The Department of Veterans Affairs must prioritize eligible hunting and fishing programs through its Adaptive Sports Grant Program.
Other provisions focus on increasing game populations through habitat work, prescribed fire and invasive-species control.
Federal agencies are also directed to coordinate with states on predator management and wildlife-movement barriers.
The Department of Agriculture must support state venison-donation programs. Interior will encourage Pittman-Robertson funding for managing overabundant wildlife and processing donated meat.
What Happens Next
The executive order establishes a policy roadmap rather than flipping every switch immediately.
Agencies now face deadlines ranging from 60 days to one year. Their proposed regulations and policy changes will determine the order’s practical reach.
For NSSF, however, the direction is clear. The administration wants more hunters, more access and fewer federal barriers between sportsmen and public land.
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is a seasoned outdoorsman, lifelong hunter, and the kind of guy who’d rather track whitetails than scroll social media. As an editor for GunsAmerica, he’s got a sharp eye for spotting both solid gear and bad gun laws. Whether he’s deep in the woods or deep in editorial deadlines, Larry brings a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is approach to firearms, hunting, and the great American tradition of self-reliance. If there’s a hot debate on gun rights or the latest in hunting tech, you can bet Larry’s got an opinion—and it’s probably backed up with both facts and field experience.
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