2013-2014 Refuge-Specific Hunting and Sport Fishing Regulations, 14809-14844 [2014-05214]

Agencies

• Fish and Wildlife Service
• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 51 (Monday, March 17, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 14809-14844]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-05214]



[[Page 14809]]

Vol. 79

Monday,

No. 51

March 17, 2014

Part III





Department of the Interior





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Fish and Wildlife Service





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50 CFR Parts 25 and 32





2013-2014 Refuge-Specific Hunting and Sport Fishing Regulations; Final 
Rule

Federal Register / Vol. 79 , No. 51 / Monday, March 17, 2014 / Rules 
and Regulations

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Parts 25 and 32

[Docket No. FWS-HQ-NWRS-2013-0074: FXRS12650900000-134-FF09R20000]
RIN 1018-AZ87


2013-2014 Refuge-Specific Hunting and Sport Fishing Regulations

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) adds 6 national 
wildlife refuges to the list of areas open for hunting and/or sport 
fishing, adds new hunts at 6 refuges, increases the hunting activities 
available at 20 other refuges, and increases fishing opportunities at 2 
refuges, along with adopting pertinent refuge-specific regulations on 
other refuges that pertain to migratory game bird hunting, upland game 
hunting, big game hunting, and sport fishing for the 2013-2014 season.

DATES: This rule is effective March 17, 2014.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul F. Steblein, (703) 358-2678.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Wildlife Refuge System 
Administration Act of 1966 closes national wildlife refuges (NWRs) in 
all States except Alaska to all uses until opened. The Secretary of the 
Interior (Secretary) may open refuge areas to any use, including 
hunting and/or sport fishing, upon a determination that such uses are 
compatible with the purposes of the refuge and National Wildlife Refuge 
System mission. The action also must be in accordance with provisions 
of all laws applicable to the areas, developed in coordination with the 
appropriate State fish and wildlife agency(ies), consistent with the 
principles of sound fish and wildlife management and administration, 
and otherwise in the public interest. These requirements ensure that we 
maintain the biological integrity, diversity, and environmental health 
of the Refuge System for the benefit of present and future generations 
of Americans.
    We periodically review refuge hunting and sport fishing programs to 
determine whether to include additional refuges or whether individual 
refuge regulations governing existing programs need modifications. 
Changing environmental conditions, State and Federal regulations, and 
other factors affecting fish and wildlife populations and habitat may 
warrant modifications to refuge-specific regulations to ensure the 
continued compatibility of hunting and sport fishing programs and to 
ensure that these programs will not materially interfere with or 
detract from the fulfillment of refuge purposes or the Refuge System's 
mission.
    Provisions governing hunting and sport fishing on refuges are in 
title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations in part 32 (50 CFR part 
32). We regulate hunting and sport fishing on refuges to:
     Ensure compatibility with refuge purpose(s);
     Properly manage the fish and wildlife resource(s);
     Protect other refuge values;
     Ensure refuge visitor safety; and
     Provide opportunities for quality fish- and wildlife-
dependent recreation.
    On many refuges where we decide to allow hunting and sport fishing, 
our general policy of adopting regulations identical to State hunting 
and sport fishing regulations is adequate in meeting these objectives. 
On other refuges, we must supplement State regulations with more-
restrictive Federal regulations to ensure that we meet our management 
responsibilities, as outlined in the ``Statutory Authority'' section. 
We issue refuge-specific hunting and sport fishing regulations when we 
open NWRs to migratory game bird hunting, upland game hunting, big game 
hunting, or sport fishing. These regulations list the wildlife species 
that you may hunt or fish, seasons, bag or creel (container for 
carrying fish) limits, methods of hunting or sport fishing, 
descriptions of areas open to hunting or sport fishing, and other 
provisions as appropriate. You may find previously issued refuge-
specific regulations for hunting and sport fishing in 50 CFR part 32. 
In this rulemaking, we are standardizing and clarifying the language of 
existing regulations.

Statutory Authority

    The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (16 
U.S.C. 668dd-668ee, as amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System 
Improvement Act of 1997 [Improvement Act]) (Administration Act), and 
the Refuge Recreation Act of 1962 (16 U.S.C. 460k-460k-4) (Recreation 
Act) govern the administration and public use of refuges.
    Amendments enacted by the Improvement Act, built upon the 
Administration Act in a manner that provides an ``organic act'' for the 
Refuge System, are similar to those that exist for other public Federal 
lands. The Improvement Act serves to ensure that we effectively manage 
the Refuge System as a national network of lands, waters, and interests 
for the protection and conservation of our Nation's wildlife resources. 
The Administration Act states first and foremost that we focus our 
Refuge System mission on conservation of fish, wildlife, and plant 
resources and their habitats. The Improvement Act requires the 
Secretary, before allowing a new use of a refuge, or before expanding, 
renewing, or extending an existing use of a refuge, to determine that 
the use is compatible with the purpose for which the refuge was 
established and the mission of the Refuge System. The Improvement Act 
established as the policy of the United States that wildlife-dependent 
recreation, when compatible, is a legitimate and appropriate public use 
of the Refuge System, through which the American public can develop an 
appreciation for fish and wildlife. The Improvement Act established six 
wildlife-dependent recreational uses as the priority general public 
uses of the Refuge System. These uses are: Hunting, fishing, wildlife 
observation and photography, and environmental education and 
interpretation.
    The Recreation Act authorizes the Secretary to administer areas 
within the Refuge System for public recreation as an appropriate 
incidental or secondary use only to the extent that doing so is 
practicable and not inconsistent with the primary purpose(s) for which 
Congress and the Service established the areas. The Recreation Act 
requires that any recreational use of refuge lands be compatible with 
the primary purpose(s) for which we established the refuge and not 
inconsistent with other previously authorized operations.
    The Administration Act and Recreation Act also authorize the 
Secretary to issue regulations to carry out the purposes of the Acts 
and regulate uses.
    We develop specific management plans for each refuge prior to 
opening it to hunting or sport fishing. In many cases, we develop 
refuge-specific regulations to ensure the compatibility of the programs 
with the purpose(s) for which we established the refuge and the Refuge 
System mission. We ensure initial compliance with the Administration 
Act and the Recreation Act for hunting and sport fishing on newly 
acquired refuges through an interim determination of compatibility made 
at or near the time of acquisition. These regulations ensure that we 
make the determinations required by these acts prior to adding refuges 
to the lists of areas open to hunting and sport fishing in 50 CFR part 
32. We ensure continued compliance by the development of comprehensive

[[Page 14811]]

conservation plans and specific plans, and by annual review of hunting 
and sport fishing programs and regulations.

Response to Comments Received

    In the September 24, 2013, Federal Register (78 FR 58754), we 
published a proposed rule identifying changes pertaining to migratory 
game bird hunting, upland game bird hunting, big game hunting, and 
sport fishing to existing refuge-specific regulations on certain 
refuges for the 2013-2014 season. We received more than 1,400 comments 
on the proposed rule during its 30-day comment period. 1,342 of those 
comments were opposed to the proposed rule, and 58 were supportive of 
the rule. The remainder expressed neither support nor opposition to the 
proposed rule but supplied comments. We discuss the comments we 
received in the summary that follows.
    Comment 1: Numerous commenters expressed concern regarding a 
proposed prohibition on falconry at Bosque del Apache NWR and Sevilleta 
NWR, both located in the State of New Mexico. The commenters state that 
we offer no explanation in the cumulative impacts report and no 
environmental, biological, or other such scientific justification for 
this prohibition. They contend that falconry is a legal means of 
hunting and take in the State of New Mexico, as it is in 49 of the 50 
States. They object strongly to what appears to be ``prejudicial and a 
denied equitable public opportunity'' on the above-mentioned refuges 
and request that we remove such a bias from the regulations by allowing 
falconry.
    Response 1: By law, refuges may be more conservative than the 
States when setting individual refuge-specific regulations but may not 
more liberal.
    Regarding policy specific to falconry, Service policy, as outlined 
in our Service manual at 605 FW 2.7M (Special Hunts), stipulates, ``We 
will address special types of hunts, such as falconry, in the hunt 
section of the visitor service plan (VSP).'' In other words, each 
refuge manager, when developing their step-down visitor service's plan 
(which would include a hunt plan, if appropriate) from their 
comprehensive conservation plan, must first determine if hunting is 
compatible. Assuming it is found to be compatible, the refuge manager 
would next determine the conduct of the hunt which might include the 
use of falconry. A refuge manager has discretion to prohibit hunting, 
specifically falconry, in certain cases such as if endangered or 
threatened species are present; thus, this issue is decided 
individually on a refuge-by-refuge basis.
    Falconry for any species has never occurred on Bosque del Apache 
NWR, so we have not completed an assessment of short-term, long-term, 
or cumulative impacts related to this type of special hunt. There is 
concern regarding the potential take of non-target species if we allow 
falconry at Bosque del Apache NWR. The refuge is particularly concerned 
about falconry due to non-target bird species listed federally or by 
the State as endangered or threatened, including the southwestern 
willow flycatcher and yellow billed cuckoo that forage on the refuge 
during spring and fall migration. Therefore, we made no changes to the 
rule as a result of this comment.
    Proposed changes to the regulations for Bosque del Apache and 
Sevilleta NWRs were developed at the same time, and this prohibition on 
falconry was inadvertently added to the changes proposed for Sevilleta 
NWR. Sevilleta NWR allows falconry on the refuge, and anyone using this 
method of take must follow all refuge and State regulations when 
hunting. As such, we have removed the prohibition on falconry at 
Sevilleta NWR from this final rule.
    Comment 2: A commenter questioned the ``rigorous scientific 
research into the status of refuge wildlife populations'' and whether 
we were using this information to guide refuge planning. The commenter 
went on to say that a determination must be made that ``wildlife are 
surplus to a balanced conservation program on any wildlife area,'' and 
that ``unless the species is damaging or destroying federal property 
within a refuge, the species cannot be subject to live removal or 
lethal control, including through official animal control operations.'' 
They believe that ``refuges often fail to have refuge specific 
monitoring of harvest levels,'' and discussed the concept of an 
``inviolate sanctuary.'' Finally, the commenter believes that since 
``25 million people visit refuges for wildlife observation'' and ``only 
9 million visit to hunt or trap'' that non-consumptive users should 
enjoy a higher priority when it comes to use of refuge lands.
    Response 2: The commenter acknowledges that the ``Improvement Act 
upgrades hunting and fishing to a priority use. . .'' Each refuge 
manager makes a decision regarding hunting on that particular refuge 
only after rigorous examination of the available information. 
Developing or referencing a comprehensive conservation plan (CCP), a 
15-year plan for the refuge, is generally the first step a refuge 
manager takes. Our policy for managing units of the Refuge System is 
that we will manage all refuges in accordance with an approved CCP 
which, when implemented, will achieve refuge purposes; help fulfill the 
Refuge System mission; maintain and, where appropriate, restore the 
ecological integrity of each refuge and the Refuge System; help achieve 
the goals of the National Wilderness Preservation System; and meet 
other mandates. The CCP will guide management decisions and set forth 
goals, objectives, and strategies to accomplish these ends. The next 
step for refuge managers is developing or referencing step-down plans, 
of which a hunting plan would be one. Part of the process for opening a 
refuge to hunting after completing the step-down plan would be 
appropriate compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), such as conducting an environmental 
assessment accompanied by the appropriate decision documentation 
(record of decision, finding of no significant impact, or environmental 
action memorandum or statement). The rest of the elements in the 
opening package are: Section 7 evaluation, copies of letters requesting 
State and/or tribal involvement, draft news release and outreach plan, 
and finally draft refuge-specific regulatory language. The CCP, hunt 
plan, and NEPA are made available and request public comments, as does 
the proposed rule, before we allow hunting on a refuge.
    In sum, this illustrates that the decision to allow hunting on an 
NWR is not a quick or simple process. It is full of deliberation and 
discussion, including review of all available data to determine the 
relative health of a population before we allow it to be hunted. In the 
case of migratory game bird hunting, the Service annually prescribes 
frameworks for dates and times when migratory bird hunting may occur in 
the United States, and the number of birds that hunters may take and 
possess. We write these regulations after giving due regard to ``the 
distribution, abundance, economic value, breeding habits, and times and 
lines of migratory flight of such birds'' and update the information 
annually. Under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 703-712), 
Congress authorized the Secretary of the Interior to determine when 
``hunting, taking, capture, killing, possession, sale, purchase, 
shipment, transportation, carriage, or export of any . . . bird, or any 
part, nest, or egg'' of migratory game birds can take place, and to 
adopt regulations for this purpose. The Secretary of the Interior 
delegated this responsibility to the Service as the lead

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Federal agency for managing and conserving migratory birds in the 
United States.
    Because the Service is required to take abundance of migratory 
birds and other factors into consideration, we undertake a number of 
surveys throughout the year in conjunction with the Canadian Wildlife 
Service, State and Provincial wildlife management agencies, and others. 
To determine the appropriate frameworks for each species, we consider 
factors such as population size and trend, geographical distribution, 
annual breeding effort, the condition of breeding and wintering 
habitat, the number of hunters, and the anticipated harvest. After we 
establish frameworks for season lengths, bag limits, and areas for 
migratory bird hunting, migratory game bird management becomes a 
cooperative effort of State and Federal governments. After Service 
establishment of final frameworks for hunting seasons, the States may 
select season dates, bag limits, and other regulatory options for the 
hunting seasons.
    As discussed in the cumulative impacts report (available on https://www.regulations.gov under Docket No. FWS-HQ-NWRS-2013-0074), we took a 
look at the cumulative impact that the 2013-2014 proposed rule would 
have on migratory birds, resident wildlife, non-hunted migratory and 
resident wildlife, endangered and threatened species, habitats and 
plant resources, other wildlife-dependent recreational uses, physical 
resources (air, water, soils), cultural resources, refuge facilities, 
solitude, and cumulative socioeconomic impacts.
    Collectively, we estimate that the proposed actions on the 22 
refuges with increased migratory game bird hunting would be 12,616 
ducks (0.0008 percent of the estimated national harvest) and 2,463 
geese (0.0008 percent of the estimated national harvest). In short, we 
project that harvests of these species on the 22 refuges will 
constitute an extremely minor component of the national harvests.
    We allow hunting of resident wildlife on NWRs only if such activity 
has been determined compatible with the establishment purpose(s) of the 
refuge and the mission of the Refuge System as required by the 
Administration Act. Hunting of resident wildlife on NWRs generally 
occurs consistent with State regulations, including seasons and bag 
limits. Refuge-specific hunting regulations can be more restrictive 
(but not more liberal) than State regulations and often are in order to 
help meet specific refuge objectives. These include resident wildlife 
population and habitat objectives, minimizing disturbance impacts to 
wildlife, maintaining high-quality opportunities for hunting and other 
wildlife-dependent recreation, eliminating or minimizing conflicts with 
other public uses and/or refuge management activities, and protecting 
public safety.
    Please consult the cumulative impacts report at the Web site 
referenced above for a more indepth discussion, but in sum, none of the 
known, estimated, or projected harvests of big game, small game, or 
upland game species resulting from the proposed hunting activities on 
refuges was determined or expected to have significant adverse direct, 
indirect, or cumulative impacts to any big game, small game, or upland 
game wildlife population.
    The Migratory Bird Conservation Act of 1929 (16 U.S.C. 715-715d, 
715e, 715f-715r) authorizes acquisition of refuges as ``inviolate 
sanctuaries'' where the birds could rest and reproduce in total 
security. In 1949, this ``inviolate sanctuary'' concept was modified by 
an amendment to the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Act 
(16 U.S.C. 718a et seq.), which allowed hunting on up to 25 percent of 
each inviolate refuge. In 1958, another amendment to the Migratory Bird 
Hunting and Conservation Stamp Act increased the total area of an 
inviolate refuge that could be opened for hunting to up to 40 percent. 
This provision is reflected in the Administration Act at 16 U.S.C. 
668dd(d)(1)(A).
    Note that not all refuges are inviolate sanctuaries. If we acquired 
a refuge as an inviolate sanctuary, we may open up to 40 percent of 
that refuge's area for hunting of migratory game birds. However, if we 
acquired a refuge without the stipulation that it be an inviolate 
sanctuary, we may open 100 percent of the refuge's area for hunting.
    The Fish and Wildlife Improvement Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-616) 
amended section 6 of the Administration Act to provide for the opening 
of all or any portion of an inviolate sanctuary to the taking of 
migratory birds if taking is determined to be beneficial to the 
species. Such opening of more than 40 percent of the refuge to hunting 
is determined by species. This amendment refers to inviolate 
sanctuaries created in the past or to be created in the future. It has 
no application to areas acquired for other management purposes.
    Most refuge hunt programs have established refuge-specific 
regulations to improve the quality of the hunting experience as well as 
provide for quality wildlife-dependent experiences for other users. 
Refuge visitor use programs are adjusted, as needed, to eliminate or 
minimize conflicts between users. Virtually all of the refuges open to 
hunting and other wildlife-dependent recreational uses use time and 
space zoning as an effective method to reduce conflicts between hunting 
and other uses. Eliminating or restricting overlap between hunt areas 
and popular areas for other wildlife-dependent recreation allows 
opportunity for other users to safely enjoy the refuge in non-hunted 
areas during hunting seasons. Restrictions on the number of hunters and 
the time in which they could hunt are also frequently used to minimize 
conflicts between user groups. Public outreach accompanying the opening 
of hunting seasons is frequently used to make other wildlife-dependent 
recreational users aware of the seasons and minimize conflicts. We made 
no changes to the rule as a result of this comment.
    Comment 3: Several commenters felt the use of lead was 
inappropriate on NWRs. One commenter cites several studies on the 
negative effects of lead on both wildlife and humans. They urge the 
Service to prohibit the use of lead shots, bullets, and fishing weights 
on all NWRs.
    Response 3: Lead shot for waterfowl hunting has been illegal on 
NWRs since 1998.
    Lead is a toxic metal that, in sufficient quantities, has adverse 
effects on the nervous and reproductive systems of animals and can be 
lethal to wildlife if ingested, even in small amounts. We continue to 
look at options and ways to reduce the indirect impacts of toxic shot 
to scavengers. We are and have been phasing out the use of lead shot by 
small and big game hunters on refuge lands.
    The Improvement Act directs us to make refuge regulations as 
consistent with State regulations as practicable. We share a strong 
partnership with the States in managing wildlife, and, therefore, we 
are developing a strategy to reduce risk due to lead in a coordinated 
manner with State wildlife agencies. We made no changes to the rule as 
a result of these comments.
    Comment 4: A commenter felt that ``working public'' needs more than 
30 days to comment on this proposed rule. In addition, the commenter 
believes the comment period should be extended since it overlapped with 
the government shutdown.
    Response 4: We believe the 30-day public comment period is 
sufficient. The process of opening refuges is done in stages, with the 
fundamental work being done on the ground at the refuge and in the 
community where the program is administered. In these stages,

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the public is provided opportunities to comment, for example, on the 
comprehensive conservation plans, the compatibility determinations, the 
hunt plans, and accompanying NEPA documents. The final stage for public 
comment is when we publish the proposed rule in the Federal Register, 
for which we commonly provide a 30-day comment period.
    We make every attempt to collect all of the proposals from the 
refuges nationwide and process them expeditiously to maximize the time 
available for public review. We believe that a 30-day comment period, 
through the broader publication following the earlier public 
involvement, gives the public sufficient time to comment and allows us 
to establish hunting and fishing programs in time for the upcoming 
seasons. Many of these proposals would relieve restrictions and allow 
the public to participate in wildlife-dependent recreational activities 
for the first time on a number of refuges. Even after issuance of a 
final rule, we accept comments, suggestions, and concerns for 
consideration for any appropriate subsequent rulemaking.
    Although the public comment period did overlap with the government 
shutdown, the proposed rule was published in the Federal Register, and 
the Web site where the public submitted comments, https://www.regulations.gov, was open during the entire 30-day comment period. 
We made no changes to the rule as a result of this comment.
    Comment 5: A commenter opined that hunting should be banned on NWRs 
because hunters will be too selective, only hunting the best-looking 
animals, shifting the genetic makeup of the whole population.
    Response 5: We disagree with the above comment and do not think 
hunters will have a big enough impact to affect the genetic makeup of a 
whole population. We are not aware of any information that suggests 
hunting programs, as they are conducted, on refuges are shifting the 
genetic makeup of a population. In many cases, hunting is a tool used 
to manage populations and ensure a healthy ecosystem.
    The numbers of animals taken is too small to shift the genetic 
makeup of a population. Please refer to the cumulative impacts report. 
The report explains the cumulative impact that the 2013-2014 proposed 
rule would have on migratory birds, resident wildlife, non-hunted 
migratory and resident wildlife, endangered and threatened species, 
habitats and plant resources, other wildlife-dependent recreational 
uses, physical resources (air, water, soils), cultural resources, 
refuge facilities, solitude, and cumulative socioeconomic impacts.
    Comment 6: A commenter stated, ``It already has been scientifically 
determined that the waterfowl population in Florida is in general 
decline, due to prolonged drought conditions in that state.'' They 
believe Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee NWR should temporarily suspend 
waterfowl hunting.
    Response 6: Waterfowl regulations and bag limits are created on a 
national level. Hunting opportunities available to the public should 
not have a substantial effect on waterfowl abundance or distribution 
due to low-to-moderate hunting pressure on the refuge, as well as the 
established sanctuary area (79 percent of the refuge). Compared to 
other surrounding areas, the refuge only contributes a small portion of 
the total waterfowl harvest in south Florida (Florida Fish and Wildlife 
Conservation Commission 2011). We made no changes to the rule as a 
result of this comment.
    Comment 7: A commenter noted the oceans are being depleted of fish, 
and, therefore, Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee NWR should not allow 
sport fishing.
    Response 7: Sport fishing is allowed on designated areas of the 
refuge in accordance with State and Federal regulations subject to the 
conditions set forth at 50 CFR part 32. The refuge is a freshwater 
system, and fish in the refuge reproduce rapidly compared to longer 
lived salt water species in the oceans. Further, most of the fishing at 
the refuge is catch-and-release; the refuge has an average 90 percent 
catch-and-release rate on large-mouth bass based on a fisherman creel 
survey conducted in 2011. We made no changes to the rule as a result of 
this comment.
    Comment 8: Numerous commenters felt hunting is incompatible with 
the statutory framework that created Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee 
NWR; these commenters noted that the refuge protects the endangered 
Everglades snail kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis plumbeus) and serves as 
the subspecies' designated critical habitat. Several commenters 
expanded this thought to state that they believe we would be violating 
the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, for which the refuge was established, 
and the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 
et seq.) if we allow hunting on the refuge, due to the disturbance it 
would create.
    Response 8: The Migratory Bird Conservation Act of 1929, as amended 
by the Act of August 14, 1946 (60 Stat. 1080), authorized the 
establishment of Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee NWR. The refuge was 
created by two agreements entered into by the Department of the 
Interior. The first is a general plan with the Florida Game and Fresh 
Water Fish Commission (now the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation 
Commission), which allowed Water Conservation Area 1 to be used by the 
Service for the national migratory bird management program. The second 
is a long-term license from the Central and Southern Florida Flood 
Control District (now the South Florida Water Management District) that 
provided for the use of Water Conservation Area 1 by the Service ``as a 
Wildlife Management Area, to promote the conservation of wildlife, 
fish, and game, and for other purposes embodying the principles and 
objective of planned multiple land use.''
    According to the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, this refuge 
``shall be administered by [the Secretary of the Interior] directly or 
in accordance with cooperative agreements . . . and in accordance with 
such rules and regulations for the conservation, maintenance, and 
management of wildlife, resources thereof, and its habitat thereon'' 
(16 U.S.C. 664). The Migratory Bird Conservation Act of 1929 states 
that its purpose is to be ``an inviolate sanctuary, for any other 
management purpose, for migratory birds'' (16 U.S.C. 715d).
    As stated earlier, the Improvement Act mandates the Service to 
provide wildlife-dependent recreation on refuges, where appropriate and 
compatible, and designates six priority public uses of the Refuge 
System: Hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and photography, and 
environmental education and interpretation. The environmental 
assessment, section 7 consultation, and data analysis did not show that 
any negative cumulative impacts will occur to the Everglades snail kite 
under the proposed hunting regulations.
    The refuge has completed a compatibility determination and has 
found the alligator hunt compatible based on the current research and 
data available. Research shows that the refuge can support a limited 
alligator hunt without having negative cumulative effects to the 
alligator population or interfering with other public user groups. See 
the sport hunting plan's appendix B for the compatibility 
determination. Please contact the refuge if you would like to obtain a 
copy of the sport hunting plan. Also, the refuge consulted under 
section 7 of the ESA and found the hunt is not likely to adversely 
affect any listed,

[[Page 14814]]

proposed, or candidate species, or any designated or proposed critical 
habitat.
    Approximately 21 percent (30,000 acres) of the refuge is available 
for hunting during the season, leaving up to 79 percent of the refuge 
for alligators and other species to forage and rest (sanctuary area) 
depending on environmental conditions.
    Nesting populations of Everglades snail kite, wood storks, and 
other listed species would not be significantly disturbed as a result 
of the action alternative. Snail kites do not frequent nor nest during 
the dates for the alligator season (August through November). However, 
depending on the year, water levels may be optimal earlier or later for 
both wintering and nesting snail kites and may fall within the time 
frame for the hunt seasons. It is unlikely that the snail kites will be 
affected, though, because of the low density of snail kites on the 
refuge, the actual number of hunt dates available, and the location of 
the hunt area versus past nest locations. See the refuge's 2012 Sport 
Hunting Plan for specific refuge hunt days, which are more restrictive 
than the State seasons.
    To minimize potential impacts to snail kites, recreational hunting 
activities within the refuge will take measures to avoid active snail 
kite nest sites. If the snail kite nests are active during the hunt 
seasons, the refuge will coordinate restrictions and necessary 
communications with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission 
staff and hunters, and ``Area Closed'' signs will be placed to show the 
buffer zones whether along levees or within the marsh. Prior to the 
hunts, the refuge will provide hunters with maps, GPS points, and 
specific rules and regulations regarding the restrictions within the 
snail kite nest buffer zones. We made no changes to the rule as a 
result of this comment.
    Comment 9: A commenter believed there should not be alligator 
hunting at Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee NWR because the refuge is 
understaffed and will not be able to properly monitor hunters.
    Response 9: This hunt will not take many staff resources, and the 
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will be implementing 
the drawing and licensing of the hunt. Refuge law enforcement officers 
and officers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission 
will be enforcing the hunts with random checks in the field; otherwise, 
it will be a self-check. Check stations will be established only if 
needed during hunting harvest periods to ensure hunters are using 
permits correctly and proper hunting methods are being enforced. We 
made no changes to the rule as a result of this comment.
    Comment 10: Numerous commenters felt alligator hunting should not 
be allowed on Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee NWR because it conflicts 
with other public uses, is dangerous for visitors, and disturbs 
wildlife.
    Response 10: The Improvement Act mandates the Service to provide 
wildlife-dependent recreation on refuges, where appropriate and 
compatible, and designates six priority public uses of the Refuge 
System: Hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and photography, and 
environmental education and interpretation. Therefore, hunting is one 
of the six priority public uses accepted on all refuges, as long as the 
proposed activity is appropriate and compatible with the establishing 
legislation of the refuge. The environmental assessment, section 7 
consultation, and data analysis did not show that any negative 
cumulative impacts will occur to alligators under the proposed hunting 
regulations.
    The refuge has completed a compatibility determination and has 
found the alligator hunt compatible based on the current research and 
data available. Please contact the refuge if you would like to obtain a 
copy of the sport hunting plan, which contains the completed 
compatibility determination. Research shows that the refuge can support 
a limited alligator hunt without having negative cumulative effects to 
the alligator population or interfering with other public user groups.
    The current hunt boundary for alligator hunting will remain the 
same as the waterfowl hunt boundary except for opening the perimeter 
canals, and currently access will be allowed only from the Hillsboro 
boat ramp. There will be a buffer around high use visitor areas where 
hunting will not be allowed to take place (i.e., public boat ramps). 
Hunt dates on the refuge for waterfowl, coot, and alligator fall within 
the State framework; however, actual hunt dates will be fewer, and 
there will be time limitations for each hunt day. These are refuge-
specific regulations, which can be found in the refuge's 2012 Sport 
Hunting Plan. The alligator hunt will be structured like the Florida 
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's program used on the 
Stormwater Treatment Areas, and will take place as follows: 1 hour 
before sunset on Friday night through 1 hour after sunrise Saturday 
morning, and 1 hour before sunset on Saturday night through 1 hour 
after sunrise Sunday morning. Therefore, limited public use interaction 
will occur between hunters and non-hunters given the timing of the 
hunt. The alligator hunt should not result in any negative cumulative 
impacts to the refuge, and given the small number of permits issued, 
only a negligible increase in hunters will be observed. We made no 
changes to the rule as a result of this comment.
    Comment 11: Numerous commenters felt we should reject the proposal 
to allow alligator hunting on Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee NWR due to 
``inhumane'' methods of take. The alligator hunt will allow the use of 
hand-held snares, harpoons, gigs, snatch hooks, artificial lures, 
manually operated spears, spear guns, crossbows, and bang sticks (a 
hand held pole with a pistol or shotgun cartridge at the end). One 
commenter expanded this thought to state, ``this is horrifically 
inhumane as it is not uncommon for injured alligators to get loose and 
suffer for hours before dying.''
    Response 11: The methods identified in the rule, to take 
alligators, are the same legal methods used by the State. Alligators 
may be taken using hand held snares, harpoons, gigs, snatch hooks, 
artificial lures, manually operated spears, spear guns, and crossbows. 
Alligators may not be taken using baited hooks, baited wooden pegs, or 
firearms. We made no changes to the rule as a result of this comment.
    Comment 12: A commenter requested we reject the plan to allow 
hunting of alligators on Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee NWR due to the 
disturbance and pollution that gas-powered boats would create.
    Response 12: The alligator hunt should not result in negative 
cumulative impacts to the refuge, and given the small number of permits 
issued, only a negligible increase of hunters will be observed. 
Airboats will not be allowed during the hunt, and most of the alligator 
hunting activity will occur in the perimeter canals; therefore, 
increased habitat damage and pollution from gas-powered boats due to 
the alligator hunt will not occur. We made no changes to the rule as a 
result of this comment.
    Comment 13: A commenter requested we relocate alligators from 
Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee NWR to Wakulla Springs, where there has 
been a population decline, before killing them.
    Response 13: Alligators are not in decline throughout the State of 
Florida, or on the refuge. The alligator hunt is strictly recreational, 
and is not for population control. Wakulla Springs is a State park 
managed by the State of Florida. If there are local declines in the 
Wakulla Springs area, it would be up to the State or the Florida Fish 
and

[[Page 14815]]

Wildlife Conservation Commission to decide what to do about the 
alligator population. Relocating alligators can potentially introduce a 
different gene pool or diseases to the local alligator population, 
which may have negative impacts. We made no changes to the rule as a 
result of this comment.
    Comment 14: A commenter felt that alligator hunting at Arthur R. 
Marshall Loxahatchee NWR should be restricted to adults and not include 
young or juvenile alligators. The commenter sites a study that found 
smaller alligators were becoming harder to detect during field research 
in the greater Everglades.
    Response 14: Based on previous comments from the public, revisions 
to the Sport Hunting Plan were made that would make the size limits 
consistent with those under Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation 
Commission's Statewide alligator harvest program. Additional 
constraints can complicate participation requirements and may be 
confusing for participants. Making the hunt consistent with the State 
will also prevent alligators being caught and discarded or abandoned 
because they were a few inches short of the legal take. As the proposed 
regulations did not include any size restrictions, we made no changes 
to the rule as a result of this comment.
    Comment 15: A commenter felt there should be no alligator hunting 
in Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee NWR due to projected, deteriorating 
hydrological conditions.
    Response 15: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission 
will conduct transect surveys within the hunt boundary of the perimeter 
canals during the spring in order to determine annual quotas in 
accordance with their standard procedures. In addition to quota-driven 
surveys, refuge staff will conduct transect surveys in the spring or 
fall or both to supplement the surveys conducted by the Florida Fish 
and Wildlife Conservation Commission and monitor for cumulative 
effects. Data collected will help managers determine hunt impacts and 
how many alligators can be sustainably harvested per year. Annual 
harvest quotas will be determined, in part, using the model Fish and 
Wildlife Conservation Commission uses to set harvest quotas for all 
State-run alligator hunts. Refuge management will also incorporate 
refuge priorities and goals into the development of annual quotas. It 
is important to note that the goal for the alligator hunt in the refuge 
is to set annual harvest quotas that provide a high-quality hunt while 
supporting multiple compatible uses, such as wildlife observation and 
photography, rather than the maximum sustainable harvest. If annual 
analysis determines alligator populations have declined beyond 
acceptable levels, alligator harvest will be suspended until 
populations have recovered. Acceptable levels of decline will be 
determined by refuge management in consideration of refuge goals and 
objectives and the best available science. We made no changes to the 
rule as a result of this comment.
    Comment 16: A commenter suggested we allow the use of electric 
trolling motors in the Monopoly Lake area of Mingo NWR. They state this 
change would allow handicapped fisherman more fishing access.
    Response 16: Monopoly Marsh is inside the Mingo Wilderness, which 
is administered as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. 
Under the Wilderness Act of 1964 (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), no motorized 
equipment (including trolling motors) is allowed. We made no changes to 
the rule as a result of this comment.
    Comment 17: A commenter felt cooperative farmers, who farm at other 
refuges located within Willamette Valley, will be negatively impacted 
if both Ankeny and W.L. Finley NWRs are not opened to waterfowl hunting 
at the same time as Baskett Slough NWR. The commenter states, ``I 
believe if you only allow hunting on Baskett Slough our crops will not 
survive due to the over grazing by the geese pushed to Ankeny Wildlife 
refuge and Finley Wildlife refuge.'' The commenter felt opening Ankeny 
and W.L. Finley NWRs will keep migrating geese spread out, reducing the 
chances of them being infected with a virus.
    Response 17: We understand the pressures faced by cooperative 
farmers on the refuges, but do not believe the hunt will create much 
change in wintertime distribution of geese, which are the source of the 
majority of grazing pressure on refuge fields. The hunt would only be 
open for 6 days in September, well before the arrival of the majority 
of geese. The September goose hunt would allow harvest only for western 
Canada geese, which are currently above population objectives in the 
Pacific Flyway. Baskett Slough NWR has a fairly reliable supply of 
water at that time of year and a history of Western Canada goose 
presence in September. Hunting was considered for cackling geese during 
the winter season but was rejected because of the potential to impact 
dusky Canada geese and other wintering geese, conflicting with the 
refuges' purposes. As part of our regular management, we keep an eye on 
the geese for signs of any diseases, and will take steps if and when 
overcrowding is deemed a health or safety issue. We made no changes to 
the rule as a result of this comment.
    Comment 18: Several commenters oppose the opening of Baskett Slough 
NWR to hunting, with the focus of these letters centering on the 
contradiction they see in allowing hunting on a refuge. One of these 
writers circulated a petition to oppose hunting at the refuge, 
gathering over 100 signatures, while another wrote, ``the refuges first 
and foremost function is to provide a place where wildlife cannot be 
hunted or harassed by humans.'' A third commenter said that allowing 
hunting would make a mockery of the protection promise the Service made 
when originally establishing the refuges.
    Response 18: Duck, goose, coot, and snipe hunting was allowed at 
Baskett Slough NWR between 1969 and 1985. In addition, hunting for 
pheasant, quail, dove, and pigeon was also allowed in the past. We 
understand that many people are opposed to hunting within refuges. 
However, hunting was designated as one of six priority public uses for 
NWRs under the Administration Act, as amended, in 1997. Though Baskett 
Slough NWR was established as an ``inviolate sanctuary for migratory 
birds, or for any other management purpose, for migratory birds,'' on 
units of the Refuge System established as an ``inviolate sanctuary,'' 
the Service may allow hunting of migratory game birds on up to 40 
percent of that refuge at any one time (some exceptions exist). We 
estimate that fewer than 100 ducks and geese per year will be harvested 
at Baskett Slough NWR under the hunt. Dusky Canada geese, the focus 
species when the refuge was originally established, are not expected to 
be impacted by the harvest, as they would not yet have arrived on the 
refuge by September. Dusky Canada geese were addressed in the hunt 
plan, NEPA documentation and compatibility determination.
    We do anticipate some minor disturbance to other foraging or 
resting birds and other wildlife from dogs, human activity, and the 
noise associated with hunting. Orientation will be provided to all 
hunters at the start of each hunt day, which will help to reduce 
effects to non-target species.
    Similarly, there will be disturbance to other refuge users during 
the hunt, but less than 34 percent of the refuge will be open to 
hunting, and hunting will occur on only 6 days per year. The high-use 
public areas at that time of year (viewing areas along Coville Road, 
trails on Baskett Butte) will remain unaffected, except for some 
potential for more vehicles to be parked in high-use

[[Page 14816]]

areas, and of course the potential for the sight and sound of hunting. 
We considered this to be a minor effect to the non-hunting users due to 
the very short season.
    The positives are that hunting provides an opportunity, especially 
for youth, to enjoy a wildlife-dependent use (which is considered a 
priority for the Refuge System as a whole). We made no changes to the 
rule as a result of this comment.
    Comment 19: Many commenters opined that killing wildlife is not an 
acceptable use for a refuge. Several commenters expanded on this 
thought and believe refuges should offer safe haven for wildlife. 
Finally, many commenters believe that since non-consumptive users 
highly outnumber consumptive users, they should be given a higher 
priority when it comes to use of refuge lands. One commenter expanded 
on this thought by saying the viewing public ``should not be subject to 
hunting closures and clothing regulations.''
    Response 19: The Administration Act, amended by the Improvement 
Act, stipulates that hunting (along with fishing, wildlife observation 
and photography, and environmental education and interpretation), if 
found to be compatible, is a legitimate and priority general public use 
of a refuge and should be facilitated. The Administration Act 
authorizes the Secretary to allow use of any refuge area for any 
purpose as long as those uses are compatible. In the case of each 
refuge that is opening or expanding hunting opportunities in this rule, 
the refuge managers went through the NEPA and compatibility process, 
which allows for public comment, to make the determination before the 
opening or expanding. The principal focus of the Improvement Act was to 
clearly establish a wildlife conservation mission for the Refuge System 
and provide managers clear direction to make determinations regarding 
wildlife conservation and public uses within the units of the Refuge 
System. The Service manages NWRs primarily for wildlife conservation, 
habitat protection, and biological integrity, and allows uses only when 
compatible with refuge purposes. In passing the Improvement Act, 
Congress reaffirmed that the Refuge System was created to conserve 
fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats and would facilitate 
opportunities for Americans to participate in compatible wildlife-
dependent recreation, including hunting and fishing on Refuge System 
lands. The Service has adopted policies and regulations implementing 
the requirements of the Improvement Act that refuge managers comply 
with when considering hunting and fishing programs.
    Some refuges close other public use programs or enforce clothing 
regulations during hunting seasons. This is done through refuge-
specific regulations specifically for public safety. We made no changes 
to the rule as a result of these comments.
    Comment 20: A commenter felt that allowing hunting on Shawangunk 
Grasslands NWR would have an adverse effect on the grasslands and 
several species that use the habitat, due to the increased disturbance 
from hunters being allowed to leave clearly defined pathways. The 
commenter also felt it would be unsafe to allow hunting due to the 
close proximity of new recreation fields in the village of Wallkill, 
which is located on a small portion of the grasslands.
    Response 20: Potential impacts to wildlife and the current visiting 
public were evaluated as the hunting package was being developed. The 
hunt is archery-only for deer only, meaning it is limited in scope. 
Spatially it is limited to forested blocks on the far western boundary 
of the refuge, the northwest corner of the refuge, and the northeast 
corner of the refuge. In addition to the forested areas, we included a 
50-yard hunt-able buffer extending from the edge of the forested areas 
into the periphery of the grasslands. (We chose a 50-yard hunt-able 
area because that is generally regarded as the limit of a kill shot 
with a bow or crossbow.) The refuge system trail and large, 
uninterrupted expanses of grassland, where nesting birds and short-
eared owls make their homes, lay well away from the hunt-able area of 
the refuge. The hunt is limited to New York State archery deer hunting 
seasons. The number of permits issued is also limited. All of these 
measures limit adverse effects that could be associated with hunting. 
Hunters will avoid walking in the grassland areas to avoid detection by 
grazing deer.
    Bow-hunting-only hunting zones well away from the trail system, and 
hunting zones farther still away from our grassland habitat, make this 
hunt safe in the context of other ongoing uses. It also gives the 
Service an important management tool to benefit peripheral forest 
areas, while virtually eliminating impacts to the interior, 
uninterrupted grasslands. These forested blocks contain numerous 
invasive plant species, and native understory vegetation is absent. 
Further, the grassland portion of the refuge has a great potential for 
supporting rare native plant species; however, although once 
historically present, these species are now missing from the vegetative 
community. Overabundance of deer helped eliminate native vegetation in 
the forest and grassland areas, while favoring nonnative, invasive 
plants.
    The town park that is referenced in the comment has been under 
construction for a decade. As the park begins to open, we will adjust 
hunt-able areas, if necessary, to keep safety our top priority. We made 
no changes to the rule as a result of this comment.
    Comment 21: A commenter felt access hours at Nestucca Bay NWR and 
Siletz NWR should be increased from 1 hour before sunrise to 2 hours 
before sunrise, to give hunters adequate time to set up for a morning 
hunt.
    Response 21: In response to this comment, we are changing the 
access hours for both Nestucca Bay NWR and Siletz NWR to 2 hours before 
sunrise.
    Comment 22: A commenter believes the management of predators should 
be addressed in every comprehensive conservation plan and other 
appropriate planning documents. The commenter goes on to state, 
``Predators, if left unmanaged have an adverse effect on the very 
wildlife the Federal Refuges are in place to protect.''
    Response 22: Management of predators is looked at on a case-by-case 
basis by the refuge manager. Each refuge manager makes the decision 
regarding hunting of any species on the refuge only after rigorous 
examination.
    Building on Executive Order 12996 (Management and General Public 
Use of the National Wildlife Refuge System), the Improvement Act 
directs the Service to manage for ``biological integrity, diversity, 
and environmental health.'' Predators are an extremely important 
component of ecosystems. If deemed appropriate by the refuge manager, 
predator control may be part of the comprehensive conservation plan or 
other management plan.
    Our policy for managing units of the Refuge System is that we will 
manage all refuges in accordance with an approved comprehensive 
conservation plan, which, when implemented, will achieve refuge 
purposes; help fulfill the Refuge System mission; maintain and, where 
appropriate, restore the ecological integrity of each refuge and the 
Refuge System; help achieve the goals of the National Wilderness 
Preservation System; and meet other mandates. The CCP will guide 
management decisions and set forth goals, objectives, and strategies to 
accomplish these ends.
    Comment 23: A commenter requested a public hearing be held to 
review the effectiveness of the U.S. Fish and

[[Page 14817]]

Wildlife Service. In addition, they want the formation of a panel for 
scientific review.
    Response 23: There is nothing in statute that requires a public 
hearing be held to address public comments on a proposed rule. Public 
meetings are typically offered during public comment periods for NEPA 
on refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan efforts. The U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service (Service) uses the best available science to ensure 
the health of a population when making the decision to open a refuge to 
hunting or fishing. The Service has a robust inventory and monitoring 
program to inform refuge managers of populations and ecosystem health 
on refuge lands.
    Comment 24: A commenter applauded our efforts to open up 6 new 
refuges to hunting and expand hunting opportunities on 22 others, but 
stated that they believe all NWRs should become or remain open to 
hunting.
    Response 24: The Improvement Act promotes wildlife-dependent 
recreation, including hunting and fishing, provided it is compatible 
with both the Refuge System mission and individual refuge purpose and 
mission. Conservation, the overarching mission of the National Wildlife 
Refuge System, is the dominant use on refuge system lands. Each refuge 
manager gives the decision to allow hunting on a particular refuge 
rigorous examination. As stated in our response to Comment 2, the 
decision to allow hunting on a NWR is not a quick or simple process. It 
is full of deliberation and discussion, including review of all 
available data to determine the relative health of a population before 
we allow it to be hunted.
    In addition to the comments mentioned above, we received several 
comments that did not relate to the proposed rule. We are very open to 
receiving comments on other issues, but we are responding only to those 
comments directly related to the proposed rule in this document.

Changes from the Proposed Rule

    Based on comments we received on the proposed rule, we are removing 
the prohibition on falconry on Sevilleta NWR and changing the access 
hours for entry into Nestucca Bay and Siletz Bay NWRs to 2 hours before 
sunrise. We have also made several nonsubstantive, editorial changes 
for clarity.

Effective Date

    This rule is effective upon publication in the Federal Register. We 
have determined that any further delay in implementing these refuge-
specific hunting and sport fishing regulations would not be in the 
public interest, in that a delay would hinder the effective planning 
and administration of the hunting and fishing programs. We provided a 
30-day public comment period for the September 24, 2013, proposed rule. 
This rule does not impact the public generally in terms of requiring 
lead time for compliance. Rather it relieves restrictions in that it 
allows activities on refuges that we would otherwise prohibit. 
Therefore, we find good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to make this 
rule effective upon publication.

Amendments to Existing Regulations

    This document adopts in the Code of Federal Regulations all of the 
Service's hunting and/or sport fishing regulations that are applicable 
at Refuge System units previously opened to hunting and/or sport 
fishing. We are doing this to better inform the general public of the 
regulations at each refuge, to increase understanding and compliance 
with these regulations, and to make enforcement of these regulations 
more efficient. In addition to now finding these regulations in 50 CFR 
part 32, visitors to our refuges will usually find them reiterated in 
literature distributed by each refuge or posted on signs.
    We cross-reference a number of existing regulations in 50 CFR parts 
26, 27, 28, and 32 to assist hunting and sport fishing visitors with 
understanding safety and other legal requirements on refuges. This 
redundancy is deliberate, with the intention of improving safety and 
compliance in our hunting and sport fishing programs.

                                                  Table 1--Changes for 2013-2014 Hunting/Fishing Season
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Refuge (region*)                 State         Migratory bird hunting    Upland game hunting       Big game  hunting          Sport fishing
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aransas NWR (2).................  Texas.............  B......................  closed.................  already open...........  already open.
Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee    Florida...........  already open...........  closed.................  B......................  already open.
 NWR (4).
Balcones Canyonlands NWR (2)....  Texas.............  C......................  C......................  C......................  closed.
Bandon Marsh NWR (1)............  Oregon............  C......................  closed.................  closed.................  already open.
Baskett Slough NWR (1)..........  Oregon............  A......................  closed.................  closed.................  closed.
Cherry Valley NWR (5)...........  Pennsylvania......  A......................  A......................  A......................  closed.
Cokeville Meadows NWR (6).......  Wyoming...........  A......................  A......................  A......................  closed.
Colusa NWR (8)..................  California........  C......................  C......................  closed.................  closed.
Cypress Creek NWR (3)...........  Illinois..........  C......................  C......................  C......................  already open.
Julia Butler Hansen Refuge For    Oregon and          C......................  closed.................  already open...........  already open.
 the Columbian White-Tailed Deer   Washington.
 (1).
Kootenai NWR (1)................  Idaho.............  already open...........  D......................  already open...........  already open.
Malheur NWR (1).................  Oregon............  C......................  already open...........  already open...........  C.
Middle Mississippi River NWR (3)  Illinois..........  C......................  C......................  C......................  already open.
Mingo NWR (3)...................  Missouri..........  C......................  C/D....................  C......................  already open.
Neal Smith NWR (3)..............  Iowa..............  C/D....................  C/D....................  C/D....................  closed.
Nestucca Bay NWR (1)............  Oregon............  A......................  closed.................  closed.................  closed.
Northern Tallgrass Prairie NWR    Iowa..............  C/D....................  C/D....................  C/D....................  closed.
 (3).
Patoka River NWR and Management   Indiana...........  C......................  C......................  C......................  already open.
 Area (3).
Port Louisa NWR (3).............  Iowa..............  C......................  C......................  C......................  C.
Rachel Carson NWR (5)...........  Maine.............  C......................  C/D....................  C/D....................  already open.
St. Marks NWR (4)...............  Florida...........  C......................  C......................  C......................  already open.
San Andres NWR (2)..............  New Mexico........  closed.................  closed.................  D......................  closed.

[[Page 14818]]

 
Shawangunk Grasslands NWR (5)...  New York..........  closed.................  closed.................  A......................  closed.
Siletz Bay NWR (1)..............  Oregon............  A......................  closed.................  closed.................  closed.
Silvio O. Conte National Fish     Vermont...........  C......................  C......................  C......................  closed.
 and Wildlife Refuge (5).
Willapa NWR (1).................  Washington........  C......................  already open...........  C......................  already open.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Key:
* number in ( ) refers to the Region as explained in the preamble to this rule for additional information regarding refuge-specific regulations.
A = New refuge opened.
B = New activity on a refuge previously open to other activities.
C = Refuge already open to activity, but added new lands/waters or modified areas open to hunting or fishing.
D = Refuge already open to activity but added new species to hunt.

    The changes for the 2013-14 hunting/fishing season noted in the 
chart above are each based on a complete administrative record which, 
among other detailed documentation, also includes a hunt plan, a 
compatibility determination, and the appropriate National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) analysis, all of which were 
the subject of a public review and comment process. These documents are 
available upon request.

Fish Advisory

    For health reasons, anglers should review and follow State-issued 
consumption advisories before enjoying recreational sport fishing 
opportunities on Service-managed waters. You can find information about 
current fish consumption advisories on the Internet at: https://www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish/.

Plain Language Mandate

    In this rule, we made some of the revisions to the individual 
refuge units to comply with a Presidential mandate to use plain 
language in regulations; as such, these particular revisions do not 
modify the substance of the previous regulations. These types of 
changes include using ``you'' to refer to the reader and ``we'' to 
refer to the Refuge System, using the word ``allow'' instead of 
``permit'' when we do not require the use of a permit for an activity, 
and using active voice (i.e., ``We restrict entry into the refuge'' vs. 
``Entry into the refuge is restricted'').

Regulatory Planning and Review (Executive Orders 12866 and 13563)

    Executive Order 12866 provides that the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) will review all significant rules. OIRA has 
determined that this rule is not significant.
    Executive Order 13563 reaffirms the principles of E.O. 12866 while 
calling for improvements in the nation's regulatory system to promote 
predictability, to reduce uncertainty, and to use the best, most 
innovative, and least burdensome tools for achieving regulatory ends. 
The executive order directs agencies to consider regulatory approaches 
that reduce burdens and maintain flexibility and freedom of choice for 
the public where these approaches are relevant, feasible, and 
consistent with regulatory objectives. E.O. 13563 emphasizes further 
that regulations must be based on the best available science and that 
the rulemaking process must allow for public participation and an open 
exchange of ideas. We have developed this rule in a manner consistent 
with these requirements.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (as amended by the Small 
Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act [SBREFA] of 1996) (5 
U.S.C. 601 et seq.), whenever a Federal agency is required to publish a 
notice of rulemaking for any proposed or final rule, it must prepare 
and make available for public comment a regulatory flexibility analysis 
that describes the effect of the rule on small entities (i.e., small 
businesses, small organizations, and small government jurisdictions). 
However, no regulatory flexibility analysis is required if the head of 
an agency certifies that the rule would not have a significant economic 
impact on a substantial number of small entities. Thus, for a 
regulatory flexibility analysis to be required, impacts must exceed a 
threshold for ``significant impact'' and a threshold for a 
``substantial number of small entities.'' See 5 U.S.C. 605(b). SBREFA 
amended the Regulatory Flexibility Act to require Federal agencies to 
provide a statement of the factual basis for certifying that a rule 
would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of 
small entities.
    This rule adds 6 NWRs to the list of refuges open to hunting, 
increases hunting activities on 20 additional NWRs, and increases 
fishing activities at 2 NWRs. As a result, visitor use for wildlife-
dependent recreation on these NWRs will change. If the refuges 
establishing new programs were a pure addition to the current supply of 
such activities, it would mean an estimated increase of 19,425 user 
days (one person per day participating in a recreational opportunity) 
(Table 2). Because the participation trend is flat in these activities 
since 1991, this increase in supply will most likely be offset by other 
sites losing participants. Therefore, this is likely to be a substitute 
site for the activity and not necessarily an increase in participation 
rates for the activity.

                       Table 2--Estimated Change in Recreation Opportunities in 2013/2014
                                             [Dollars in thousands]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            Refuge                                  Additional days      Additional expenditures
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aransas NWR...................................................                    2,600                   $121.1
Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee NWR............................                       11                      0.5
Balcones Canyonlands NWR......................................                       93                      4.3
Bandon Marsh NWR..............................................                      108                      5.0

[[Page 14819]]

 
Baskett Slough NWR............................................                      140                      6.5
Cherry Valley NWR.............................................                      315                     14.7
Cokeville Meadows NWR.........................................                      500                     23.3
Colusa NWR....................................................                      165                      7.7
Cypress Creek NWR.............................................                        0  .......................
Julia Butler Hansen Refuge For the Columbian White-Tailed Deer                        0  .......................
Kootenai NWR..................................................                        0  .......................
Malheur NWR...................................................                       95                      4.4
Middle Mississippi River NWR..................................                   11,835                    551.2
Mingo NWR.....................................................                    1,500                     69.9
Neal Smith NWR................................................                       25                      1.2
Nestucca Bay NWR..............................................                      120                      5.6
Northern Tallgrass Prairie NWR................................                       10                      0.5
Patoka River NWR and Management Area..........................                       26                      1.2
Port Louisa NWR...............................................                        0  .......................
Rachel Carson NWR.............................................                        0  .......................
St. Marks NWR.................................................                       30                      1.4
San Andres NWR................................................                        4                      0.2
Shawangunk Grasslands NWR.....................................                       43                      2.0
Siletz Bay NWR................................................                      100                     4.66
Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge.............                      875                     40.8
Willapa NWR...................................................                      830                     38.7
                                                               -------------------------------------------------
    Total.....................................................                   19,425                    904.8
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    To the extent visitors spend time and money in the area of the 
refuge that they would not have spent there anyway, they contribute new 
income to the regional economy and benefit local businesses. Due to the 
unavailability of site-specific expenditure data, we use the national 
estimates from the 2011 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and 
Wildlife Associated Recreation to identify expenditures for food and 
lodging, transportation, and other incidental expenses. Using the 
average expenditures for these categories with the maximum expected 
additional participation of the Refuge System yields approximately 
$904,800 in recreation-related expenditures (Table 2). By having ripple 
effects throughout the economy, these direct expenditures are only part 
of the economic impact of these recreational activities. Using a 
national impact multiplier for hunting activities (2.27) derived from 
the report ``Hunting in America: An Economic Force for Conservation'' 
yields a total economic impact of approximately $2.1 million (2012 
dollars) (Southwick Associates, Inc., 2012). Using a local impact 
multiplier would yield more accurate and smaller results. However, we 
employed the national impact multiplier due to the difficulty in 
developing local multipliers for each specific region.
    Since we know that most of the fishing and hunting occurs within 
100 miles of a participant's residence, then it is unlikely that most 
of this spending would be ``new'' money coming into a local economy; 
therefore, this spending would be offset with a decrease in some other 
sector of the local economy. The net gain to the local economies would 
be no more than $2.1 million, and most likely considerably less. Since 
80 percent of the participants travel less than 100 miles to engage in 
hunting and fishing activities, their spending patterns would not add 
new money into the local economy and, therefore, the real impact would 
be on the order of about $411,000 annually.
    Small businesses within the retail trade industry (such as hotels, 
gas stations, taxidermy shops, bait and tackle shops, and similar 
businesses) may be impacted from some increased or decreased refuge 
visitation. A large percentage of these retail trade establishments in 
the local communities around NWRs qualify as small businesses (Table 
3). We expect that the incremental recreational changes will be 
scattered, and so we do not expect that the rule will have a 
significant economic effect on a substantial number of small entities 
in any region or nationally. As noted previously, we expect 
approximately $411,000 to be spent in total in the refuges' local 
economies. The maximum increase at most would be less than one-tenth of 
1 percent for local retail trade spending (Table 3).

                      Table 3--Comparative Expenditures for Retail Trade Associated With Additional Refuge Visitation for 2013/2014
                                                                [thousands, 2012 dollars]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                      Estimated
                                                                 Retail trade in  maximum addition  Addition as % of   Establishments    Establ. with <
                      Refuge/county(ies)                              2007            from new            total            in 2011       10 emp in 2011
                                                                                     activities
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aransas NWR
    Calhoun, TX...............................................          $356,827             $60.6             0.017                61                43
    Aransas, TX...............................................           267,465              60.6             0.023                70                53
Arthur R Marshall Loxahatchee NWR

[[Page 14820]]

 
    Palm Beach, FL............................................        21,395,255               0.5            <0.001             5,256             3,961
Balcones Canyonlands NWR
    Burnet, TX................................................           708,176               1.4            <0.001               176               146
    Travis, TX................................................        15,369,020               1.4            <0.001             3,454             2,398
    Williamson, TX............................................        10,982,412               1.4            <0.001             1,237               812
Bandon Marsh NWR
    Coos, OR..................................................           792,881               5.0             0.001               268               191
Baskett Slough NWR
    Polk, OR..................................................           415,314               6.5             0.002               135               102
Cherry Valley NWR
    Monroe, PA................................................         2,231,111               7.3            <0.001               631               422
    Northampton, PA...........................................         3,770,434               7.3            <0.001               876               608
Cokeville Meadows NWR
    Lincoln, WY...............................................           245,506              23.3             0.009                79                62
Colusa NWR
    Colusa, CA................................................           230,924               7.7             0.003                60                40
Malheur NWR
    Harney, OR................................................            96,975               4.4             0.005                28                20
Middle Mississippi River NWR
    Randolph, IL..............................................           367,968             137.8             0.037               105                68
    Jackson, IL...............................................           757,506             137.8             0.018               225               141
    Jefferson, IN.............................................           628,548             137.8             0.022               182               132
    Monroe, IL................................................           449,266             137.8             0.031                95                65
Mingo NWR
    Stoddard, MO..............................................           482,886              34.9             0.007               120                84
    Wayne, MO.................................................            72,844              34.9             0.048                37                29
Neal Smith NWR
    Jasper, IA................................................           303,361                 1            <0.001               116                80
Nestucca Bay NWR
    Tillamook, OR.............................................           249,040               5.6             0.002               107                89
Northern Tallgrass Prairie NWR
    Jasper, IA................................................           303,361               0.5            <0.001               116                80
Patoka River NWR
    Gibson, IN................................................           490,105               1.2            <0.001               122                84
    Pike, IN..................................................            61,937               1.2             0.002                31                22
St. Marks NWR
    Wakulla, FL...............................................           185,694               0.5            <0.001                59                46
    Jefferson, FL.............................................            98,234               0.5            <0.001                47                35
    Taylor, FL................................................           229,296               0.5            <0.001                96                75
San Andres NWR
    Dona Ana, NM..............................................         2,132,201               0.2            <0.001               510               341
Shawangunk Grasslands NWR
    Ulster, NY................................................         2,481,614               2.0            <0.001               733               548
Siletz Bay NWR
    Lincoln, OR...............................................           619,646              4.66             0.001               310               247
Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge
    Essex, VT.................................................            16,644              20.4             0.122                20                16
    Windham, VT...............................................           731,645              20.4             0.003               289               217
Willapa NWR
    Pacific, WA...............................................           126,764              38.7             0.030                87                77
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    With the small change in overall spending anticipated from this 
rule, it is unlikely that a substantial number of small entities will 
have more than a small impact from the spending change near the 
affected refuges. Therefore, we certify that this rule will not have a 
significant economic effect on a substantial number of small entities 
as defined under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.). 
A regulatory flexibility analysis is not required. Accordingly, a small 
entity compliance guide is not required.

Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act

    The rule is not a major rule under 5 U.S.C. 804(2), the Small 
Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act. We anticipate no 
significant employment or small business effects. This rule:
    a. Will not have an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or 
more. The minimal impact will be scattered across the country and will 
most likely not be significant in any local area.
    b. Will not cause a major increase in costs or prices for 
consumers;

[[Page 14821]]

individual industries; Federal, State, or local government agencies; or 
geographic regions. This rule will have only a slight effect on the 
costs of hunting opportunities for Americans. If the substitute sites 
are farther from the participants' residences, then an increase in 
travel costs will occur. The Service does not have information to 
quantify this change in travel cost but assumes that, since most people 
travel less than 100 miles to hunt, the increased travel cost will be 
small. We do not expect this rule to affect the supply or demand for 
hunting opportunities in the United States, and, therefore, it should 
not affect prices for hunting equipment and supplies, or the retailers 
that sell equipment.
    c. Will not have significant adverse effects on competition, 
employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or the ability of 
U.S.-based enterprises to compete with foreign-based enterprises. This 
rule represents only a small proportion of recreational spending at 
NWRs. Therefore, this rule will have no measurable economic effect on 
the wildlife-dependent industry, which has annual sales of equipment 
and travel expenditures of $72 billion nationwide.

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act

    Since this rule applies to public use of federally owned and 
managed refuges, it will not impose an unfunded mandate on State, 
local, or Tribal governments or the private sector of more than $100 
million per year. The rule will not have a significant or unique effect 
on State, local, or Tribal governments or the private sector. A 
statement containing the information required by the Unfunded Mandates 
Reform Act (2 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) is not required.

Takings (E.O. 12630)

    In accordance with E.O. 12630, this rule will not have significant 
takings implications. This rule affects only visitors at NWRs and 
describes what they can do while they are on a refuge.

Federalism (E.O. 13132)

    As discussed in the Regulatory Planning and Review and Unfunded 
Mandates Reform Act sections above, this rule will not have sufficient 
federalism implications to warrant the preparation of a federalism 
summary impact statement under E.O. 13132. In preparing this rule, we 
worked with State governments.

Civil Justice Reform (E.O. 12988)

    In accordance with E.O. 12988, the Office of the Solicitor has 
determined that the rule does not unduly burden the judicial system and 
that it meets the requirements of sections 3(a) and 3(b)(2) of the 
Order. The rule clarifies established regulations and results in better 
understanding of the regulations by refuge visitors.

Energy Supply, Distribution or Use (E.O. 13211)

    On May 18, 2001, the President issued E.O. 13211 on regulations 
that significantly affect energy supply, distribution, and use. E.O. 
13211 requires agencies to prepare Statements of Energy Effects when 
undertaking certain actions. Because this rule adds 6 national wildlife 
refuges to the list of areas open for hunting and/or sport fishing, 
adds new hunts at 6 refuges, increases the hunting activities available 
at 20 other refuges, and increases fishing opportunities at 2 refuges, 
it is not a significant regulatory action under E.O. 12866, and we do 
not expect it to significantly affect energy supplies, distribution, 
and use. Therefore, this action is a not a significant energy action 
and no Statement of Energy Effects is required.

Consultation and Coordination With Indian Tribal Governments (E.O. 
13175)

    In accordance with E.O. 13175, we have evaluated possible effects 
on federally recognized Indian tribes and have determined that there 
are no effects. We coordinate recreational use on NWRs with Tribal 
governments having adjoining or overlapping jurisdiction before we 
propose regulations.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    This rule does not contain any information collection requirements 
other than those already approved by the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) 
(OMB Control Numbers are 1018-0102 and 1018-0140). In this rule, we 
revise 50 CFR 25.23 to provide correct information concerning OMB 
approval for the collections of information contained in subchapter C 
of title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations. An agency may not 
conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a 
collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB 
control number.

Endangered Species Act Section 7 Consultation

    We comply with section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 
amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), when developing comprehensive 
conservation plans (CCPs) and step-down management plans (which would 
include hunting and/or fishing plans) for public use of refuges, and 
prior to implementing any new or revised public recreation program on a 
refuge as identified in 50 CFR 26.32. We have completed section 7 
consultation on each of the affected refuges.

National Environmental Policy Act

    We analyzed this rule in accordance with the criteria of the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4332(C)), 
43 CFR part 46, and 516 Departmental Manual (DM) 8.
    A categorical exclusion from NEPA documentation applies to 
publication of amendments to refuge-specific hunting and fishing 
regulations since they are technical and procedural in nature, and the 
environmental effects are too broad, speculative, or conjectural to 
lend themselves to meaningful analysis (43 CFR 46.210 and 516 DM 8). 
Concerning the actions that are the subject of this rulemaking, we have 
complied with NEPA at the project level when developing each proposal. 
This is consistent with the Department of the Interior instructions for 
compliance with NEPA where actions are covered sufficiently by an 
earlier environmental document (43 CFR 46.120).
    Prior to the addition of a refuge to the list of areas open to 
hunting and fishing in 50 CFR part 32, we develop hunting and fishing 
plans for the affected refuges. We incorporate these refuge hunting and 
fishing activities in the refuge CCPs and/or other step-down management 
plans, pursuant to our refuge planning guidance in 602 Fish and 
Wildlife Service Manual (FW) 1, 3, and 4. We prepare these CCPs and 
step-down plans in compliance with section 102(2)(C) of NEPA, and the 
Council on Environmental Quality's regulations for implementing NEPA in 
40 CFR parts 1500-1508. We invite the affected public to participate in 
the review, development, and implementation of these plans. Copies of 
all plans and NEPA compliance are available from the refuges at the 
addresses provided below.

Available Information for Specific Refuges

    Individual refuge headquarters have information about public use 
programs and conditions that apply to their specific programs and maps 
of their respective areas. To find out how to contact a specific 
refuge, contact the appropriate Regional office listed below:
    Region 1--Hawaii, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Regional Chief, 
National Wildlife Refuge System, U.S. Fish and

[[Page 14822]]

Wildlife Service, Eastside Federal Complex, Suite 1692, 911 NE. 11th 
Avenue, Portland, OR 97232-4181; Telephone (503) 231-6214.
    Region 2--Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Regional Chief, 
National Wildlife Refuge System, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Box 
1306, 500 Gold Avenue, Albuquerque, NM 87103; Telephone (505) 248-7419.
    Region 3--Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, 
Ohio, and Wisconsin. Regional Chief, National Wildlife Refuge System, 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 5600 American Blvd. West, Suite 990, 
Bloomington, MN 55437-1458; Telephone 612-713-5360.
    Region 4--Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, 
Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Puerto Rico, 
and the Virgin Islands. Regional Chief, National Wildlife Refuge 
System, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1875 Century Boulevard, 
Atlanta, GA 30345; Telephone (404) 679-7166.
    Region 5--Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, 
Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, 
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. 
Regional Chief, National Wildlife Refuge System, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, 300 Westgate Center Drive, Hadley, MA 01035-9589; Telephone 
(413) 253-8306.
    Region 6--Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South 
Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. Regional Chief, National Wildlife Refuge 
System, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 134 Union Blvd., Lakewood, CO 
80228; Telephone (303) 236-8145.
    Region 7--Alaska. Regional Chief, National Wildlife Refuge System, 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1011 E. Tudor Rd., Anchorage, AK 99503; 
Telephone (907) 786-3545.
    Region 8--California and Nevada. Regional Chief, National Wildlife 
Refuge System, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2800 Cottage Way, Room 
W-2606, Sacramento, CA 95825; Telephone (916) 414-6464.
    Paul Steblein, Division of Conservation Planning and Policy, 
National Wildlife Refuge System is the primary author of this 
rulemaking document.

List of Subjects

50 CFR Part 25

    Administrative practice and procedure, Concessions, Reporting and 
Recordkeeping Requirements, Safety, Wildlife refuges

50 CFR Part 32

    Fishing, Hunting, Reporting, and Recordkeeping requirements, 
Wildlife, Wildlife refuges.

Regulation Promulgation

    For the reasons set forth in the preamble, we amend title 50, 
chapter I, subchapter C of the Code of Federal Regulations as follows:

PART 25--[AMENDED]

0
1. The authority citation for part 25 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  5 U.S.C. 301; 16 U.S.C. 460k, 664, 668dd, and 715i, 
3901 et seq.; and Pub. L. 102-402, 106 Stat. 1961.


0
2. Revise Sec.  25.23 to read as follows:


Sec.  25.23  What are the general regulations and information 
collection requirements?

    The Office of Management and Budget has approved the information 
collection requirements contained in subchapter C, parts 25, 26, 27, 
29, 30, 31, 32, and 36 under 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. and assigned the 
following control numbers: 1018-0102 for National Wildlife Refuge 
Special Use Permit Applications and Reports; 1018-0140 for Hunting and 
Fishing Application Forms and Activity Reports for National Wildlife 
Refuges; and 1018-0153 for National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Check-In 
Permit and Use Report. We collect information to assist us in 
administering our programs in accordance with statutory authorities 
that require that recreational or other uses be compatible with the 
primary purposes for which the areas were established. Send comments on 
any aspect of these forms or the information collection requirements to 
the Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, 1849 C Street NW., MS 2042-PDM, Washington, DC 20240.

PART 32--[AMENDED]

0
3. The authority citation for part 32 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  5 U.S.C. 301; 16 U.S.C. 460k, 664, 668dd-668ee, and 
715i.


[Amended  Sec.  32.7]

0
4. Amend Sec.  32.7 by:
0
a. Adding an entry for ``Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife 
Refuge'' and placing it in alphabetical order in the State of 
Connecticut;
0
b. Adding an entry for ``Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife 
Refuge'' and placing it in alphabetical order in the State of 
Massachusetts;
0
c. Adding an entry for ``Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife 
Refuge'' and placing it in alphabetical order in the State of New York;
0
d. Adding an entry for ``Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge'' and 
placing it in alphabetical order in the State of Oregon;
0
e. Adding an entry for ``Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge'' and 
placing it in alphabetical order in the State of Oregon;
0
f. Adding an entry for ``Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge'' and 
placing it in alphabetical order in the State of Oregon;
0
g. Adding an entry for ``Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge'' and 
placing it in alphabetical order in the State of Pennsylvania;
0
h. Adding an entry for ``Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife 
Refuge'' and placing it in alphabetical order in the State of Vermont; 
and
0
i. Adding an entry for ``Cokeville Meadows National Wildlife Refuge'' 
and placing it in alphabetical order in the State of Wyoming.

0
5. Amend Sec.  32.20 by:
0
a. Revising paragraphs B.1, B.2, B.3, B.4, B.5, B.6, B.7, C.1, C.3, 
C.4, C.5, and D.1; adding paragraphs B.8 and B.9; and removing 
paragraphs C.6, C.7, C.8, and D.2 under Cahaba River National Wildlife 
Refuge.
0
b. Revising paragraphs B.5, B.6, B.8, B.9, B.10, C.1, C.2, C.3, C.4, 
D.1, D.2, and D.8 and adding paragraph C.6 under Choctaw National 
Wildlife Refuge.
0
c. Revising paragraphs B.1, B.4, and C.1 under Eufaula National 
Wildlife Refuge.
0
d. Revising paragraphs A.1, A.4, A.5, and B.1 and adding paragraphs 
A.6, A.7, and B.3 under Key Cave National Wildlife Refuge.
0
e. Revising paragraphs A.1, A.2, A.3, A.4, B.1, B.2, B.3, C.1, and C.4 
and adding paragraphs A.5, A.6, A.7, B.4, and B.5 under Mountain 
Longleaf National Wildlife Refuge.
0
f. Revising paragraph B under Sauta Cave National Wildlife Refuge.
0
g. Revising paragraphs B.1, B.2, B.4, B.7, B.10, C.1, C.2, C.3, C.4, 
C.5, and C.7; removing paragraphs C.8 and C.9; and adding paragraphs 
B.11, B.12, and B.13 under Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge.
    These revisions and additions read as follows:


Sec.  32.20  Alabama.

* * * * *

Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge

* * * * *
    B. Upland Game Hunting. * * *
    1. We require hunters to hunt in accordance with Alabama Department 
of Conservation and Natural Resources'

[[Page 14823]]

William R. Ireland, Sr.--Cahaba River Wildlife Management Area hunting 
permit conditions.
    2. We require hunters to possess and carry a current and signed 
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' William R. 
Ireland, Sr.--Cahaba River Wildlife Management Area hunting permit when 
hunting on the refuge.
    3. All youth hunters under age 16 must be supervised by a licensed 
and permitted adult 21 years of age or older, and must remain with the 
adult while hunting. One adult may supervise no more than two youth 
hunters.
    4. We prohibit the use of horses, mules, and all-terrain vehicles 
(ATVs) on the refuge.
    5. Hunters may hunt with shotguns using only nontoxic 4 
shot or smaller (see Sec.  32.2(k)), rifles and handguns using rim-fire 
ammunition only, or archery equipment that complies with State and 
Federal regulations.
    6. We prohibit hunting or discharging firearms (including muzzle 
loaders) from within 50 yards (45 meters) of River Trace Road.
    7. Hunting dogs may be used to hunt upland game and must be 
controlled by the owner/handler at all times (see Sec.  26.21(b) of 
this chapter).
    8. Hunters may only hunt designated game species during specified 
days, which are published within the Cahaba River National Wildlife 
Refuge Hunting dates portion of the permit.
    9. Hunters must remove tree stands, blinds, or other personal 
property from the refuge each day (see Sec.  27.93 of this chapter).
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    1. Conditions B1, B2, B4, B6, and B8 through B10 apply.
* * * * *
    3. We allow hunters to hunt from tree stands in accordance with 50 
CFR 32.2(i). Hunters must use a body safety harness at all times while 
hunting from a tree.
    4. All youth hunters under age 16 must be supervised by a properly 
licensed and permitted adult 21 years of age or older, and must remain 
with the adult while hunting. One adult may supervise no more than one 
youth hunter.
    5. Hunters may not hunt by aid of or participate in drives to take 
deer or feral hogs.
    D. Sport Fishing. * * *
    1. Condition B4 applies.

Choctaw National Wildlife Refuge

* * * * *
    B. Upland Game Hunting. * * *
    5. All persons 15 years of age or younger, while hunting on the 
refuge, must be in the presence and under direct supervision of a 
licensed or exempt hunter at least 21 years of age. A licensed hunter 
supervising a youth as provided in this section must hold a valid State 
license for the species being hunted. One adult may supervise no more 
than one youth hunter.
    6. The refuge is open every day from 1 hour before sunrise to 1 
hour after sunset, except authorized uses. Personal property must be 
removed from the refuge daily (see Sec.  27.93 of this chapter).
* * * * *
    8. Persons possessing, transporting, or carrying firearms on the 
refuge must comply with all provisions of State and local law. Persons 
may only use (discharge) firearms in accordance with refuge regulations 
(see Sec.  27.42 of this chapter and specific refuge regulations in 
part 32). Persons may only use approved nontoxic shot in shotgun shells 
(see Sec.  32.2(k)), .22 caliber rimfire or smaller rifles, or legal 
archery equipment according to State regulations. We prohibit magnum 
ammunition.
    9. We prohibit equestrian use and all forms of motorized off-road 
vehicles.
    10. We allow hunting of designated species with dogs during 
designated hunts.
* * * * *
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    1. Conditions B1 through B9 and B11 apply.
    2. We allow hunters to hunt from tree stands in accordance with 50 
CFR 32.2(i). While climbing a tree, installing a tree stand that uses 
climbing aids, or while hunting from a tree stand on the refuge, 
hunters must use a fall-arrest system (full body harness) that is 
manufactured to Treestand Manufactures Associations standards.
    3. We prohibit damaging trees or hunting from a tree that contains 
an inserted metal object (see Sec.  32.2(i)). Personal property must be 
removed from the refuge each day except for one portable stand 
(including tripods and ground blinds) (see Sec.  27.93 of this 
chapter). The stand is required to be tagged with the hunter's name, 
address, and phone number permanently and legibly written on or 
attached to the stand. Stands left on the area do not reserve hunting 
locations. Portable stands may not be installed on the area prior to 7 
days before deer season opens, nor left longer than 7 days after deer 
season closes. Stands not in compliance with these regulations may be 
confiscated and disposed of by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
    4. Hunters may not hunt by aid of or harassment of game for 
purposes of take of deer or feral hogs.
* * * * *
    6. Hunter orange is required according to State regulations during 
gun deer season in Choctaw County, AL. We recommend all user groups 
wear hunter orange during hunting seasons.
    D. Sport Fishing. * * *
    1. We allow fishing year-round, except in the waterfowl sanctuary, 
which is closed from November 15 through March 1.
    2. Conditions B2 and B6 apply.
* * * * *
    8. We prohibit fishing tournaments on all refuge waters.

Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge

* * * * *
    B. Upland Game Hunting. * * *
    1. Conditions A1, A2, A3, and A7 through A15 apply.
* * * * *
    4. We only allow shotguns as the means of take for upland game 
hunting.
* * * * *
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    1. Conditions A1, A7 through A15, and B5 apply.
* * * * *

Key Cave National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. * * *
    1. We require hunters to possess and carry a current and signed Key 
Cave National Wildlife Refuge permit, which is included with the 
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' Seven Mile 
Island Wildlife Management Area hunting permit when hunting on the 
refuge.
* * * * *
    4. All youth hunters under age 16 must be supervised by a licensed 
and permitted adult 21 years of age or older, and must remain with the 
adult while hunting. One adult may supervise no more than two youth 
hunters.
    5. We allow hunters to use hunting dogs to hunt migratory game 
birds and upland game. The dogs must be controlled by the owner/handler 
at all times (see Sec.  26.21(b) of this chapter).
    6. Hunters may only hunt designated game species during specified 
days, which are published within the Key Cave National Wildlife Refuge 
Hunting Dates portion of the permit.
    7. We prohibit the use of horses, mules, or all-terrain vehicles 
(ATVs) on all refuge hunts.
    B. Upland Game Hunting. * * *
    1. Conditions A1 and A3 through A7 apply.
    3. Hunters may hunt with shotguns using only nontoxic 4 
shot or smaller

[[Page 14824]]

(see Sec.  32.2(k)), rifles and handguns using rim-fire ammunition 
only, or archery equipment that complies with State regulations. 
Possession of lead shot shells for hunting is prohibited.
* * * * *

Mountain Longleaf National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. * * *
    1. We require hunters to hunt in accordance with Alabama Department 
of Conservation and Natural Resources' Choccolocco Wildlife Management 
Area hunting permit conditions.
    2. We require hunters to possess and carry a current and signed 
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' Choccolocco 
Wildlife Management Area hunting permit when hunting on the refuge.
    3. All youth hunters under age 16 must be supervised by a properly 
licensed and permitted adult 21 years of age or older, and must remain 
with the adult while hunting. One adult may supervise no more than two 
youth hunters.
    4. We prohibit the use of horses, mules, and all-terrain vehicles 
(ATVs) on the refuge.
    5. Hunters may only hunt designated game species during specified 
days, which are published within the Mountain Longleaf National 
Wildlife Refuge Hunting Dates portion of the permit.
    6. Hunters must remove tree stands, blinds, or other personal 
property from the refuge each day (see Sec.  27.93 of this chapter).
    7. Hunters may hunt with shotguns using only nontoxic 4 
shot or smaller (see Sec.  32.2(k)). Possession of lead shot shells for 
hunting is prohibited.
    B. Upland Game Hunting. * * *
    1. Conditions A1 through A7 apply.
    2. Hunters may hunt during daylight hours only.
    3. We allow hunters to hunt from tree stands in accordance with 50 
CFR 32.2(i). Hunters must use a body safety harness at all times while 
hunting from a tree.
    4. Hunting dogs may be used to hunt quail, squirrel, and rabbit and 
must be controlled by the owner/handler at all times (see Sec.  
26.21(b) of this chapter).
    5. Possession of lead shot shells for hunting is prohibited.
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    1. Conditions A1, A2, and A4 through A7 apply.
* * * * *
    4. All youth hunters under age 16 must be supervised by a licensed 
and permitted adult 21 years of age or older, and must remain with the 
adult while hunting. One adult may supervise no more than one youth 
hunter.
* * * * *

Sauta Cave National Wildlife Refuge

* * * * *
    B. Upland Game Hunting. We allow hunting of quail, squirrel, 
rabbit, raccoon, and opossum on designated area of the refuge in 
accordance with Federal and State regulations subject to the following 
conditions:
    1. We require hunters to hunt in accordance with Alabama Department 
of Conservation and Natural Resources' North Sauta refuge hunting 
permit.
    2. We require hunters to possess and carry a current and signed 
Sauta Cave National Wildlife Refuge permit, which is found on the 
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' Jackson 
County Waterfowl, Management Areas, refuges and Coon Gulf Tract hunting 
permit, when hunting.
    3. Hunters may only hunt designated game species during specified 
days, which are published within the Sauta Cave National Wildlife 
Refuge Hunting Dates portion of the permit.
    4. Hunters may hunt with shotguns using only nontoxic 4 
shot or smaller (see Sec.  32.2(k)), rifles and handguns using rim-fire 
ammunition only, or archery equipment that complies with State 
regulations. Possession of lead shot shells for hunting is prohibited.
    5. All youth hunters under age 16 must be supervised by a licensed 
and permitted adult 21 years of age or older, and must remain with the 
adult while hunting. One adult may supervise no more than two youth 
hunters.
    6. We allow hunters to use hunting dogs to hunt upland game. The 
dogs must be controlled by the owner/handler at all times (see Sec.  
26.21(b) of this chapter).
* * * * *

Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge

* * * * *
    B. Upland Game Hunting. * * *
    1. We require hunters to possess and carry a current and signed 
hunting permit, found on the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge Hunting 
Brochure, when hunting on the refuge. These brochures are available at 
the refuge visitor center, refuge headquarters, and on the refuge's Web 
site.
    2. Hunters may hunt with shotguns using only nontoxic 4 
shot or smaller (see Sec.  32.2(k)), rifles and handguns using rim-fire 
ammunition only, or archery equipment that complies with State 
regulations.
* * * * *
    4. We prohibit hunting or discharging firearms (including 
Flintlocks) in the Triana recreation area or from any road or road 
shoulder or from within 50 yards (45 meters) of any designated walking 
trail or boardwalk.
* * * * *
    7. All youth hunters under age 16 must be supervised by a licensed 
and permitted adult 21 years of age or older, and must remain with the 
adult while hunting. One adult may supervise no more than two youth 
hunters.
* * * * *
    10. Hunting dogs may be used to hunt upland game and must be 
controlled by the owner/handler at all times (see Sec.  26.21(b) of 
this chapter).
    11. We allow hunters to hunt from tree stands in accordance with 50 
CFR 32.2(i). Hunters must use a body safety harness at all times while 
hunting from a tree.
    12. Hunters must remove tree stands, blinds, or other personal 
property from the refuge each day (see Sec.  27.93 of this chapter).
    13. Hunters may only hunt designated game species during specified 
days, which are published within the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge 
Hunting Brochure.
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    1. Conditions B1, B3 through B6, B8, B9, and B11 through B13 apply.
    2. Hunters may not hunt by aid of or harassment of game for 
purposes of take for deer or feral hogs.
    3. Hunters may only hunt with archery equipment that complies with 
State regulations and flintlocks .40 caliber or larger.
    4. All youth hunters under age 16 must be supervised by a licensed 
and permitted adult 21 years of age or older, and must remain with the 
adult while hunting. One adult may supervise no more than one youth 
hunter.
    5. Hunters must report the sex, approximate size, and hunt area for 
any deer or hogs they harvested from the refuge within 72 hours. 
Reports must be given by phone or in person to the refuge Visitor 
Center (256/350-6639) or refuge headquarters (256/353-7243).
* * * * *
    7. You may only hunt feral hog during the refuge archery and 
flintlock deer season.
* * * * *

0
6. Amend Sec.  32.24 by:
0
a. Revising paragraphs A.3, A.4, A.5, A.6, A.7, A.8, and B.1; adding 
paragraph A.9; and removing paragraph B.2 under Colusa National 
Wildlife Refuge.
0
b. Revising paragraphs A.4, A.10, A.11, and B.2; and removing 
paragraphs

[[Page 14825]]

B.3, B.4, B.5, B.6, B.7, and B.8 under Delevan National Wildlife 
Refuge.
0
c. Revising paragraphs A.6, A.10, A.11, and B.2; and removing 
paragraphs B.3, B.4, B.5, B.6, B.7, and B.8 under Sacramento National 
Wildlife Refuge.
0
d. Revising paragraphs A.3, A.4, A.5, A.6, A.7, A.8, and B.1; adding 
paragraph A.9; and removing paragraphs B.2, B.3, B.4, B.5, B.6, and B.7 
under Sutter National Wildlife Refuge.
    These revisions and additions read as follows:


Sec.  32.24  California.

* * * * *

Colusa National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. * * *
    3. Access to the hunt area is by foot traffic only. Bicycles and 
other conveyances are not allowed. Mobility-impaired hunters must 
consult the refuge manager for allowed conveyances.
    4. We allow boats with electric motors to be used by hunters with 
disabilities only in designated areas.
    5. No person may build or maintain fires. Portable gas stoves are 
permissible.
    6. You may enter or exit only at designated locations.
    7. Vehicles may stop only at designated parking areas. We prohibit 
the dropping of passengers or equipment or stopping between designated 
parking areas.
    8. Overnight stays, using passenger vehicles, motor homes, and 
trailers, are allowed only at the check station parking areas. Tents 
are prohibited.
    9. We require dogs be kept on a leash, except for hunting dogs 
engaged in authorized hunting activities and under the immediate 
control of a licensed hunter.
    B. Upland Game Hunting. * * *
    1. Conditions A1 through A9 apply.
* * * * *

Delevan National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. * * *
    4. Access to the hunt area is by foot traffic only. Bicycles and 
other conveyances are not allowed. Mobility-impaired hunters should 
consult the refuge manager for allowed conveyances.
* * * * *
    10. Overnight stays, using passenger vehicles, motor homes, and 
trailers, are allowed only at the check station parking areas. Tents 
are prohibited.
    11. We require dogs be kept on a leash, except for hunting dogs 
engaged in authorized hunting activities and under the immediate 
control of a licensed hunter.
    B. Upland Game Hunting. * * *
    2. Conditions A4 through A11 apply.
* * * * *

Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. * * *
    6. Access to the hunt area is by foot traffic only. Bicycles and 
other conveyances are not allowed. Mobility-impaired hunters must 
consult the refuge manager for allowed conveyances.
* * * * *
    10. Overnight stays, using passenger vehicles, motor homes, and 
trailers, are allowed only at the check station parking areas. Tents 
are prohibited.
    11. We require dogs be kept on a leash, except for hunting dogs 
engaged in authorized hunting activities and under the immediate 
control of a licensed hunter.
    B. Upland Game Hunting. * * *
    2. Conditions A4 through A11 apply.
* * * * *

Sutter National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. * * *
    3. Access to the hunt area is by foot traffic only. Bicycles and 
other conveyances are not allowed. Mobility-impaired hunters should 
consult the refuge manager for allowed conveyances.
    4. Boats with electric motors allowed only by hunters with 
disabilities in designated areas.
    5. No person may build or maintain fires. Portable gas stoves are 
permissible.
    6. You may enter or exit only at designated locations.
    7. Vehicles may only stop at designated parking areas. We prohibit 
the dropping of passengers or equipment or stopping between designated 
parking areas.
    8. Overnight stays, using passenger vehicles, motor homes, and 
trailers, are allowed only at the check station parking areas. Tents 
are prohibited.
    9. Dogs must be kept on a leash, except for hunting dogs engaged in 
authorized hunting activities and under the immediate control of a 
licensed hunter.
    B. Upland Game Hunting. * * *
    1. Conditions A1 through A9 apply.
* * * * *

0
7. Amend Sec.  32.25 by revising the introductory text in paragraphs A 
and B and by adding paragraphs A.6, B.4, D.4, and D.5 under Arapaho 
National Wildlife Refuge to read as follows:


Sec.  32.25  Colorado.

* * * * *

Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. We allow hunting of duck, coot, 
merganser, Canada goose, snipe, Virginia and Sora rail, and mourning 
dove on designated areas of the refuge in accordance with State and 
Federal regulations, subject to the following conditions:
* * * * *
    6. Legal method of take for migratory game birds is by shotgun 
only.
    B. Upland Game Hunting. We allow hunting of jackrabbit, cottontail 
rabbit, and sage grouse on designated areas of the refuge in accordance 
with State regulations, subject to the following conditions:
* * * * *
    4. Legal method of take for upland game is by shotgun only.
* * * * *
    D. Sport Fishing. * * *
    4. Fishing is closed in Unit C when the refuge is open to big game 
rifle hunting.
    5. Lead sinkers and live bait are not allowed for fishing.
* * * * *

0
8. Amend Sec.  32.26 by adding, in alphabetical order, an entry for 
Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge to read as follows:


Sec.  32.26  Connecticut.

* * * * *

Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. [RESERVED]
    B. Upland Game Hunting. [RESERVED]
    C. Big Game Hunting. [RESERVED]
    D. Sport Fishing. [RESERVED]
* * * * *

0
9. Amend Sec.  32.28 by:
0
a. Revising the introductory text in paragraphs A and D; revising 
paragraph A.2; removing paragraph A.4; redesignating A.5, A.6, A.7, 
A.8, A.9, A.10, A.11, A.12, A.13, A.14, A.15, A.16, A.17 and A.18 as 
paragraphs A.4, A.5, A.6, A.7, A.8, A.9, A.10, A.11, A.12, A.13, A.14, 
A.15, A.16 and A.17; revising newly designated paragraphs A.7 and A.12; 
and adding a new paragraph C under Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee 
National Wildlife Refuge.
0
b. Revising paragraphs D.4, D.5, and D.7; redesignating paragraphs D.8, 
D.9, D.10, D.11, D.12, D.13, D.14, D.15, D.16, D.17, D.18, D.19, and 
D.20 as paragraphs D.9, D.10, D.11, D.12, D.13, D.14, D.15, D.16, D.17, 
D.18, D.19, D.20, and D.21, respectively; revising newly designated

[[Page 14826]]

paragraphs D.13 and D.21; and adding paragraph D.8 under J.N. ``Ding'' 
Darling National Wildlife Refuge.
0
c. Revising paragraphs A.3, B.1, C.4, C.8, and C.9 and adding 
paragraphs B.12 and C.12 under St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge.
    These additions and revisions read as follows:


Sec.  32.28  Florida.

* * * * *

Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. We allow hunting of duck and coot 
on designated areas of the refuge in accordance with State and Federal 
regulations subject to the following conditions:
* * * * *
    2. We allow hunting in the interior of the refuge south of latitude 
line 26.27.130 and north of mile markers 12 and 14 (SEE PERMIT MAP). We 
prohibit hunting from canals or levees and those areas posted as 
closed.
* * * * *
    7. Persons possessing, transporting, or carrying firearms on 
national wildlife refuges must comply with all provisions of Federal, 
State, and local law. Persons may only use (discharge) firearms in 
accordance with refuge regulations (see Sec.  27.42 of this chapter and 
specific refuge regulations in this part 32).
* * * * *
    12. All youth hunters under age 16 must be supervised by a licensed 
and permitted adult 21 years of age or older, and must remain with the 
adult while hunting. Youth hunters must have completed a hunter 
education course.
* * * * *
    C. Big Game Hunting. We allow hunting of alligators on designated 
areas of the refuge in accordance with Federal and State regulations 
and subject to the following conditions:
    1. You must possess and carry a signed refuge alligator hunt permit 
(signed brochure) while hunting. These brochures are available at the 
refuge visitor center and on the refuge's Web site (https://www.fws.gov/loxahatchee/).
    2. We allow hunting in the interior of the refuge south of latitude 
line 26.27.130 and north of mile markers 12 and 14, including the 
canals south of that line (SEE PERMIT MAP). We prohibit hunting from 
levees and those areas posted as closed.
    3. Consult the refuge manager for current alligator hunt season 
dates and times.
    4. We allow hunting on the refuge 1 hour before sunset on Friday 
night through 1 hour after sunrise Saturday morning, and 1 hour before 
sunset on Saturday night through 1 hour after sunrise Sunday morning. 
Alligator hunting will be permitted the first 2 weekends during Harvest 
Period 1 (August) and the first 2 weekends during Harvest Period 2 
(September). Following the close of Harvest Period 2, the remaining 
weekends in October will be open for alligator harvest permittees who 
possess unused CITES tags. Specific dates for the alligator hunt will 
be provided on the harvest permit.
    5. Hunters 18 years and older must be in possession of all 
necessary State and Federal licenses, permits, and CITES tags, as well 
as a refuge hunt permit (signed hunt brochure) while hunting on the 
refuge. They must possess an Alligator Trapping License with CITES tags 
or an Alligator Trapping Agent License, if applicable.
    6. Hunters under the age of 18 may not hunt, but may only accompany 
an adult of at least 21 years of age who possesses an Alligator 
Trapping Agent License.
    7. Hunters may only enter and leave the refuge at the Hillsboro 
Area (Loxahatchee Road, Boca Raton).
    8. Alligators may be taken using hand-held snares, harpoons, gigs, 
snatch hooks, artificial lures, manually operated spears, spear guns, 
and crossbows. Alligators may not be taken using baited hooks, baited 
wooden pegs, or firearms. Bang sticks (a hand held pole with a pistol 
or shotgun cartridge on the end in a very short barrel) with non-toxic 
ammunition are only allowed for taking alligators attached to a 
restraining line. Once an alligator is captured, it must be killed 
immediately. Once the alligator is taken or harvested, a CITES tag must 
be locked through the skin of the carcass within 6 inches of the tip of 
the tail. The tag must remain attached to the alligator at all times.
    9. Hunters must complete a Big Game Harvest Report (FWS Form 3-
2359) and place it in an entrance fee canister each day prior to 
exiting the refuge. A State Alligator Report form required by the State 
along with the hunt permit (signed refuge brochure) must be submitted 
to the refuge within 24 hours of taking each alligator.
    10. Persons possessing, transporting, or carrying firearms on 
national wildlife refuges must comply with all provisions of Federal, 
State, and local law. Persons may only use (discharge) firearms in 
accordance with refuge regulations (see Sec.  27.42 of this chapter and 
specific refuge regulations in this part 32).
    11. Hunters must remove all personal property (see Sec.  27.93 of 
this chapter) from the hunting area each day.
    12. Conditions A13 through A17 apply.
    D. Sport Fishing. We allow fishing on designated areas of the 
refuge in accordance with Federal and State regulations and subject to 
the following conditions:
* * * * *

J.N. ``Ding'' Darling National Wildlife Refuge

* * * * *
    D. Sport Fishing. * * *
    4. We allow the take of blue crabs with the use of dip nets only.
    5. The daily limit of blue crabs is 20 per person (including no 
more than 10 non-eggbearing females).
* * * * *
    7. We allow vessels propelled only by polling, paddling, or 
floating in the posted ``no-motor zone'' of the J.N. ``Ding'' Darling 
Wilderness Area. All motors, including electric motors, must be in a 
nonuse position (out of the water) when in the ``no-motor zone.''
    8. We allow vessels propelled only by polling, paddling, floating, 
or electric motors in the posted ``pole/troll zone'' of the Wulfert 
Flats Management Area. All non-electric motors must be in a non-use 
position (out of the water) when in the ``pole/troll zone.''
* * * * *
    13. We prohibit all public entry into the impoundments on the left 
side of Wildlife Drive.
* * * * *
    21. We close to public entry all refuge islands (including rookery 
islands) except for designated trails.
* * * * *

St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. * * *
    3. We prohibit migratory game bird hunting in the Executive Closure 
Areas on the refuge.
* * * * *
    B. Upland Game Hunting. * * *
    1. We require refuge permits (signed brochure) for hunting upland 
game. Permits are available at no cost from the refuge office or can be 
downloaded and printed from the refuge Web site. Each hunter must 
possess and carry a signed refuge permit while participating in a hunt.
* * * * *
    12. Portions of the refuge adjacent to Flint Rock Wildlife 
Management Area (as specified in the hunt brochure) will be open 
concurrent with Flint Rock Wildlife Management Area seasons and 
regulations except only feral hog, grey squirrel, rabbit, and raccoon 
may be harvested.

[[Page 14827]]

    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    4. There is a two deer limit per hunt as specified in condition C8 
below, except in the youth hunt where the limit is as specified in C9 
below. The limit for turkey is one per hunt. There is no limit on feral 
hog.
* * * * *
    8. The bag limit for white-tailed deer is two deer per scheduled 
hunt period. We allow hunters to harvest two antlerless deer per 
scheduled hunt period. We define antlerless deer per State regulations 
(i.e., un-antlered deer or antlered deer with both antlers less than 5 
inches in length). Otherwise, hunters may harvest one antlerless deer 
and one antlered deer per hunt. Hunters must ensure that antlered deer 
must have at least 3 points, of 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) or more 
length.
    9. There is one youth hunt, for youth ages 12 to 17, on the St. 
Marks Unit in an area we will specify in the refuge hunt brochure. 
Hunters may harvest two deer, either two un-antlered deer as defined in 
C8 or one un-antlered deer and one antlered deer. An adult age 21 or 
older acting as a mentor must accompany each youth hunter. One youth 
turkey hunt will be conducted in a similar manner. The limit will be 
one gobbler per hunter. Only the youth hunter may handle or discharge 
firearms. Contact the refuge office for specific dates.
* * * * *
    12. Portions of the refuge adjacent to Flint Rock Wildlife 
Management Area (as specified in the hunt brochure) will be open 
concurrent with Flint Rock Wildlife Management Area seasons and 
regulations except only white-tailed deer, feral hog, and turkey may be 
harvested. We require a refuge permit (signed brochure).
* * * * *

0
10. Amend Sec.  32.29 by revising paragraph A.3 under Savannah National 
Wildlife Refuge to read as follows:


Sec.  32.29  Georgia.

* * * * *

Savannah National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. * * *
    3. We prohibit hunting on or within 100 yards (90 meters) of U.S. 
Highway 17, GA Highway 25/SC Highway 170, refuge facilities, road, 
trails, and railroad rights-of-way, and within areas marked as closed.
* * * * *

0
11. Amend Sec.  32.31 by revising the introductory text in paragraph A 
and by revising paragraphs A.3, B, C, and D under Kootenai National 
Wildlife Refuge to read as follows:


Sec.  32.31  Idaho.

* * * * *

Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. We allow hunting of goose, duck, 
and coot on designated areas (designated area changed due to increased 
size of safety zone) of the refuge in accordance with State and Federal 
regulations subject to the following conditions:
* * * * *
    3. We prohibit the discharge of firearms in the posted retrieving/
safety zone.
* * * * *
    B. Upland Game Hunting. We allow hunting of forest grouse and wild 
turkey on that portion of the refuge that lies west of Lion's Den Road 
in accordance with State regulations subject to the following 
condition: You may possess only approved nontoxic shotshells (see Sec.  
32.2(k)) while in the field.
    C. Big Game Hunting. We allow hunting of deer, elk, black bear, 
moose, and mountain lion on that portion of the refuge that lies west 
of Lion's Den Road and hunting of deer at an ADA-accessible blind near 
Aspen Slough in accordance with State regulations and subject to the 
following conditions:
    1. We prohibit all use of dogs for hunting of big game.
    2. You may only participate in deer hunting at the ADA-accessible 
blind with valid State licenses and tags.
    3. You may only participate in deer hunting at the ADA-accessible 
blind with a refuge permit issued through a random drawing for up to 
four 7-day archery-only permits and up to six 7-day archery/special 
weapons-only permits.
    4. We only allow deer hunting at the ADA-accessible blind using the 
following weapons: Muzzleloader, archery equipment, crossbow, shotgun 
using slugs, or handgun using straight-walled cartridges not originally 
established for rifles.
    5. We prohibit use of toxic (lead) ammunition when deer hunting at 
the ADA-accessible blind.
    D. Sport Fishing. We allow sport fishing on Myrtle Creek in 
accordance with State regulations subject to the following condition: 
We allow bank fishing only.
* * * * *

0
12. Amend Sec.  32.32 by:
0
a. Removing paragraphs A.1 and A.7; redesignating paragraphs A.2, A.3, 
A.4, A.5, and A.6 as paragraphs A.1, A.2, A.3, A.4, and A.5, 
respectively; revising newly designated paragraph A.1; revising 
paragraphs B.1, C.1, and D.1; and adding paragraphs B.3, C.2, and C.3 
under Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge.
0
b. Revising introductory text in paragraph A; revising paragraphs A.2, 
B, C.1, C.2, and C.3; and adding paragraphs A.3, C.4, C.5, and C.6 
under Middle Mississippi River National Wildlife Refuge.
0
c. Revising paragraph B and adding paragraph C.3 under Two Rivers 
National Wildlife Refuge.
    These additions and revisions read as follows:


Sec.  32.32  Illinois.

* * * * *

Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. * * *
    1. You must remove all boats, decoys, blinds, blind materials, 
stands, and platforms (see Sec. Sec.  27.93 and 27.94 of this chapter) 
brought onto the refuge at the end of each day's hunt.
* * * * *
    B. Upland Game Hunting. * * *
    1. Conditions A1, A2, A4, and A5 apply.
* * * * *
    3. We allow the use of .22 and .17 caliber rimfire lead ammunition 
for the taking of small game and furbearers during open season.
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    1. Conditions A1, A2, A4, and A5 apply.
    2. We prohibit deer drives, by person or animal, and participating 
in deer drives on all refuge divisions.
    3. You may only use or possess approved nontoxic shot shells while 
in the field, including shot shells used for hunting wild turkey (see 
Sec.  32.2(k)).
    D. Sport Fishing. * * *
    1. Conditions A1 and A3 apply.
* * * * *

Middle Mississippi River National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. We allow hunting of migratory game 
birds on the Meissner, Wilkinson, and Beaver Island Divisions in 
accordance with State regulations and subject to the following 
conditions:
* * * * *
    2. You must remove boats, blinds, blind materials, stands, decoys, 
and other hunting equipment (see Sec. Sec.  27.93 and 27.94 of this 
chapter) from the refuge at the end of each day.
    3. We allow portable blinds on a daily basis on a first-come, 
first-served basis.
    B. Upland Game Hunting. We allow hunting of upland game (squirrels,

[[Page 14828]]

rabbits, and bobwhite quail only) on the refuge in accordance with 
State regulations and subject to the following conditions:
    1. We allow hunting of furbearers only from legal sunrise to legal 
sunset.
    2. You may only use or possess approved nontoxic shot shells while 
in the field (see Sec.  32.2(k)).
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    1. Conditions A1 and A2 apply.
    2. In the Harlow, Crains, and Meissner Island Divisions you may use 
only archery equipment to harvest white-tailed deer.
    3. You may only use or possess approved nontoxic shot shells while 
in the field, including shot shells used for hunting wild turkey (see 
Sec.  32.2(k)).
    4. We prohibit deer drives, by person or animal, and participating 
in deer drives on all refuge divisions.
    5. We prohibit placing temporary tree stands in dead or dying 
trees.
    6. You may not remove any tree or limbs greater than 1 inch in 
diameter.
* * * * *

Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge

* * * * *
    B. Upland Game Hunting. We allow upland game hunting only on the 
Apple Creek Division and the portion of the Calhoun Division east of 
the Illinois River Road in accordance with State regulations and 
subject to the following conditions:
    1. We allow hunting from legal sunrise to legal sunset.
    2. You may only use or possess approved nontoxic shot shells while 
in the field, including shot shells used for hunting wild turkey (see 
Sec.  32.2(k)).
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    3. Condition B2 applies.
* * * * *

0
13. Amend Sec.  32.33 by:
0
a. Revising paragraphs C.4, C.8, and C.9 and adding paragraphs C.10, 
C.11, and D.7 under Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge.
0
b. Revising A.2, C.2, C.3, D.2.iv, and D.3 and adding paragraphs A.7, 
A.8, and B.3 under Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge and Management 
Area.
    These additions and revisions read as follows:


Sec.  32.33  Indiana.

* * * * *

Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge

* * * * *
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    4. You may take only two deer per day from the refuge, only one of 
which may be an antlered buck.
* * * * *
    8. We permit archery deer hunting in designated areas after 
National Wildlife Refuge Week during the State season with the 
exceptions that archery deer hunting is closed during the youth deer 
hunt in November and during the State muzzleloader season.
    9. Turkey hunting ends at 1 p.m. daily.
    10. We prohibit the use or possession of game trail cameras on the 
refuge.
    11. We require you to remove arrows from crossbows during transport 
in a vehicle.
    D. Sport Fishing. * * *
    7. We allow only children under 18 years of age to fish in the 
Office Pond.
* * * * *

Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge and Management Area

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. * * *
    2. You must remove all boats, decoys, blinds, and blind materials 
after each day's hunt (see Sec. Sec.  27.93 and 27.94 of this chapter).
* * * * *
    7. We prohibit hunting and the discharge of a weapon within 150 
yards of any dwelling or any building that may be occupied by people, 
pets, or livestock.
    8. You may only use or possess approved nontoxic shot shells while 
in the field, including shot shells used for hunting wild turkey (see 
Sec.  32.2(k)).
    B. Upland Game Hunting. * * *
    3. Conditions A7 and A8 apply.
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    2. We prohibit marking trails with tape, ribbons, paper, paint, 
tacks, tree blazes, or other devices.
    3. Conditions A6 through A8 apply.
    D. Sport Fishing. * * *
    2. * * *
    iv. You may not collect or harvest minnows, crayfish, or any 
reptiles and amphibians (see Sec.  27.21 of this chapter).
    3. You must remove boats at the end of each day's fishing activity 
(see Sec.  27.93 of this chapter).
* * * * *

0
14. Amend Sec.  32.34 by:
0
a. Revising paragraphs A, B, C.1, and C.2 and removing paragraph C.3 
under Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge.
0
b. Redesignating paragraphs A.1, A.2, A.3, A.4, A.5, A.6, A.7, and A.8 
as paragraphs A.2, A.3, A.4, A.5, A.6, A.7, A.8, and A.9, respectively; 
redesignating paragraphs B.1, B.2, B.3, and B.4 as paragraphs B.2, B.3, 
B.4, and B.5, respectively; redesignating paragraphs C.1, C.2, and C.3 
as paragraphs C.2, C.3, and C.4, respectively; revising the 
introductory text in paragraphs A, B, and C; revising newly designated 
paragraphs B.5 and C.4; and adding paragraphs A.1, B.1, and C.1 under 
Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge.
0
c. Revising the entry for Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge.
    These additions and revisions read as follows:


Sec.  32.34  Iowa.

* * * * *

Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. We allow the hunting of duck, 
goose, and coot on designated areas of the refuge in accordance with 
State and Federal regulations and subject to the following conditions:
    1. We prohibit all hunting February 1 through August 31 due to 
conflict with existing appropriate and compatible uses.
    2. You may only possess approved nontoxic shot (see Sec.  32.2(k)) 
while hunting for any allowed bird, including waterfowl and wild 
turkey, or other upland or small game.
    3. We allow entry into the refuge 1 hour before sunrise and require 
hunters to leave the refuge no later than 1 hour after sunset.
    4. We prohibit shooting on or over any refuge road within 50 feet 
(15 meters) from the centerline.
    5. You must possess and carry a refuge permit (free brochure 
available at the refuge visitor center).
    6. We allow the use of dogs for waterfowl, pheasant, and quail 
hunting only.
    B. Upland Game Hunting. We allow hunting of ring-necked pheasant, 
bobwhite quail, pigeon, mourning dove, crow, cottontail rabbit, gray 
and fox squirrel, and fall wild turkey (2 weeks within the season) on 
designated areas of the refuge in accordance with State regulations 
subject to the following condition: Conditions A1 to A6 apply.
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    1. Conditions A1 and A3 to A5 apply.
    2. We allow the use of portable stands and blinds for hunting, and 
hunters must remove them at the end of each day (see Sec.  27.93 of 
this chapter).
* * * * *

Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. We allow hunting of duck, goose, 
merganser, coot, rail (Virginia and Sora only), woodcock, and snipe on 
designated areas in accordance with State regulations and subject to 
the following conditions:
    1. For units adjacent to and managed by Neal Smith National 
Wildlife Refuge,

[[Page 14829]]

you must follow the refuge-specific regulations provided in this 
section of the regulations for Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge.
* * * * *
    B. Upland Game Hunting. We allow the hunting of ring-necked 
pheasant, bobwhite quail, gray partridge, rabbit (cottontail and jack), 
squirrel (fox and gray), groundhog, raccoon, opossum, fox (red and 
gray), coyote, badger, striped skunk, and crow on designated areas of 
the refuge in accordance with State regulations and subject to the 
following conditions:
    1. For units adjacent to and managed by Neal Smith National 
Wildlife Refuge, you must follow the refuge-specific regulations 
provided in this section of the regulations for Neal Smith National 
Wildlife Refuge.
* * * * *
    5. Conditions A8 and A9 apply.
* * * * *
    C. Big Game Hunting. We allow the hunting of deer and turkey on 
designated areas of the refuge in accordance with State regulations and 
subject to the following conditions:
    1. For units adjacent to and managed by Neal Smith National 
Wildlife Refuge, you must follow the refuge-specific regulations 
provided in this section of the regulations for Neal Smith National 
Wildlife Refuge.
* * * * *
    4. Conditions A6, A8, and A9 apply.
* * * * *

Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. We allow hunting of duck, goose, 
teal, brant, merganser, coot, sora and Virginia rail, dove, woodcock 
and snipe on Iowa River Corridor Project lands in accordance with State 
regulations and subject to the following conditions:
    1. You may possess only approved nontoxic shot while hunting 
migratory birds (see Sec.  32.2(k)).
    2. You must remove boats, decoys, and portable blinds at the end of 
each day (see Sec.  27.93 of this chapter).
    B. Upland Game Hunting. We allow hunting of upland game in 
accordance with State regulations and subject to the following 
condition: You may only possess approved nontoxic shot while hunting 
upland game (see Sec.  32.2(k)); you may use lead shot to hunt turkey.
    C. Big Game Hunting. We allow hunting of big game in accordance 
with State regulations and subject to the following condition: We only 
allow the use of portable stands and you must remove them at the end of 
each day (see Sec.  27.93 of this chapter).
    D. Sport Fishing. We allow sport fishing on all areas of the refuge 
in accordance with State regulations and subject to the following 
condition: You must remove boats and all other fishing devices at the 
end of each day's fishing.
* * * * *

0
15. Amend Sec.  32.38 by redesignating paragraphs A.5, A.6, and A.7 as 
paragraphs A.6, A.7, and A.8, respectively; adding a new paragraph A.5; 
revising the introductory text in paragraph B; and revising paragraphs 
A.1, A.4, B.1, B.2, B.3, and C under Rachel Carson National Wildlife 
Refuge to read as follows:


Sec.  32.38  Maine.

* * * * *

Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. * * *
    1. Prior to entering designated refuge hunting areas, you must 
obtain a refuge hunting permit (FWS Form 3-2357), pay a recreation fee, 
and sign and carry the permit at all times.
* * * * *
    4. We open Designated Youth Hunting Areas to hunters age 15 and 
under who possess and carry a refuge hunting permit. Youth hunters must 
be accompanied by an adult age 18 or older. The accompanying adult must 
possess and carry a refuge hunting permit and may also hunt.
    5. You may only possess approved nontoxic shot for hunting (see 
Sec.  32.2(k)) on the refuge.
* * * * *
    B. Upland Game Hunting. We allow hunting of pheasant, quail, and 
grouse on designated areas of the Brave Boat Harbor, Lower Wells, Upper 
Wells, Mousam River, Goose Rocks, Goosefare Brook, and Spurwink River 
division of the refuge in accordance with State regulations and subject 
to the following conditions:
    1. Conditions A1 and A7 apply.
    2. You may take pheasant, quail, and grouse by falconry during 
State seasons.
    3. You may only possess approved nontoxic shot for hunting (see 
Sec.  32.2(k)) on the refuge.
* * * * *
    C. Big Game Hunting. We allow hunting of white-tailed deer and 
turkey on designated areas of the Brave Boat Harbor, Lower Wells, Upper 
Wells, Mousam River, Goose Rocks, Little River, Goosefare Brook, and 
Spurwink River divisions of the refuge in accordance with State 
regulations and subject to the following conditions:
    1. Conditions A1, A4, and A7 apply.
    2. We allow hunting of deer and turkey with shotgun and archery 
only. We prohibit rifles and muzzleloading firearms for hunting.
    3. We allow turkey hunting during the fall season only, as 
designated by the State. All State regulations governing the hunting of 
turkey must be followed.
    4. We allow portable tree stands, ladders, and blinds only, and 
they must be removed daily (see Sec.  27.93 of this chapter). The use 
of nails, wire, screws or bolts to attach a stand to a tree, or hunting 
from a tree into which a metal object has been driven to support a 
hunter is prohibited. You must keep vegetation disturbance (including 
tree limbs) to a minimum (see Sec.  32.2(i)).
    5. We close the Moody and Biddeford Pool divisions of the refuge to 
white-tailed deer and turkey hunting.
    6. We allow archery on only those areas of the Little River 
division open to hunting.
    7. We allow hunting of fox and coyote with archery or shotgun with 
a refuge big game permit, during State firearm deer season. You may 
only possess approved nontoxic shot for hunting (see Sec.  32.2(k)) on 
the refuge.
* * * * *

0
16. Amend Sec.  32.39 by removing paragraphs A.9.vi and D.9; 
redesignating paragraphs D.10, D.11, D.12, D.13, D.14, D.15, and D.16 
as paragraphs D.9, D.10, D.11, D.12, D.13, D.14, and D.15, 
respectively; revising paragraphs A.9.iv, A.9.v, A.13, B.8, C.3.ii, 
C.6, and C.12; and revising newly designated paragraphs D.14.i and 
D.15.i under Patuxent Research Refuge to read as follows:


Sec.  32.39  Maryland.

* * * * *

Patuxent Research Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. * * *
    9. * * *
    iv. You may hunt from the roadside, except on the Wildlife Loop, at 
designated areas, if you possess a Maryland Department of Natural 
Resources issued ``Universal Disability Pass.''
    v. You may hunt from the roadside for waterfowl at the five 
designated hunting blind sites at Lake Allen.
* * * * *
    13. We require waterfowl hunters to use trained adult retrieving 
dogs while hunting duck and goose within 50 yards (45 meters) of the 
following impounded waters: Blue Heron Pond, Lake Allen, New Marsh, and 
Wood Duck Pond.
    i. We require dogs to be under the immediate control of their owner 
at all times (see Sec.  26.21(b) of this chapter).
* * * * *

[[Page 14830]]

    B. Upland Game Hunting. * * *
    8. We select turkey hunters by a computerized lottery for youth, 
disabled, and general public hunts. We require Maryland Department of 
Natural Resources required documentation to accommodate hunters with 
disabilities.
* * * * *
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    3. * * *
    ii. We prohibit the discharging of any hunting weapons before or 
after legal shooting hours, including the unloading of muzzleloaders.
* * * * *
    6. We require bow hunters to wear either a cap of solid-
fluorescent-orange color at all times or a vest or jacket containing 
back and front panels of at least 250 square inches (1,625 square 
centimeters) of solid-fluorescent-orange color when moving to and from 
their vehicle to their deer stand or their hunting spot and while 
tracking or dragging out their deer. We do not require bow hunters to 
wear solid-fluorescent-orange when positioned to hunt except during the 
North Tract Youth Firearms Deer Hunts, the muzzleloader seasons, and 
the firearms seasons, when they must wear it at all times.
* * * * *
    12. If you wish to track wounded deer beyond 2 hours after legal 
sunset, you must gain consent from a refuge law enforcement officer. We 
prohibit tracking 3 hours after legal sunset. You must make a 
reasonable effort to retrieve the wounded deer, which includes next-day 
tracking. There is no tracking on Sundays and Federal holidays except 
on a case-by-case basis. Hunters authorized to track on Sundays or 
Federal holidays must be accompanied afield by a refuge law enforcement 
officer.
* * * * *
    D. Sport Fishing. * * *
    14. * * *
    i. Conditions D1 through D13 apply.
* * * * *
    15. * * *
    i. Conditions D1 through D12 apply.
* * * * *

0
17. Amend Sec.  32.40 by adding, in alphabetical order, an entry for 
Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge to read as follows:


Sec.  32.40  Massachusetts.

* * * * *

Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. [RESERVED]
    B. Upland Game Hunting. [RESERVED]
    C. Big Game Hunting. [RESERVED]
    D. Sport Fishing. [RESERVED]
* * * * *

0
18. Amend Sec.  32.41 by revising paragraph C.3 and adding paragraph 
C.8 under Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge to read as 
follows:


Sec.  32.41  Michigan.

* * * * *

Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge

* * * * *
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    3. We allow only single-projectile shells for firearm deer hunting. 
We prohibit the use of buckshot for any hunting on the refuge.
* * * * *
    8. The Fix Unit is closed to firearm deer hunting. We allow only 
archery deer hunting in the Fix Unit.
* * * * *

0
19. Amend Sec.  32.42 by:
0
a. Revising the introductory text in paragraph A; revising paragraphs 
A.1, A.2, and A.5; adding paragraph A.9; revising paragraphs C.1 and 
C.2; removing paragraphs C.3, C.7, and C.10; redesignating paragraphs 
C.4, C.5, C.6, C.8, and C.9 as paragraphs C.3, C.4, C.5, C.6, and C.7, 
respectively; revising newly designated paragraph C.6; and adding 
paragraph C.8 under Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge.
0
b. Revising paragraph B under Big Stone Wetland Management District.
0
c. Revising paragraphs C.1, C.2, and C.8 and removing paragraph C.11 
under Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge.
0
d. Revising paragraph B under Detroit Lakes Wetland Management 
District.
0
e. Revising paragraphs A.2 and B under Fergus Falls Wetland Management 
District.
0
f. Revising paragraph B under Litchfield Wetland Management District.
0
g. Revising paragraphs A.2, B, and C.2 under Morris Wetland Management 
District.
0
h. Adding paragraph C.3 under Northern Tallgrass Prairie National 
Wildlife Refuge.
0
i. Revising paragraphs A.2, A.3, A.5, B.3, C.1, C.7, and D under 
Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge.
0
j. Revising paragraph B under Windom Wetland Management District.
    These additions and revisions read as follows:


Sec.  32.42  Minnesota.

* * * * *

Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. We allow hunting of waterfowl on 
designated areas of the refuge in accordance with State regulations and 
subject to the following conditions:
    1. We allow a youth hunt only in designated areas in accordance 
with State regulations.
    2. The refuge is closed from 7:00 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.
* * * * *
    5. You must remove all personal property, which includes stands, 
boats, decoys, and blinds brought onto the refuge, each day of hunting 
(see Sec. Sec.  27.93 and 27.94 of this chapter).
* * * * *
    9. We allow the public onto the refuge the day prior to the opening 
of the season for scouting purposes.
* * * * *
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    1. We are currently closed to moose hunting.
    2. Conditions A2 through A5, A7, A8 and A9 apply.
* * * * *
    6. We prohibit hunters from occupying illegally set up or 
constructed ground and tree stands (see conditions A5 and C5).
* * * * *
    8. Shooting on, from, over, across, or within 30 feet of a road 
edge open to public vehicle transportation at a big game animal or a 
decoy of a big game animal is prohibited.
* * * * *

Big Stone Wetland Management District

* * * * *
    B. Upland Game Hunting. We allow upland game hunting throughout the 
district in accordance with State regulations and subject to the 
following conditions:
    1. Conditions A3 through A5 apply.
    2. You may only use or possess approved nontoxic shot shells while 
in the field, including shot shells used for hunting wild turkey (see 
Sec.  32.2(k)).
* * * * *

Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge

* * * * *
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    1. We only allow an archery deer hunt for youth hunters and a 
firearm deer hunt for persons with disabilities by special use permit 
(FWS Form 3-1383-G).
    2. We only allow a turkey hunt for youth hunters and persons with 
disabilities by special use permit (FWS Form 3-1383-G).
* * * * *

[[Page 14831]]

    8. We prohibit entry to hunting areas earlier than 2 hours before 
legal shooting hours.
* * * * *

Detroit Lakes Wetland Management District

* * * * *
    B. Upland Game Hunting. We allow upland game hunting in accordance 
with State regulations throughout the district (except that we allow no 
hunting on the refuge headquarters Waterfowl Production Area [WPA] in 
Becker County, the Hitterdal WPA in Clay County, and the McIntosh WPA 
in Polk County) and subject to the following conditions:
    1. Conditions A3 through A5 apply.
    2. You may only use or possess approved nontoxic shot shells while 
in the field, including shot shells used for hunting wild turkey (see 
Sec.  32.2(k)).
* * * * *

Fergus Falls Wetland Management District

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. * * *
    2. You must remove boats, decoys, blinds, and blind materials (see 
Sec.  27.93 of this chapter) brought onto the WPAs at the end of each 
day's hunt.
* * * * *
    B. Upland Game Hunting. We allow upland game hunting throughout the 
district (except that we prohibit hunting on the Townsend, Mavis, 
Gilmore, and designated portions of Knollwood Waterfowl Production 
Areas (WPAs) in Otter Tail County, and Larson WPA in Douglas County) in 
accordance with State regulations and subject to the following 
conditions:
    1. Conditions A2, A3, and A6 apply.
    2. You may only use or possess approved nontoxic shot shells while 
in the field, including shot shells used for hunting wild turkey (see 
Sec.  32.2(k)).
* * * * *

Litchfield Wetland Management District

* * * * *
    B. Upland Game Hunting. We allow upland game hunting throughout the 
district (except we prohibit hunting on that part of the Phare Lake 
Waterfowl Production Area in Renville County) in accordance with State 
regulations and subject to the following conditions:
    1. Conditions A1, A4, and A5 apply.
    2. You may only use or possess approved nontoxic shot shells while 
in the field, including shot shells used for hunting wild turkey (see 
Sec.  32.2(k)).
* * * * *

Morris Wetland Management District

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. * * *
    2. You must remove boats, decoys, blinds, and blind materials (see 
Sec.  27.93 of this chapter) at the end of hunting hours.
* * * * *
    B. Upland Game Hunting. We allow hunting of upland game, except 
that we prohibit hunting on the designated portions of the Edward-Long 
Lake Waterfowl Production Area in Stevens County, in accordance with 
State regulations and subject to the following conditions:
    1. Conditions A2 through A4 apply.
    2. You may only use or possess approved nontoxic shot shells while 
in the field, including shot shells used for hunting wild turkey (see 
Sec.  32.2(k)).
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    2. You must remove all portable hunting stands and blinds each day 
at the close of hunting hours (see Sec.  27.93 of this chapter).
* * * * *

Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge

* * * * *
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    3. You may only use or possess approved nontoxic shot shells while 
in the field, including shot shells used for hunting wild turkey (see 
Sec.  32.2(k)).
* * * * *

Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. * * *
* * * * *
    2. We allow non-motorized boats in areas open to waterfowl hunting 
during the waterfowl hunting season, and they must be launched at 
designated access sites.
    3. You must remove boats, decoys, and blinds from the refuge 
following each day's hunt.
* * * * *
    5. We prohibit hunting from March 1 through August 31.
* * * * *
    B. Upland Game Hunting. * * *
    3. Conditions A5 through A7 apply.
* * * * *
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    1. The refuge is closed to turkey hunting, except we allow a turkey 
hunt for youth hunters and persons with disabilities by special use 
permit (FWS Form 3-1383-G).
* * * * *
    7. Turkey hunters may possess only approved nontoxic shot while in 
the field (see Sec.  32.2(k)).
* * * * *
    D. Sport Fishing. Fishing is allowed on the St. Francis River and 
Battle Brook during daylight hours in accordance with State regulations 
and subject to the following conditions:
    1. From March 1 through August 31 (the refuge Wildlife Sanctuary 
period), fishing is only allowed from non-motorized boats on the 
designated canoe route and on banks within 100 yards (both upstream and 
downstream) of designated access points.
    2. We prohibit the taking of any mussel (clam), crayfish, frog, 
leech, and turtle species by any method on the refuge (see Sec.  27.21 
of this chapter).
    3. We prohibit the use of dip nets, traps, or seines for collecting 
bait.
* * * * *

Windom Wetland Management District

* * * * *
    B. Upland Game Hunting. We allow hunting of upland game throughout 
the district, except that you may not hunt on the Worthington Waterfowl 
Production Area (WPA) in Nobles County, Headquarters WPA in Jackson 
County, or designated portions of the Wolf Lake WPA in Cottonwood 
County, in accordance with State regulations and subject to the 
following conditions:
    1. Conditions A3 through A5 apply.
    2. You may only use or possess approved nontoxic shot shells while 
in the field, including shot shells used for hunting wild turkey (see 
Sec.  32.2(k)).
* * * * *

0
20. Amend Sec.  32.44 by:
0
a. Revising the entry for Middle Mississippi River National Wildlife 
Refuge.
0
b. Revising the introductory text in paragraphs A and B; revising 
paragraphs A.3, A.6, B.1, B.2, B.5, B.6, B.7, and C; redesignating 
paragraphs A.7 and A.8 as A.8 and A.9, respectively; and adding new 
paragraphs A.7 and B.8 under Mingo National Wildlife Refuge.
    These additions and revisions read as follows:


Sec.  32.44  Missouri.

* * * * *

Middle Mississippi River National Wildlife Refuge

    Refer to Sec.  32.32 (Illinois) for Missouri regulations.
* * * * *

Mingo National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. We allow waterfowl hunting in Pool 
7 and Pool 8 in accordance with State and Federal regulations and 
subject to the following conditions:
* * * * *

[[Page 14832]]

    3. We prohibit the use of paint, non-biodegradable flagging, 
reflectors, tacks, or other manmade materials to mark trails or hunting 
locations (see Sec.  27.61 of this chapter).
* * * * *
    6. We require hunters to go through the Missouri Department of 
Conservation daily draw process at Duck Creek Conservation Area to hunt 
in Pool 7 and Pool 8.
    7. We will only open Pool 7 for waterfowl hunting 3 days a week, 
when conditions allow.
* * * * *
    B. Upland Game Hunting. We allow hunting of squirrel, raccoon, and 
bobcat in designated areas of the refuge in accordance with State 
regulations and subject to the following conditions:
    1. Conditions A3, A8, and A9 apply.
    2. We allow hunter access from 1\1/2\ hours before legal shooting 
time until 1\1/2\ hours after legal shooting time.
* * * * *
    5. We allow squirrel hunting from the State opening day until the 
day before the State opening of archery deer season.
    6. You may only use or possess approved nontoxic shot shells while 
in the field (see Sec.  32.2(k)) and rifles chambered for rimfire 
cartridges.
    7. Archery hunters may take squirrels, raccoons, and bobcats while 
archery deer hunting.
    8. We allow raccoon hunting by special use permit during the 
Statewide raccoon season.
    C. Big Game Hunting. We allow big game hunting in designated areas 
of the refuge in accordance with State regulations subject to the 
following conditions:
    1. Conditions A3, A5, A8, A9, and B2 apply.
    2. We require that all hunters register at the hunter sign-in 
stations and complete the Big Game Harvest Report (FWS Form 3-2359) 
located at the exit kiosks prior to exiting the refuge.
    3. We allow archery hunting for deer and turkey during the fall 
season.
    4. We allow spring turkey hunting. You may only use or possess 
approved nontoxic shot shells while in the field, including shot shells 
used for hunting wild turkey (see Sec.  32.2(k)).
    5. You must remove all boats brought onto the refuge at the end of 
each day (see Sec.  27.93 of this chapter).
    6. We allow archery hunting in the Expanded General Hunt Area 
through October 31.
    7. We allow portable tree stands only from 2 weeks before to 2 
weeks after the State archery deer season with the following exception: 
In the Expanded General Hunt Area, you must remove all personal 
property.
    8. We allow only one tree stand per deer hunter.
    9. We allow only non-motorized boats in the Mingo Wilderness Area.
    10. We require archery deer hunters to wear a hunter-orange (i.e., 
blaze or international orange) hat and a hunter-orange shirt, vest, or 
coat. These hunter-orange clothes need to be plainly visible from all 
sides while scouting or hunting during the overlapping portion of the 
squirrel, archery deer, and turkey seasons. Camouflage orange does not 
satisfy this requirement.
* * * * *

0
21. Amend Sec.  32.45 by:
0
a. Removing paragraph A.7; redesignating paragraphs A.3, A.4, A.5, and 
A.6 as paragraphs A.4, A.5, A.6, and A.7, respectively; revising 
paragraph B.1; and adding paragraphs A.3 and B.4 under Benton Lake 
National Wildlife Refuge.
0
b. Revising the introductory text in paragraphs A, B, and C under 
Benton Lake Wetland Management District.
0
c. Revising paragraphs A.1, A.3, A.5, A.7, A.13, C.1, C.3, and C.4 and 
adding paragraphs A.19, C.10, and C.11 under Lee Metcalf National 
Wildlife Refuge.
0
d. Revising paragraphs B.1, B.3, B.5, B.6, B.7, B.9, C.1, C.2, and C.3 
and removing paragraphs C.4, C.5, C.6, C.7, C.8, C.9, C.10, and C.11 
under Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge.
0
e. Revising paragraphs A.1, A.2, B.1, B.2, C.1, and D; redesignating 
paragraph A.3 as paragraph A.6; and adding paragraphs A.3, A.4, A.5, 
A.7, C.2, and C.3 under Northwest Montana Wetland Management District.
0
f. Revising paragraphs A.5 and C.10 under Red Rock Lakes National 
Wildlife Refuge.
0
g. Revising paragraph A under Swan River National Wildlife Refuge.
    These additions and revisions read as follows:


Sec.  32.45  Montana.

* * * * *

Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. * * *
    3. We allow hunting during youth waterfowl hunts in accordance with 
State regulations.
* * * * *
    B. Upland Game Hunting. * * *
    1. Conditions A2 and A7 apply.
* * * * *
    4. We allow hunting during youth pheasant hunts in accordance with 
State regulations.
* * * * *

Benton Lake Wetland Management District

    A. Migratory Game Bird Management. We allow migratory game bird 
hunting on Waterfowl Production Areas (WPA) throughout the District, 
excluding Sands WPA in Hill County and H2-0 WPA in Powell County, in 
accordance with State regulations and subject to the following 
conditions:
* * * * *
    B. Upland Game Hunting. We allow the hunting of coyotes, skunks, 
red fox, raccoons, hares, rabbits, and tree squirrels on Waterfowl 
Production Areas (WPAs) throughout the District, excluding Sands WPA in 
Hill County and H2-0 WPA in Powell County, in accordance with State 
regulations and subject to the following conditions:
* * * * *
    C. Big Game Hunting. We allow big game hunting on WPAs throughout 
the District, excluding Sands WPA in Hill County and H2-0 WPA in Powell 
County, in accordance with State regulations and subject to the 
following condition: Condition B2 applies.
* * * * *

Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. * * *
    1. Hunting Access: Hunters must enter and exit the Waterfowl Hunt 
Area (see map in refuge Hunting and Fishing brochure) through the 
Waterfowl Hunt Area parking lot. All hunters, except those with a 
Montana disability license, must park in the Waterfowl Hunt Area 
parking lot to access the Waterfowl Hunt Area. For those hunters with 
Montana disability licenses, contact the Refuge Manager by phone or 
email for disability guidelines. Hunters must walk to the blind 
selected along mowed trails designated in the refuge Hunting and 
Fishing brochure. Legal entry time into the hunting area is no earlier 
than 2 hours before legal shooting hours. Wildlife observation, 
scouting, and loitering during waterfowl hunting season are prohibited 
at the Waterfowl Hunting Area parking lot and on the refuge road 
leading to the Waterfowl Hunt Area parking lot.
* * * * *
    3. Registration (Kiosk Sign-In/Sign-Out box): Each hunter must 
complete the Migratory Bird Hunt Report (FWS Form 3-2361), must set the 
appropriate blind selector (metal flip tag) before and after hunting, 
and must record hunting data (hours hunted and birds harvested) on FWS 
Form 3-2361 before departing the hunting area.
* * * * *

[[Page 14833]]

    5. We prohibit attempting to ``reserve'' a blind for use later in 
the day by depositing a vehicle or other equipment on the refuge. A 
hunter must be physically present in the hunting area in order to use a 
blind. The exceptions are blinds 2 and 7, which may be reserved for 
hunters with disabilities.
* * * * *
    7. Hunters with a documented mobility disability (you must have a 
current year Resident with a Disability Conservation License issued by 
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks) may reserve an accessible blind in 
advance by contacting a refuge law enforcement officer.
* * * * *
    13. We prohibit boats, fishing, and fires (see Sec.  27.95 of this 
chapter).
* * * * *
    19. Any mechanical decoy powered by battery or solar usage is 
prohibited.
* * * * *
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    1. Hunting Access: Hunters must enter and exit the hunt areas (see 
map in refuge Hunting and Fishing brochure) through the designated 
Hunter Access Parking sites. We open access points to hunters intending 
to immediately hunt on the refuge. We prohibit wildlife observation, 
scouting, and loitering at access points and parking areas. Hunters may 
only enter the hunt area 2 hours prior to legal hunting hours and must 
exit no later than 2 hours after legal hunting hours.
* * * * *
    3. Registration (Sign-In/Sign-Out box): Each hunter must complete 
the Big Game Harvest Report (FWS Form 3-2359) before departing the 
hunting area.
    4. Tree Stands and Ground Blinds: We allow each hunter the use of 
portable tree stands or ground blinds. All tree stands and ground 
blinds must be identified with a tag that has the owner's name and 
Montana archery license (ALS) number on it. We prohibit hunters leaving 
each stand/blind unattended for more than 72 hours.
* * * * *
    10. Rallying game to another hunter and/or deer drives is 
prohibited.
    11. We prohibit the installation or use of remote cameras on the 
refuge.
* * * * *

Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge

* * * * *
    B. Upland Game Hunting. * * *
    1. We do not allow hunting in areas posted as ``Closed to Hunting'' 
and identified in the public use leaflet.
* * * * *
    3. We allow use of riding or pack stock on designated access routes 
through the refuge to access off-refuge lands as identified in the 
public use leaflet.
* * * * *
    5. Hunters may possess only approved nontoxic shot while in the 
field (see Sec.  32.2(k)).
    6. We prohibit overnight camping and open fires (see Sec.  27.95(a) 
of this chapter).
    7. We prohibit retrieval of game in areas closed to hunting without 
a refuge retrieval permit.
* * * * *
    9. We allow parking in designated areas only as identified in the 
public use leaflet.
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    1. Conditions B1 through B9 apply.
    2. The first week of the archery elk and deer hunting season and 
the first week of general elk and deer hunting season are open to 
youth-only (ages 12-15 only) hunting. A non-hunting adult at least 18 
years of age must accompany the youth hunter in the field.
    3. Persons assisting disabled hunters must not be afield with a 
hunting firearm, bow, or other hunting device.
* * * * *

Northwest Montana Wetland Management District

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. * * *
    1. Hunters must remove all boats, decoys, portable blinds 
(including those made of native materials), boat blinds, and all other 
personal property at the end of each day (see Sec. Sec.  27.93 and 
27.94 of this chapter).
    2. We prohibit motorboats except on the Flathead and Smith Lake 
Waterfowl Production Areas (WPAs) in Flathead County. Motorboats must 
be operated at no wake speeds.
    3. We prohibit the construction or use of permanent blinds, stands, 
or scaffolds.
    4. We allow the use of hunting dogs, provided the dog is under the 
immediate control of the hunter at all times during the State-approved 
hunting season. Commercial dog trials are not allowed. Pets must be on 
a leash at all other times.
    5. Shotgun hunters may possess only approved nontoxic shot while in 
the field (see Sec.  32.2(k)).
* * * * *
    7. We prohibit overnight camping and open fires (see Sec.  27.95(a) 
of this chapter).
    B. Upland Game Hunting. * * *
    1. We prohibit hunting with a shotgun capable of holding more than 
three shells.
    2. Conditions A1 through A7 apply.
* * * * *
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    1. We allow portable tree stands and/or portable ground blinds; 
however, hunters must remove them and all other personal property at 
the end of each day (see Sec.  27.93 of this chapter). We prohibit 
construction and/or use of tree stands or portable ground blinds from 
dimensional lumber. We prohibit the use of nails, wire, screws, or 
bolts to attach a stand to a tree or hunting from a tree into which a 
metal object has been driven (see Sec.  32.2(i)).
    2. Conditions A2, A3, A6, A7, and B1 apply.
    3. Flathead, Blasdel, and Batavia WPAs are restricted to hunting 
with archery equipment, shotgun, traditional handgun, muzzleloader, or 
crossbow only.
    D. Sport Fishing. We allow sport fishing on all Waterfowl 
Production Areas (WPAs) throughout the wetland district in accordance 
with State law (Flathead County WPAs) and per Joint State and 
confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal regulations (Lake County WPAs) 
and subject to the following conditions:
    1. We prohibit leaving or dumping any dead animal, fish or fish 
entrails, garbage, or litter on the refuge (see Sec.  27.94 of this 
chapter).
    2. We prohibit all public access on WPAs from March 1 to July 15 
(Flathead County WPAs) each year to protect nesting birds.
    3. Conditions A2 and A7 apply.
* * * * *

Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. * * *
    5. We prohibit camping along roadsides. We allow camping only in 
two established campgrounds. We restrict camping to 16 consecutive days 
within any 30-day period. We prohibit horses in the campgrounds. From 
March 1 to December 1, all bear attractants including, but not limited 
to, food, garbage, and carcasses or parts thereof, must be acceptably 
stored at night (unless in immediate use) and during the day if 
unattended. Acceptably stored means any of the following:
    i. Suspended at least 10 feet high and 4 feet from any vertical 
support 100 yards from any camp or hiking trail;
    ii. Secured in a certified bear safe container; or
    iii. Secured in a hard-sided vehicle, including an enclosed camper 
or horse trailer.
* * * * *
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    10. We prohibit hunting and/or shooting from or onto refuge lands 
from

[[Page 14834]]

within 50 yards (45 meters) of the centerline of any public road open 
to motorized vehicles.
* * * * *

Swan River National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. We allow hunting of geese, ducks, 
and coots on designated areas of the refuge subject to the following 
condition: Hunters may possess only approved nontoxic shot while in the 
field (see Sec.  32.2(k)).
* * * * *

0
22. Amend Sec.  32.46 by:
0
a. Revising paragraphs C.1, C.2, C.4, and C.5; redesignating paragraphs 
C.6, C.7, and C.8 as paragraphs C.7, C.8, and C.9, respectively; 
revising newly designated paragraph C.9; and adding paragraphs C.6, 
C.10, C.11, C.12, C.13, D.3, and D.4 under Fort Niobrara National 
Wildlife Refuge.
0
b. Revising the entry for Valentine National Wildlife Refuge.
    These additions and revisions read as follows:


Sec.  32.46  Nebraska.

* * * * *

Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge

* * * * *
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    1. We require the submission of a Big/Upland Game Hunt Application 
(FWS Form 3-2356). We require hunters to carry a signed refuge hunting 
access permit (hunt application signed by the refuge officer) while 
hunting. We require hunters to complete a Big Game Harvest Report (FWS 
Form 3-2359) and return it to the refuge at the conclusion of the 
hunting season.
    2. We allow deer hunting with muzzleloader and archery equipment. 
We prohibit deer hunting with firearms capable of firing cartridge 
ammunition.
* * * * *
    4. We allow deer hunting in the area defined as, ``Those refuge 
lands situated north and west of the Niobrara River.'' We allow access 
to this area only from designated refuge parking areas and the Niobrara 
River.
    5. We prohibit hunting within 200 yards (180 meters) of any public 
use facility.
    6. We allow hunter access from 2 hours before legal sunrise until 2 
hours after legal sunset.
* * * * *
    9. We require tree stands, elevated platforms, and ground blinds to 
be removed daily. We require hunters to clearly label unattended tree 
stands, elevated platforms, and ground blinds with the hunter's name 
and address or hunting license number legible from the ground. Tree 
stands, elevated platforms, and/or ground blinds may be put up no 
earlier than the opening day of deer season and must be removed by the 
last day of deer season.
    10. We prohibit hunting during the Nebraska November Firearm Deer 
Season.
    11. We prohibit the use of game carts or any other wheeled device 
to retrieve game on the Wilderness Area portion of the refuge that is 
opened for hunting.
    12. We prohibit the marking of any tree or other refuge feature 
with reflectors, flagging, paint, or other substances.
    13. We prohibit the use of electronic or photographic trail 
monitoring devices.
    D. Sport Fishing. * * *
    3. We prohibit the take of baitfish, reptiles, and amphibians.
    4. We prohibit use or possession of alcoholic beverages while 
fishing on refuge lands and waters.
* * * * *

Valentine National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. We allow hunting of waterfowl and 
coots on designated areas of the refuge in accordance with State 
regulations and subject to the following refuge-specific regulations:
    1. We close the refuge to the general public from legal sunset to 
legal sunrise; however, we allow hunter access from 2 hours before 
legal sunrise to 2 hours after legal sunset.
    2. We only allow you to unleash dogs used to locate, point, and 
retrieve upland and small game and migratory birds on the refuge while 
hunting (see Sec.  26.21(b) of this chapter).
    B. Upland Game Hunting. We allow hunting of sharp-tailed grouse, 
prairie chicken, ring-necked pheasant, dove, and coyote on designated 
areas of the refuge in accordance with State regulations and subject to 
the following refuge-specific regulations:
    1. Conditions A1 and A2 apply.
    2. Coyote hunting is allowed from the Saturday closest to November 
13 through March 15. Shooting hours are \1/2\ hour before sunrise to 
\1/2\ hour after sunset. The use of dogs or bait to hunt coyotes is 
prohibited.
    C. Big Game Hunting. We allow hunting of white-tailed and mule deer 
on designated areas of the refuge in accordance with State regulations 
and subject to the following refuge-specific condition: Condition A1 
applies.
    D. Sport Fishing. We allow fishing on designated areas of the 
refuge in accordance with State regulations and subject to the 
following refuge-specific regulations:
    1. We close the refuge to the general public from legal sunset to 
legal sunrise; however, anglers may enter the refuge 1 hour before 
legal sunrise and remain 1.5 hours after legal sunset.
    2. We prohibit the take of reptiles, amphibians, and minnows, with 
the exception that bullfrogs may be taken on refuge lakes open to 
fishing.
* * * * *

0
23. Amend Sec.  32.50 by:
0
a. Revising paragraphs A.2.i, A.2.ii, A.2.iii, A.2.iv, A.5, A.8, 
B.2.iii, and C.2 and adding paragraph B.2.iv under Bitter Lake National 
Wildlife Refuge.
0
b. Revising the entry for Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.
0
c. Revising paragraph C under San Andres National Wildlife Refuge.
0
d. Revising paragraph A under Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge.
    These revisions and additions read as follows:


Sec.  32.50  New Mexico.

* * * * *

Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. * * *
    2. * * *
    i. In the designated public hunting area, this is located in the 
southern portion of the Tract;
    ii. To no closer than 100 yards (90 meters) to the public auto tour 
route;
    iii. To Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays during the period when 
the State seasons for the Middle Tract area are open simultaneously for 
hunting all of the species allowed; and
    iv. All hunting must cease at 1 p.m. (local time) on each hunt day.
* * * * *
    5. We prohibit pit or permanent blinds and require removal of all 
waterfowl decoys and all temporary blinds/stands daily after each hunt 
(see Sec.  27.93 of this chapter).
* * * * *
    8. We do not require refuge or other special hunt permits other 
than those required by the State.
* * * * *
    B. Upland Game Hunting. * * *
    2. * * *
    iii. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays during the appropriate 
State season for that area; and
    iv. All hunting must cease at 1 p.m. (local time) on each hunt day.
* * * * *
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    2. Conditions A8 and A9 apply.
* * * * *

[[Page 14835]]

Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. We allow hunting of mourning and 
white-winged dove and light goose on designated areas of the refuge in 
accordance with State and Federal regulations and any special posting 
or publications and subject to the following conditions:
    1. We allow hunting of light goose on dates to be determined by 
refuge staff. The permit is available through a lottery drawing 
(Waterfowl Lottery Application, FWS Form 3-2355) and hunters must pay a 
fee. Contact the refuge for more information.
    2. Legal hunting hours will run from \1/2\ hour before legal 
sunrise and will not extend past 1:00 p.m. (local time) on each hunt 
day.
    3. Refer to the refuge hunt leaflet for designated hunting areas.
    4. You may use only approved nontoxic shot while hunting (see Sec.  
32.2(k)).
    5. We prohibit pit or permanent blinds and require daily removal of 
all waterfowl decoys, spent shells, all temporary blinds/stands, and 
all other personal equipment (see Sec. Sec.  27.93 and 27.94 of this 
chapter).
    6. We allow unleashed hunting and/or retrieving dogs on the refuge 
when hunters are legally present in areas where we allow hunters, only 
if the dogs are under the immediate control of hunters at all time (see 
Sec.  26.21(b) of this chapter), and only to pursue species legally in 
season at that time.
    7. We prohibit hunters and dogs from entering closed areas for 
retrieval of game.
    8. We prohibit falconry on the refuge.
    9. We prohibit canoeing, boating, or floating through the refuge on 
the Rio Grande.
    10. We prohibit hunting any species on the Rio Grande within the 
refuge.
    11. We prohibit overnight camping without a permit.
    12. All State and Federal hunting and fishing regulations regarding 
methods of take, dates, bag limits, and other factors apply to all 
hunting and fishing on the refuge, in addition to these refuge-specific 
regulations.
    13. Visit the refuge visitor center or Web site, and/or refer to 
additional on-site brochures, leaflets, or postings for additional 
information.
    B. Upland Game Hunting. We allow hunting of quail and cottontail 
rabbit on designated areas of the refuge in accordance with State 
regulations and any special posting or publications subject to the 
following conditions:
    1. We allow only shotguns and archery equipment for hunting of 
upland game. We prohibit the use of archery equipment on the refuge 
except when hunting for upland and big game.
    2. Conditions A2 through A13 apply.
    C. Big Game Hunting. We allow hunting of mule deer, oryx, and 
bearded Rio Grande turkey on designated areas of the refuge in 
accordance with State regulations and any special posting or 
publications subject to the following conditions:
    1. Conditions A5 through A13 apply.
    2. Refer to the refuge hunt leaflet for designated hunting areas.
    3. Hunting on the east side of the Rio Grande is only by foot, 
horseback, or bicycle. Bicycles must stay on designated roads.
    4. We may allow oryx hunting from the east bank of the Rio Grande 
to the east boundary of the refuge for population management purposes 
for hunters possessing a valid State permit. We may also establish 
special hunts of the oryx on dates established by refuge staff. Contact 
the refuge for more information.
    5. Legal hunting hours will run from 1 hour before legal sunrise 
and will not extend past 1 hour after legal sunset.
    6. We allow hunting of bearded Rio Grande turkey for youth hunters 
only on dates determined by refuge staff. All hunters must fill out FWS 
Form 3-2356 (Big/Upland Game Hunt Application) and pay a fee. The 
permit is available through a lottery drawing. If selected, you must 
carry your refuge special use permit (FWS Form 3-1383-G) at all times 
during the hunt. All hunters are required to fill out a harvest report 
(FWS Form 3-2359, Big Game Harvest Report) and return it to the refuge 
within 72 hours. Contact the refuge for more information.
    7. Youth hunters age 17 and under must successfully complete a 
State-approved hunter education course prior to the refuge hunt. While 
hunting, each youth must possess and carry a card or certificate of 
completion.
    8. Each youth hunter must remain with an adult companion age 18 or 
older. Each adult companion must possess and carry an adult companion 
permit (signed refuge youth turkey hunt brochure) and can supervise no 
more than one youth hunter. Adult companions may observe and call, but 
they cannot shoot.
    9. We allow the use of temporary ground blinds only for youth 
turkey hunts, and hunters must remove them from the refuge daily (see 
Sec.  27.93 of this chapter). It is unlawful to damage, cut, or mark 
any tree or other refuge structure with paint, flagging tape, ribbon, 
cat-eyes, or any similar marking device.
    D. Sport Fishing. We allow fishing on designated areas of the 
refuge in accordance with State regulations and any special posting or 
publications subject to the following conditions:
    1. Condition A9 applies.
    2. We allow fishing from April 1 through September 30.
    3. We allow fishing from \1/2\ hour before legal sunrise until \1/
2\ hour after legal sunset.
    4. We allow fishing on all canals within the refuge boundaries 
(Interior Drain, Riverside, Canal, and Low Flow Conveyance Channel), 
and unit 25AS either from the boardwalk or from shore.
    5. We prohibit trotlines, bows and arrows, boats or other flotation 
devices, seining, dip netting, traps, using bait taken from the refuge, 
taking of turtle, littering, and all other activities not expressly 
allowed (see Sec.  27.2l of this chapter).
    6. Access to the canals is via the tour loop. We prohibit fishing 
in closed areas of the refuge, with the exception of the Low Flow 
Conveyance Channel.
    7. We allow frogging for bullfrog on the refuge in areas that are 
open to fishing.
    8. All State and Federal fishing regulations regarding methods of 
take, dates, creel limits, and other factors apply to all fishing on 
the refuge, in addition to these refuge-specific regulations.
    9. We prohibit fishing for any species on the Rio Grande within the 
refuge.
* * * * *

San Andres National Wildlife Refuge

* * * * *
    C. Big Game Hunting. Hunting of oryx or gemsbok (Oryx gazella) and 
desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis mexicana) is allowed on 
designated areas of the refuge in accordance with New Mexico Department 
of Game and Fish (NMDGF) and White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) 
regulations and subject to the following conditions:
    1. Hunters are required to check in and out of the hunt area.
    2. Hunters are required to complete an unexploded ordnance (UXO) 
training prior to entering hunt area.
    3. The hunter may be accompanied by no more than three guests 
including their guide(s).
    4. Only approved WSMR outfitters can be used.
    5. All hunters must enter and exit through the Small Missile Range 
gate on Range Road 7.
    6. All members of the hunting party are required to wear solid or 
camouflage-style, florescent orange (hunter's orange) clothing while 
away from the vehicle and in the field

[[Page 14836]]

hunting. A minimum of 144 square inches must appear on both the chest 
and back (a typical blaze-orange hunting vest).
    7. Hunters may be escorted, but not guided, by WSMR, NMDGF, or 
refuge personnel or their agent(s). Check stations may be used in lieu 
of hunt escorts.
    8. Hunters must follow photo and video policy as described by WSMR 
regulations.
    9. Youth hunters, 16 years of age and younger, must be under the 
direct supervision of an adult, 18 years of age or older.
    10. Persons possessing, transporting, or carrying firearms on 
National Wildlife Refuges must comply with all provisions of State and 
local law. Persons may only use (discharge) firearms in accordance with 
refuge regulations (see Sec.  27.42 of this chapter and specific refuge 
regulations in this part 32).
    11. Hunters and their guests must abide by all rules established by 
the refuge, WSMR, and NMDGF regulations.
    12. Bighorn Sheep: Hunting desert bighorn sheep is allowed on 
designated areas of the refuge in accordance with NMDGF and WSMR 
regulations and subject to the following conditions specifically for 
bighorn sheep:
    i. If camping is allowed on WSMR lands, then camping is allowed at 
Little San Nicholas Camp on the refuge.
    ii. Four-wheeled all-terrain vehicle (ATV) use by hunters or 
members of their hunting party is prohibited on the refuge, although 
ATVs may be used to retrieve game on WSMR.
    iii. Hunters using livestock (i.e., horses or mules) must provide 
only weed-free feed to their animals while on the refuge.
    iv. Hunters or other members of the hunting party are not allowed 
to hunt small game or other species during desert bighorn ram hunts. 
Only bighorn sheep may be hunted by individuals with ram tags.
    13. Oryx. Hunting oryx is allowed on designated areas of the refuge 
in accordance with NMDGF and WSMR regulations and subject to the 
following condition specifically for oryx: Four-wheeled all-terrain 
vehicle (ATV) use by hunters or members of their hunting party is 
allowed on the refuge and WSMR only to retrieve game.
* * * * *

Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. We allow hunting of mourning and 
white-winged doves, geese, ducks, and coots on designated areas of the 
refuge in accordance with State regulations and any special posting or 
publications and subject to the following conditions:
    1. Legal hunting hours will run from \1/2\ hour before legal 
sunrise and will not extend past 1:00 p.m. (local time) on each hunt 
day.
    2. The refuge may designate special youth and/or persons with 
disabilities hunting days during the regular game bird season. This 
will apply to areas and species that are currently part of the refuge's 
hunting program. Contact the refuge for more information.
    3. Refer to the refuge hunt leaflet for designated hunting areas.
    4. You may use only approved nontoxic shot while hunting (see Sec.  
32.2(k)) in the field, in quantities of 25 or fewer.
    5. We prohibit pit or permanent blinds and require daily removal of 
all waterfowl decoys, spent shells, all temporary blinds/stands, and 
all other personal equipment (see Sec. Sec.  27.93 and 27.94 of this 
chapter).
    6. We allow unleashed hunting and/or retrieving dogs on the refuge 
when hunters are legally present in areas where we allow hunters, only 
if the dogs are under the immediate control of hunters at all time (see 
Sec.  26.21(b) of this chapter), and only to pursue species legally in 
season at that time.
    7. We prohibit hunters and dogs from entering closed areas for 
retrieval of game.
    8. All State and Federal hunting regulations regarding methods of 
take, dates, bag limits, and other factors, apply to all hunting on the 
refuge, in addition to these refuge-specific regulations.
    9. Visit the refuge visitor center or Web site, and/or refer to 
additional on-site brochures, leaflets, or postings for additional 
information.
* * * * *

0
24. Amend Sec.  32.51 New York by adding, in alphabetical order, an 
entry for Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge to read as 
follows:


Sec.  32.51  New York.

* * * * *

Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. [RESERVED]
    B. Upland Game Hunting. [RESERVED]
    C. Big Game Hunting. We allow hunting of white-tailed deer on 
designated areas of the refuge in accordance with State of New York 
regulations and subject to the following conditions:
    1. You must submit a Big/Upland Game Hunt Application (FWS Form 3-
2356) to hunt on the refuge. We require hunters to possess a signed 
refuge hunt permit (name and address only) at all times while scouting 
and hunting on the refuge. We charge a fee for all hunters except youth 
age 16 and younger.
    2. We provide hunters with hunt maps and parking permits (name 
only), which they must clearly display in their vehicle. Hunters who 
park on the refuge must park in identified hunt parking areas.
    3. We prohibit the use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) on the 
refuge.
    4. We prohibit baiting on refuge lands (see Sec.  32.2(h)).
    5. We require hunters to wear (in a conspicuous manner) a minimum 
of 400 square inches (2,600 square centimeters) of solid-color, hunter-
orange clothing or material on the head, chest, and back.
    6. We prohibit hunters using or erecting permanent blinds.
    7. We allow pre-hunt scouting beginning 2 weeks prior to the bow 
opener and continuing through the end of the deer season.
    8. The refuge only allows archery equipment (crossbows allowed) to 
harvest deer.
    D. Sport Fishing. [RESERVED]
* * * * *

0
25. Amend Sec.  32.53 by:
0
a. Adding paragraph B.4 under Audubon National Wildlife Refuge.
0
b. Revising paragraphs B and C under Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge.
0
c. Revising the introductory text in paragraphs B and D; revising 
paragraphs A.2, B.2, B.3, B.4, B.5, C.2, C.3, C.4, C.5, D.2, D.3, D.4, 
D.5, and D.6; and adding paragraphs B.6, B.7, B.8, B.9, C.6, C.7, C.8, 
C.9, D.7, and D.8 under J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge.
0
d. Revising the introductory text in paragraph B and revising 
paragraphs C.2 and D under Tewaukon National Wildlife Refuge.
    These revisions and additions read as follows:


Sec.  32.53  North Dakota.

* * * * *

Audubon National Wildlife Refuge

* * * * *

B. Upland Game Hunting. * * *

    4. You may possess only approved nontoxic shot while in the field 
(see Sec.  32.2(k)).
* * * * *

Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge

* * * * *
    B. Upland Game Hunting. Hunters may hunt sharp-tailed grouse, 
Hungarian partridge, turkey, ring-necked pheasant, cottontail rabbit,

[[Page 14837]]

jackrabbit, snowshoe hare, and fox on designated areas of the refuge in 
accordance with State regulations and subject to the following 
conditions:
    1. We open the refuge daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
    2. You may possess only approved nontoxic shot while in the field 
(see Sec.  32.2(k)).
    3. Upland game bird and rabbit season opens on the day following 
the close of the regular firearm deer season through the end of the 
State season.
    4. You may use hunting dogs for retrieval of upland game. Dogs must 
be under direct control.
    5. Turkey hunting is subject to all State regulations, license 
requirements, units, and dates.
    6. Fox hunting is allowed on the day following the regular firearm 
deer season and closes on March 31.
    7. We prohibit hunting the area around refuge headquarters, 
buildings, shops, and residences. We post these areas with ``Closed to 
Hunting'' signs.
    8. We proibit the use of snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), 
off-highway vehicles (OHVs), utility terrain vehicles (UTVs), bicycles, 
or similar vehicles on the refuge.
    9. We prohibit the use of horses, mules, or similar livestock on 
the refuge during all hunting seasons.
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    2. We prohibit hunting the area around the refuge headquarters, 
buildings, shops, and residences. We post these areas with ``Closed to 
Hunting'' signs.
    3. We open nine designated Public Hunting Areas (as delineated on 
the refuge hunting brochure map available at the refuge headquarters or 
posted on refuge information boards and/or kiosks) on the refuge for 
deer hunting during the regular firearms issued from the State.
    4. You must possess and carry a refuge permit to hunt antlered deer 
on the refuge outside the nine Public Hunting Areas during the regular 
firearms season.
    5. We only allow the use of portable tree stands and ground blinds. 
We prohibit leaving stands and blinds overnight (see Sec.  27.93 of 
this chapter) on the refuge.
    6. We prohibit the use of flagging, trail markers, paint, 
reflective tacks, or other types of markers (see Sec.  27.93 of this 
chapter).
    7. We prohibit the use of trail cameras and other electronic 
surveillance equipment.
    8. We prohibit entry to the refuge before 12 p.m. (noon) on the 
first day of the respective bow, gun, or muzzleloader deer hunting 
seasons. Refuge roads open to the public may be accessed before 12 p.m. 
(noon).
    9. Conditions B8 and B9 apply.
    D. Sport Fishing. We allow sport fishing on the refuge in 
accordance with State regulations and subject to the following 
conditions:
* * * * *
    2. We allow boat and bank fishing only on specifically designated 
portions of the refuge as delineated on maps, leaflets and/or signs, 
available at the refuge headquarters or posted on refuge information 
boards.
    3. We only allow non-motorized boats or boats with electric motors.
    4. Boat fishing is allowed from May 1 through September 30.
    5. We prohibit entry to or fishing from any water control 
structure.
    6. We open all refuge waters to ice fishing. Ice fishing access is 
limited to foot traffic only.
    7. We allow the use of portable fish houses for ice fishing. 
Portable fish houses may not be left out overnight.
    8. Conditions B8 and B9 apply.
* * * * *

Tewaukon National Wildlife Refuge

* * * * *
    B. Upland Game Hunting. We allow ring-necked pheasant hunting on 
designated areas of the refuge (see refuge brochure/maps for designated 
area) in accordance with State regulations and subject to the following 
conditions:
* * * * *
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    2. We allow deer gun hunting on designated areas of the refuge (see 
refuge brochure/maps for designated areas) in accordance with State 
regulations.
* * * * *
    D. Sport Fishing. We allow sport fishing on designated waters 
(Tewaukon and Sprague Lakes only) in accordance with State regulations 
and subject to the following conditions:
    1. We allow boats from May 1 through September 30.
    2. We allow ice fishing on designated portions of Tewaukon and 
Sprague Lakes (see refuge brochure/maps for designated areas) in 
accordance with State regulations.
* * * * *

0
26. Amend Sec.  32.54 by revising paragraph C.2; removing paragraph 
C.3; and redesignating paragraphs C.4, C.5, C.6, C.7, C.8, and C.9 as 
paragraphs C.3, C.4, C.5, C.6, C.7, and C.8, respectively, under Ottawa 
National Wildlife Refuge to read as follows:


Sec.  32.54  Ohio.

* * * * *

Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge

* * * * *
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    2. We require that hunters check out at the refuge check station 
with a State-issued Big Game Harvest Report no later than 1 hour after 
the conclusion of their controlled hunt.
* * * * *

0
27. Amend Sec.  32.56 by:
    a. Revising paragraph A under Bandon Marsh National Wildlife 
Refuge.
    b. Adding, in alphabetical order, an entry for Baskett Slough 
National Wildlife Refuge.
0
c. Revising the introductory text in paragraph A, revising paragraphs 
A.2 and A.3, and adding paragraph A.4 under Julia Butler Hansen Refuge 
for the Columbian White-Tailed Deer.
0
d. Adding paragraphs A.4 and A.5 under Lewis and Clark National 
Wildlife Refuge.
0
e. Redesignating paragraph A.2 as A.4; revising paragraphs A.1, B, C, 
D.1, and D.2; and adding paragraphs A.2, A.3, A.5, A.6, A.7, A.8, D.3, 
D.4, and D.5 under Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.
0
f. Adding, in alphabetical order, an entry for Nestucca Bay National 
Wildlife Refuge.
0
g. Adding, in alphabetical order, an entry for Siletz Bay National 
Wildlife Refuge.
    These revisions and additions read as follows:


Sec.  32.56  Oregon.

* * * * *

Bandon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. We allow hunting of goose, duck, 
coot, and snipe on that portion of the refuge west of U.S. Highway 101 
and outside the Bandon city limits 7 days per week, and hunting of 
goose, duck, and coot on the Ni-les'tun Unit of the refuge 3 days per 
week, in accordance with State regulations and subject to the following 
conditions:
    1. The established days for waterfowl hunting on the Ni-les'tun 
Unit will be Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday.
    2. Only portable blinds or blinds constructed of on-site dead 
vegetation or driftwood may be used (see Sec.  27.51 of this chapter).
    3. All blinds, decoys, shotshell hulls, and other personal 
equipment and refuse must be removed from the refuge at the end of each 
day (see Sec. Sec.  27.93 and 27.94 of this chapter).
    4. Only federally approved nontoxic shot may be used or be in 
hunters' possession while hunting on the refuge (see Sec.  32.2(k)).

[[Page 14838]]

    5. Hunters accessing the Ni-les'tun Unit via boat must secure or 
anchor boats and use established boat launch areas. Hunters may park 
boats within the marsh while they hunt, but boats landing on the bank 
of the Coquille River within the Ni-les'tun Unit will be required to 
park within a designated location.
    6. Access to the refuge will be prohibited from 1 hour after sunset 
to 1 hour before sunrise.
    7. Hunters may use dogs as an aid to retrieving waterfowl during 
the hunting season; however, dogs must remain under control of the 
handler at all times. Dogs must be in a vehicle or on a leash until 
they are in the marsh as a part of the hunt.
    8. Hunters may enter closed areas of the refuge only to retrieve 
downed birds.
* * * * *

Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. We allow hunting of duck and goose 
on designated areas of the refuge in accordance with State regulations 
and subject to the following conditions:
    1. Only hunters 15 years of age and younger are allowed to 
participate in the Youth Waterfowl Hunt. Youths must be accompanied by 
an adult 21 years of age or older.
    2. Blinds, decoys, and other personal property must be removed at 
the end of each day's hunt (see Sec.  27.93 of this chapter).
    3. Vehicles are restricted to designated public use roads and 
designated parking areas.
    4. We prohibit dogs on the refuge, except for hunting dogs engaged 
in authorized hunting activities, and under the immediate control of a 
licensed hunter (see Sec.  26.21(b) of this chapter).
    5. You may possess only approved nontoxic shells for hunting during 
the early September Goose Hunt and the Youth Duck Hunt.
    6. Open fires are not allowed.
    7. Waterfowl and goose permit (name only) hunters must check back 
to the refuge check station prior to leaving the refuge and submit a 
Migratory Bird Hunt Report (FWS Form 3-2361).
    8. Goose hunters are required to space themselves no less than 200 
yards apart from each other during the early September Goose Hunt.
    9. No overnight camping or after-hours parking is allowed on the 
refuge.
    10. No hunting is allowed from refuge structures, observation 
blinds, boardwalks, or similar structures.
    11. Persons may only use (discharge) firearms in accordance with 
refuge regulations (see Sec.  27.42 of this chapter and refuge-specific 
regulations in this part 32).
    B. Upland Game Hunting. [RESERVED]
    C. Big Game Hunting. [RESERVED]
    D. Sport Fishing. [RESERVED]
* * * * *

Julia Butler Hansen Refuge for the Columbian White-Tailed Deer

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. We allow hunting of goose, duck, 
coot, and common snipe on the refuge-owned shorelines of Crims and 
Wallace Islands in accordance with State regulations and subject to the 
following conditions:
* * * * *
    2. We prohibit permanent blinds. You must remove all personal 
property, including decoys and boats, by 1 hour after legal sunset (see 
Sec. Sec.  27.93 and 27.94 of this chapter).
    3. We open the refuge for day-use access from 1\1/2\ hours before 
legal sunrise until 1\1/2\ hours after legal sunset.
    4. We prohibit dogs on the refuge, except for hunting dogs engaged 
in authorized hunting activities, and under the immediate control of a 
licensed hunter (see Sec.  26.21(b) of this chapter).
* * * * *

Lewis and Clark National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. * * *
    4. We open the refuge for hunting access from 1\1/2\ hours before 
legal sunrise until 1\1/2\ hours after legal sunset.
    5. We prohibit dogs on the refuge, except for hunting dogs engaged 
in authorized hunting activities, and under the immediate control of a 
licensed hunter (see Sec.  26.21(b) of this chapter).
* * * * *

Malheur National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. * * *
    1. We allow nonmotorized boats or boats equipped with only electric 
motors on the North and South Malheur Lake Hunt Units. All boats are 
prohibited on the Buena Vista Hunt Unit.
    2. We allow only portable and temporary hunting blinds. We prohibit 
permanent structures.
    3. You must remove boats, decoys, blinds, materials and all 
personal property at the end of each day (see Sec.  27.93 of this 
chapter).
* * * * *
    5. We may close any refuge access easement road, refuge road, or 
hunting access point for public safety, or when travel may be 
detrimental to the area.
    6. The North Malheur Lake Hunt Unit is open during all established 
State of Oregon migratory bird hunting seasons.
    7. The South Malheur Lake and Buena Vista Hunt Units open for 
migratory bird hunting on the fourth Saturday of October and close at 
the end of the State waterfowl season.
    8. The South Malheur Lake Hunt Unit may be accessed from the Boat 
Launch Road, or from the North Malheur Lake Hunt Unit, but no earlier 
than the fourth Saturday of October.
    B. Upland Game Hunting. We allow hunting of pheasant, quail, 
partridge, chukar, and rabbit on designated areas of the refuge in 
accordance with State regulations and subject to the following 
conditions:
    1. You may possess only approved nontoxic shot while in the field 
(see Sec.  32.2(k))
    2. We allow hunting of upland game species on designated areas of 
the Blitzen Valley east of Highway 205 from the fourth Saturday in 
October through the end of the State pheasant season.
    3. We allow hunting of upland game species on the North Malheur 
Lake Hunt Unit concurrent with the State pheasant season.
    4. We allow hunting of all upland game species on designated areas 
of the refuge west of Highway 205 and south of Foster Flat Road, and on 
designated areas of Krumbo Creek east of the Krumbo Reservoir in 
accordance with State regulations.
    5. We may close any refuge access easement road, refuge road, or 
hunting access point for public safety, or when travel may be 
detrimental to the area.
    C. Big Game Hunting. We allow hunting of deer and pronghorn on 
designated areas of the refuge west of Highway 205 and south of Foster 
Flat Road, and on designated areas of Krumbo Creek east of the Krumbo 
Reservoir, in accordance with State regulations.
    D. Sport Fishing. * * *
    1. We prohibit ice fishing on and all public access to any ice 
formations.
    2. We allow fishing year-round on Krumbo Reservoir and in the 
Blitzen River, East Canal, and Mud Creek upstream from and including 
Bridge Creek.
    3. Fishing is allowed on the north bank of the Blitzen River from 
Sodhouse Lane downstream to the bridge on the Boat Landing Road between 
August 1 and September 15.
    4. We prohibit boats on public fishing areas, except that 
nonmotorized boats and boats equipped with only electric

[[Page 14839]]

motors may be used on Krumbo Reservoir.
    5. We may close any refuge access easement road, refuge road, or 
fishing access point for public safety, or when travel may be 
detrimental to the area.
* * * * *

Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. We allow hunting of ducks and coot 
on refuge lands at Brooten Marsh and the mouth of the Little Nestucca 
River 7 days per week in accordance with State regulations and subject 
to the following conditions:
    1. Only federally approved nontoxic shot may be used or be in 
hunters' possession while hunting on the refuge (see Sec.  32.2(k)).
    2. Only portable blinds or blinds constructed of on-site dead 
vegetation or driftwood may be used (see Sec.  27.51 of this chapter).
    3. All blinds, decoys, shotshell hulls, and other personal 
equipment and refuse must be removed from the refuge at the end of each 
day (see Sec. Sec.  27.93 and 27.94 of this chapter).
    4. Access to the refuge will be prohibited from 1 hour after sunset 
to 2 hours before sunrise.
    5. Hunters may use dogs as an aid to retrieving waterfowl during 
the hunting season; however, dogs must remain under control of the 
handler at all times (see Sec.  26.21(b) of this chapter). Dogs must be 
in a vehicle or on a leash until they are in the marsh as a part of the 
hunt.
    6. Hunters may enter closed areas of the refuge only to retrieve 
downed birds.
    B. Upland Game Hunting. [RESERVED]
    C. Big Game Hunting. [RESERVED]
    D. Sport Fishing. [RESERVED]
* * * * *

Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. We allow hunting of goose, duck, 
and coot on refuge lands west of U.S. Highway 101 7 days per week and 
on the Millport Slough South Unit of the refuge 3 days per week, in 
accordance with State regulations and subject to the following 
conditions:
    1. The established days for waterfowl hunting on the Millport 
Slough South Unit will be Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday.
    2. Only federally approved nontoxic shot may be used or be in 
hunters' possession while hunting on the refuge (see Sec.  32.2(k)).
    3. Only portable blinds or blinds constructed of on-site dead 
vegetation or driftwood may be used (see Sec.  27.51 of this chapter).
    4. All blinds, decoys, shotshell hulls, and other personal 
equipment and refuse must be removed from the refuge at the end of each 
day (see Sec. Sec.  27.93 and 27.94 of this chapter).
    5. Access to the refuge will be prohibited from 1 hour after sunset 
to 2 hours before sunrise.
    6. The use or possession of alcoholic beverages while hunting is 
prohibited.
    7. Hunters may use dogs as an aid to retrieving waterfowl during 
the hunting season; however, dogs must remain under control of the 
handler at all time (see Sec.  26.21(b) of this chapter). Dogs must be 
in a vehicle or on a leash until they are in the marsh as a part of the 
hunt.
    B. Upland Game Hunting. [RESERVED]
    C. Big Game Hunting. [RESERVED]
    D. Sport Fishing. [RESERVED]
* * * * *

0
28. Amend Sec.  32.57 by adding, in alphabetical order, an entry for 
Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge to read as follows:


Sec.  32.57  Pennsylvania.

* * * * *

Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. We allow hunting of migratory 
birds, including waterfowl (i.e., ducks, mergansers, coots, and geese), 
doves, woodcock, snipe, rails, moorhens, and gallinules, on designated 
areas of the refuge in accordance with State of Pennsylvania 
regulations and subject to the following conditions:
    1. You must submit a Migratory Bird Hunt Application (FWS Form 3-
2357) to hunt on the refuge. We require hunters to possess a signed 
refuge hunt permit (name and address only) at all times while scouting 
and hunting on the refuge. We charge a fee for all hunters except youth 
age 16 and younger.
    2. We issue one companion permit (no personal information) at no 
charge to each hunter. We allow companions to observe and/or call, but 
not to shoot a firearm or bow. Companion and hunters must set up in the 
same location. We provide hunters with hunt maps and parking permits 
(name only), which they must clearly display in their vehicle. Hunters 
who park on the refuge must park in identified hunt parking areas.
    3. We prohibit the use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) on the 
refuge.
    4. We require hunters to wear (in a conspicuous manner) solid-
color, hunter-orange clothing or material, consistent with Pennsylvania 
Game Commission regulations.
    5. We prohibit hunters using or erecting permanent or pit blinds.
    6. We require hunters to remove all hunting blind material, boats, 
and decoys from the refuge at the end of each hunting season (see Sec.  
27.93 of this chapter).
    7. We allow pre-hunt scouting concurrent with big game scouting 
continuing through the end of the migratory bird season; however, we 
prohibit the use of dogs during scouting.
    8. Dogs may only be used for waterfowl hunting. We limit the number 
of dogs per waterfowl hunting party to no more than two dogs.
    9. We allow hunters to enter the refuge 2 hours before shooting 
time (as prescribed by Pennsylvania Game Commission regulations), and 
they must leave no later than 2 hours after the end of shooting time.
    B. Upland Game Hunting. We allow hunting of squirrels, grouse, 
rabbit, pheasant, quail, woodchuck, crow, fox, raccoon, opossum, skunk, 
weasel, coyote, and bobcat on designated areas of the refuge in 
accordance with State of Pennsylvania regulations and subject to the 
following conditions:
    1. We require hunters to submit a Big/Upland Game Hunt Application/
Permit (FWS Form 3-2356) to hunt on the refuge. We require hunters to 
possess a signed refuge hunt permit (name and address only) at all 
times while scouting and hunting on the refuge. We charge a fee for all 
hunters except youth age 16 and younger.
    2. Conditions A3, A4, A5, and A9 apply.
    3. We prohibit scouting.
    4. No dogs allowed.
    5. We prohibit baiting on refuge lands (see Sec.  32.2(h)).
    6. We only allow hunting from 1 half hour before legal sunrise to 
legal sunset. We prohibit night hunting.
    C. Big Game Hunting. We allow hunting of white-tailed deer, bear, 
and wild turkey on designated areas of the refuge in accordance with 
State of Pennsylvania regulations and subject to the following 
conditions:
    1. Conditions A3, A4, A5, A9, B1, and B5 apply.
    2. We allow pre-hunt scouting beginning 2 weeks prior to the bow 
opener and continuing through the end of the deer season.
    3. We require hunters to remove all portable hunting blind 
materials from the refuge at the end of each hunting season (see Sec.  
27.93 of this chapter).
    D. Sport Fishing. [RESERVED]
* * * * *

[[Page 14840]]


0
29. Amend Sec.  32.61 by:
0
a. Removing paragraph A.1; redesignating paragraphs A.2 and A.3 as 
paragraphs A.1 and A.2, respectively; revising paragraphs B.1 and C.5; 
and adding paragraphs B.3 and C.10 under Sand Lake National Wildlife 
Refuge.
0
b. Revising paragraphs A, C.4, and D under Sand Lake Wetland Management 
District.
    These revisions and additions read as follows:


Sec.  32.61  South Dakota.

* * * * *

Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge

* * * * *
    B. Upland Game Hunting. * * *
    1. The game bird season begins the Monday following closure of the 
refuge firearms deer season and continues through the first Sunday in 
January.
* * * * *
    3. Hunters are not allowed to enter the refuge each day until 10:00 
a.m.
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    5. Hunters may place their tree stands, elevated platforms, and 
portable ground blinds on the refuge only during their designated 
licensed season. These stands must be removed by the end of their 
designated licensed season (see Sec.  27.93 of this chapter).
* * * * *
    10. Trail monitor cameras are not allowed on the refuge.
* * * * *

Sand Lake Wetland Management District

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. We allow migratory game bird 
hunting on Waterfowl Production Areas throughout the District in 
accordance with State regulations and subject to the following 
conditions:
    1. You must remove boats, decoys, portable blinds, other personal 
property, and any materials brought onto the area for blind 
construction by the end of each day (see Sec. Sec.  27.93 and 27.94 of 
this chapter).
    2. We prohibit bringing any type of live or dead vegetation onto 
the refuge for any purpose at any time.
    3. We allow the use of motorized boats.
* * * * *
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    4. You must remove portable ground blinds, trail cameras, and other 
personal property by the end of each day (see Sec. Sec.  27.93 and 
27.94 of this chapter).
    D. Sport Fishing. We allow sport fishing on Waterfowl Production 
Areas throughout the District in accordance with State regulations and 
subject to the following conditions:
    1. You must remove boats, motor vehicles, fishing equipment, and 
other personal property (excluding ice houses) by the end of each day 
(see Sec. Sec.  27.93 and 27.94 of this chapter).
    2. We allow the use of motorized boats.
* * * * *

0
30. Amend Sec.  32.63 by:
0
a. Revising paragraphs A, C.1, C.2, and C.3 and removing paragraphs 
C.4, C.5, C.6, C.7, C.8, C.9, C.10, C.11, C.12, C.13, C.14, C.15, C.16, 
C.17, C.18, C.19, and C.20 under Aransas National Wildlife Refuge.
0
b. Revising paragraphs A.2, A.3, A.4, A.5, A.6, A.7, A.9, A.11, B, and 
C under Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge.
    These additions and revisions read as follows:


Sec.  32.63  Texas.

* * * * *

Aransas National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. We allow hunting of ducks, coots, 
and mergansers on designated areas of the refuge in accordance with 
State regulations and subject to the following conditions:
    1. Each adult hunter 17 years of age or older must possess an 
Annual Public Hunting Permit (APH) administered by the State.
    2. Hunters may enter the refuge hunt units no earlier than 4 a.m. 
Hunting starts at the designated legal shooting time and ends at 12 
p.m. (noon). Hunters must leave refuge hunt units by 12:30 p.m.
    3. Youth under 17 years of age are required to be under the 
immediate supervision of a duly permitted, authorized supervising 
adult, age 18 or older.
    4. Shotguns with nontoxic shot are the legal means that may be used 
or possessed during these hunts (see Sec.  32.2(k)).
    5. We prohibit pits and permanent blinds. We allow portable blinds 
or temporary natural vegetation blinds. You must remove all blinds from 
the refuge daily (see Sec.  27.93 of this chapter).
    6. We only allow vehicular travel on designated roads and in 
parking areas.
    7. All hunters are transported to and from their hunting location 
by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) personnel.
    8. Hunter check-in begins at 5:00 a.m. and ends at 5:30 a.m. All 
hunters are required to check in and out at the hunter check station 
located on the north end of the Island.
    9. Hunters will select hunt sites on a first-come, first-served 
basis.
    10. Waterfowl hunts are morning only, begin at legal shooting time, 
and end at 12:00 p.m. (noon).
    11. Dogs accompanying hunters must be under the immediate control 
of handlers at all times (see Sec.  26.21(b) of this chapter).
    12. Hunters must remove all decoys, boats, spent shells, marsh 
chairs, and other equipment from the refuge daily (see Sec. Sec.  27.93 
and 27.94 of this chapter). We prohibit the use of plastic flagging, 
reflectors, or reflective tape.
    13. Hunting of geese is prohibited.
    14. The entire refuge or any portion thereof may immediately close 
to hunting in the event of whooping cranes present within the hunt 
area.
* * * * *
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    1. On the Blackjack Unit, we allow hunting subject to the following 
conditions:
    i. We may immediately close the entire refuge or any portion 
thereof to hunting in the event of the appearance of whooping crane in 
the hunt area or in order to conduct habitat management practices as 
required during the available windows (e.g., prescribed burns, roller 
chopping, fire breaks).
    ii. We prohibit the use of dogs to trail game.
    iii. We prohibit target practice or any nonhunting discharge of 
firearms.
    iv. We prohibit hunting with the aid of bait, salt, or any 
ingestible attractant (see Sec.  32.2(h)). We allow sprays and other 
non-ingestible attractants.
    v. Firearm hunters must wear a total of 400 square inches (2,600 
square centimeters) hunter orange, including 144 square inches (936 
square centimeters) visible in front and 144 square inches visible in 
rear. Some hunter orange must appear on head gear.
    vi. All hunters must fill out FWS Form 3-2359 (Big Game Harvest 
Report) upon leaving the hunt area.
    vii. For the archery and rifle season, hunters must obtain a refuge 
permit (name only required) and pay a fee. The hunter must tape the 
smaller vehicle tag on the driver's side windshield. The hunter must 
sign the larger permit and possess it at all times while on the refuge.
    viii. We define youth hunters as ages 9 to 16. A Texas-licensed, 
adult hunter, age 17 or older who has successfully completed a Hunter 
Education Training Course, must accompany youth hunters. We exempt 
those persons born prior to September 2, 1971, from the Hunter 
Education Training course requirement. Each adult hunter may supervise 
two youth hunters.

[[Page 14841]]

    ix. We will annually designate bag limits in the refuge hunt 
brochure.
    x. We allow archery hunting within the deer season for the county 
on specified days listed in the refuge hunt brochure.
    xi. We allow firearm hunting within the deer season for the county 
on specified days listed in the refuge hunt brochure.
    xii. Hunters must clean all harvested game in the field.
    xiii. We prohibit hunting on or across any part of the refuge road 
system, or hunting from a vehicle on any refuge road or road right-of-
way. Hunters must remain at a minimum of 100 yards (90 meters) off any 
designated refuge road or structure.
    xiv. We prohibit hunters using handguns during archery and rifle 
hunts. Hunters may use bows and arrows only in accordance with State 
law. We prohibit use of crossbows for hunting unless we issue a special 
use permit (FWS Form 3-1383-G) due to ``upper 2 limb'' disability. We 
allow the use of archery equipment and centerfire rifles for hunting in 
accordance with State law.
    xv. We allow use of portable hunting stands, stalking of game, and 
still hunting. There is a limit of two portable stands per permitted 
hunter. A hunter may set up the portable stands during the scouting 
week, but must remove them when the hunter's permit expires (see Sec.  
27.93 of this chapter). We prohibit hunters from driving nails, spikes, 
or other objects into trees or hunting from stands secured with objects 
driven into trees (see Sec.  32.2(i)). We prohibit the building of pits 
and permanent blinds.
    xvi. We prohibit blocking of gates and roadways (see Sec.  27.31(h) 
of this chapter). We prohibit vehicles operating off-road for any 
reason. Hunters must park vehicles in such a manner as to not obstruct 
normal vehicle traffic.
    xvii. We allow the use of only biodegradable flagging tape to mark 
trails and hunt stand location during the archery and rifle hunts on 
the refuge. We color-code the flagging tape used each weekend during 
the rifle hunts. Hunters must use the designated flagging tape color 
specified for particular hunt dates. We provide this information on the 
refuge hunt permit and in refuge regulations sent to permittees. 
Hunters must remove flagging (see Sec.  27.93 of this chapter) at the 
end of the hunt. The hunter must write his/her last name in black 
permanent marker on the first piece of flagging tape nearest the 
adjacent designated roadway.
    xiii. We prohibit camping.
    2. On the Matagorda Island Unit, we allow hunting subject to the 
following conditions:
    i. Big Game Hunting Blackjack Unit conditions: C.1.i through C.1.vi 
apply.
    ii. Special permits are issued by lottery drawing through the TPWD 
Public Hunting Program for big game hunts.
    iii. TPWD staff will transport all hunters to and from the 
designated hunting stand.
    iv. All hunters are required to stay in their designated stand 
unless they are retrieving their game. Stalking of game is prohibited.
    v. For hunts administered by TPWD, youth hunters are not required 
to complete a Hunter Education Training Course. However, supervising 
adults born on or after September 2, 1971, must have passed a Hunter 
Education Training Course or possess a State-issued deferral.
    vi. Each adult hunter may supervise up to two youth hunters.
    vii. Hunters can clean all harvested game in the field or at the 
designated cleaning area at the headquarters.
    viii. All deer harvested during the hunt will be tagged with a 
TPWD-issued Special Drawn Legal Deer Tag.
    ix. Hunters are allowed to camp in the designated camping area.
    3. On the Tatton Unit, we allow hunting subject to the following 
conditions:
    i. Big Game Hunting Blackjack Unit conditions: C.1.i through C.1.v 
apply.
    ii. We define youth hunters as ages 9 to 16. All hunters born after 
September 2, 1971 must have completed a State-certified hunter 
education course for refuge administered hunts. A Texas-licensed, adult 
hunter, age 17 or older who has successfully completed a Hunter 
Education Training Course, must accompany youth hunters. We exempt 
those persons born prior to September 2, 1971, from the Hunter 
Education Training course requirement.
    iii. Hunters are transported to and from their hunting location via 
government vehicles.
* * * * *

Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. * * *
    2. Hunting allowed in designated area(s) from noon to sunset.
    3. Refuge will set the bag limits.
    4. You may possess only approved nontoxic shot for hunting while in 
the field (see Sec.  32.2(k)).
    5. Refuge permits (name only) are required with payment of a hunt 
fee.
    6. Dogs are allowed to retrieve game birds during the hunt, but the 
dogs must be under control of the handler at all times and not allowed 
to roam free (see Sec.  26.21(b) of this chapter).
    7. Hunters must be at least 12 years of age. An adult 21 years of 
age or older must accompany hunters between the ages of 12 and 17 
(inclusive) as per State regulations.
* * * * *
    9. The entire refuge or any portion thereof may be closed to 
hunting for the protection of resources or public safety as determined 
by the Refuge Manager.
* * * * *
    11. Hunter may bring up to two guests. Guests may not use a hunting 
firearm. Guests must be with the hunter at all times.
    B. Upland Game Hunting. We allow hunting of wild turkey at 
designated times on designated areas of the refuge in accordance with 
State regulations and subject to the following conditions:
    1. Hunting is permitted consistent with the State season.
    2. Hunters are required to check in and out daily at designated 
check station(s).
    3. Weapons will be consistent with State and Federal regulations.
    4. The entire refuge or any portion thereof may be closed to 
hunting for the protection of resources or public safety as determined 
by the Refuge Manager.
    5. Hunters must be at least 12 years of age. An adult 21 years of 
age or older must accompany hunters between the ages of 12 and 17 
(inclusive) as per State regulations. This adult may supervise no more 
than two hunters.
    6. The refuge will set the bag limits.
    7. Hunters must visibly wear 400 square inches (2,600 square 
centimeters) of hunter orange on the outermost layer of the head, 
chest, and back, which must include a hunter-orange hat or cap.
    8. Refuge permits and the payment of a hunt fee are required.
    9. Dogs are not allowed for hunting.
    10. Vehicles may only be operated on designated roads and parking 
areas.
    11. Off road use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) is prohibited, 
except to retrieve bagged game.
    12. Standby hunting permits are issued only if openings are 
available on the day of each hunt on a first-come, first-served basis. 
Contact Refuge Manager for details.
    13. The use or possession of bait is prohibited during scouting or 
hunting (see Sec.  32.2(h)). Bait is considered anything that may be 
eaten or ingested by wildlife. Scent attractants are allowed.
    14. A hunter may bring one guest. Guest may not use a hunting 
firearm or other hunting weapon (archery). Guest

[[Page 14842]]

may assist hunter in game retrieval or field dressing activities. Guest 
must be with the hunter at all times.
    C. Big Game Hunting. We allow hunting of white-tailed deer and 
feral hog at designated times on designated areas of the refuge in 
accordance with State regulations and subject to the following 
conditions:
    1. Conditions B1 through B14 apply.
* * * * *

0
31. Amend Sec.  32.64 by revising paragraphs C.4, C.5, C.6, and C.7 
under Ouray National Wildlife Refuge to read as follows.


Sec.  32.64  Utah.

* * * * *

Ouray National Wildlife Refuge

* * * * *
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    4. We allow any-legal-weapon elk hunting for youth, disabled, and 
depredation pool hunters during State seasons subject to refuge 
regulations.
    5. We allow archery elk hunting during the general and the Uintah 
Basin extended archery elk hunts during State seasons subject to refuge 
regulations.
    6. We are closed for the general any-legal-weapon (rifle) and 
muzzleloader bull elk hunts.
    7. We allow any-legal-weapon elk hunting during limited late season 
antlerless elk hunts starting on December 1 during State seasons 
subject to refuge regulations.
* * * * *

0
32. Amend Sec.  32.65 by adding, in alphabetical order, an entry for 
Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge to read as follows:


Sec.  32.65  Vermont.

* * * * *

Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. We allow hunting of ducks, geese, 
crows, and American woodcock at the Nulhegan Basin Division and Putney 
Mountain Unit in accordance with State of Vermont regulations, seasons, 
and bag limits subject to the following conditions:
    1. Shooting across, over, or within 10 feet of the traveled portion 
of any gravel road is prohibited in the interest of public safety (see 
Sec. Sec.  25.71 of this chapter).
    2. You may only use portable blinds.
    3. We allow the use of retrieving, flushing, pointing, and pursuit 
dogs; however, dogs must be under control as is reasonable and 
customary for that activity, such as voice command or remote telemetry 
(see Sec.  26.21(b) of this chapter).
    4. We prohibit the use of all-terrain and off-highway vehicles 
(ATVs and OHVs).
    5. You must remove all blinds, decoys, shell casings, and other 
personal equipment and refuse from the refuge at the end of each hunt 
day (see Sec. Sec.  27.93 and 27.94 of this chapter).
    B. Upland Game Hunting. We allow hunting of coyote, fox, raccoon, 
bobcat, woodchuck, red squirrel, eastern gray squirrel, porcupine, 
skunk, snowshoe hare, eastern cottontail, and ruffed grouse at the 
Nulhegan Basin Division and Putney Mountain Unit in accordance with 
State of Vermont regulations, seasons, and bag limits subject to the 
following conditions:
    1. Conditions A1 through A4 apply.
    2. To monitor and mitigate potential disturbances to wildlife and 
neighboring landowners, raccoon hunters hunting at night with dogs will 
require a special use permit (FWS Form 1383-G) issued by the refuge 
manager.
    C. Big Game Hunting. We allow hunting of white-tailed deer, moose, 
black bear, and wild turkey at the Nulhegan Basin Division and Putney 
Mountain Unit in accordance with State of Vermont regulations, seasons, 
and bag limits subject to the following conditions:
    1. Conditions A1 through A4 apply.
    2. We allow only temporary tree stands and you must remove them 
(see Sec.  27.93 of this chapter) by the end of the final deer season. 
Your name and address must be clearly visible on the tree stand. We 
prohibit nails, screws, or screw-in climbing pegs to build or access a 
stand (see Sec.  32.2(i)).
    3. Moose may be retrieved at the Nulhegan Basin Division by a 
commercial moose hauler, subject to a special use permit (FWS Form 
1383-C) issued by the refuge manager.
    D. Sport Fishing. [RESERVED]
* * * * *

0
33. Amend Sec.  32.66 by revising paragraphs C.1, C.5, C.12, and C.13 
under Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge to read as follows:


Sec.  32.66  Virginia.

* * * * *

Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge

* * * * *
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    1. Hunt regulations, hunting application procedures, seasons, 
methods of hunting, maps depicting areas open to hunting, and the terms 
and conditions under which we issue hunting permits are available on 
the refuge's Web site.
* * * * *
    5. All selected and standby applicants must enter the refuge 
between 4 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. on each hunt day. We may issue standby 
hunters permits (name only) to fill vacant slots by lottery. Hunting 
hours will comply with State laws.
* * * * *
    12. We allow scouting on designated days prior to the start of each 
refuge hunt period. Hunters may enter the hunt zones on foot, on 
bicycle, or through transportation provided by the refuge only. Scouts 
must wear 400 square inches (2,600 square centimeters) of visible blaze 
orange.
    13. Hunters may go to Hunt Zone 1 (Long Island) only by hand-
launched watercraft (canoe, punt, rowboat, and similar watercraft) from 
the canoe launch at refuge headquarters. Your boat must meet Coast 
Guard safety requirements. We prohibit use of trailers.
* * * * *

0
34. Amend Sec.  32.67 by:
0
a. Removing paragraphs B.2 and C.2 and redesignating paragraphs B.3 and 
C.3 as paragraphs B.2 and C.2, respectively, under Columbia National 
Wildlife Refuge.
0
b. Revising paragraphs A, C.9, and D under Julia Butler Hansen Refuge 
for the Columbian White-Tailed Deer.
0
c. Revising paragraph A.6 under McNary National Wildlife Refuge.
0
d. Revising paragraphs A.3, A.5, A.11, A.13, and A.14 and adding 
paragraph A.17 under Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge.
0
e. Revising paragraphs A, B, and C under Willapa National Wildlife 
Refuge.
    These revisions and additions read as follows:


Sec.  32.67  Washington.

* * * * *

Julia Butler Hansen Refuge for the Columbian White-Tailed Deer

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. We allow hunting of goose, duck, 
coot, and common snipe on the refuge-owned shorelines of Hunting and 
Price Islands in accordance with State regulations and subject to the 
following conditions:
    1. You may possess only approved nontoxic shot for hunting (see 
Sec.  32.2(k)).
    2. You may not shoot or discharge any hunting firearm from, across, 
or along a public highway, designated route of travel, road, road 
shoulder, road embankment, or designated parking area.
    3. We prohibit permanent blinds. You must remove all personal 
property,

[[Page 14843]]

including decoys and boats, by 1 hour after legal sunset (see 
Sec. Sec.  27.93 and 27.94 of this chapter).
    4. We prohibit hunting along refuge-owned shorelines of Hunting and 
Price Islands where it parallels Steamboat Slough.
    5. We open the refuge for hunting access from 1\1/2\ hour before 
legal sunrise until 1\1/2\ hour after legal sunset.
    6. We prohibit dogs on the refuge, except for hunting dogs engaged 
in authorized hunting activities, and under the immediate control of a 
licensed hunter (see Sec.  26.21(b) of this chapter).
* * * * *
    C. Big Game Hunting. * * *
    9. We require hunters to sign in and out each day at the refuge 
headquarters. When signing out for the day, you must report hunting 
success, failure, and any hit-but-not retrieved animals on the Big Game 
Harvest Report (FWS Form 3-2359).
* * * * *
    D. Sport Fishing. Bank fishing is allowed from the Mainland Unit 
shoreline adjoining the Elochoman and Columbia Rivers as well as 
Steamboat and Brooks Sloughs, in accordance with State fishing 
regulations. Bank fishing is allowed in the pond adjacent to the diking 
district pumping station by Brooks Slough. All other areas of the 
mainland unit are closed to fishing. Bank fishing is allowed along the 
shorelines of refuge islands in accordance with State regulations.
* * * * *

McNary National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. * * *
    6. On the Peninsula Unit, we allow hunting subject to the following 
conditions: On the east shoreline of the Peninsula Unit, we allow 
hunting only from established numbered blind sites, assigned on a 
first-come, first-served basis, and we require hunters to remain within 
100 feet (30 meters) of marked posts unless retrieving birds or setting 
decoys.
* * * * *

Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. * * *
    3. We limit hunting of dusky Canada goose in accordance with State 
regulations and quotas. The State defines dusky Canada goose as a dark 
breasted Canada goose, as determined by a Munsell color chart 10 YR, 5 
or less, with a culmen (bill) length of 40 to 50 millimeters (1.6 to 2 
inches). We will close the refuge goose season early if the dusky 
Canada goose harvest reaches the refuge quota assigned by the State.
* * * * *
    5. Prior to entering the hunt area, you must pay a recreation user 
fee, obtain a blind assignment, and obtain a Migratory Bird Hunt Report 
(FWS Form 3-2361). You must carry the Migratory Bird Hunt Report while 
hunting as proof of blind assignment and user fee payment.
* * * * *
    11. You may possess only approved nontoxic shotshells for hunting 
(see Sec.  32.2(k)) in quantities of 25 or fewer per day.
* * * * *
    13. Prior to switching blinds, you must first report to the refuge 
check station to obtain a new blind assignment. You must submit an 
accurate Migratory Bird Hunt Report (FWS Form 3-2361) for the blind 
being vacated, and obtain a new Migratory Bird Hunt Report for the new 
blind.
    14. Prior to leaving the hunt area, you must check out at the 
refuge check station, submit an accurate Migratory Bird Hunt Report 
(FWS Form 3-2361), and present all harvested birds for inspection by 
check station personnel.
* * * * *
    17. Persons possessing, transporting, or carrying firearms on 
national wildlife refuges must comply with all provisions of State and 
local law. Persons may only use (discharge) firearms in accordance with 
refuge regulations (see Sec.  27.42 of this chapter and specific refuge 
regulations in this part 32).
* * * * *

Willapa National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. Hunting of geese, ducks, coots, and 
snipe is allowed on designated areas of the refuge in accordance with 
State hunting regulations and subject to the following conditions:
    1. Prior to entering the hunt area at the Riekkola and Tarlatt 
Units, all hunters are required to obtain and carry a Migratory Bird 
Hunt Application (FWS Form 3-2357), pay a recreation user fee, obtain a 
blind assignment, and report waterfowl taken per instructions on the 
Migratory Bird Hunt Report (FWS Form 3-2361).
    2. At the Riekkola and Tarlatt Units, hunters may take ducks and 
coots only coincidental to hunting geese.
    3. Goose hunting is allowed on Wednesday and Saturday in the 
Riekkola and Tarlatt Units only from established blinds.
    4. At the Riekkola and Tarlatt Units, you may possess no more than 
25 approved nontoxic shells per day while hunting.
    5. You may possess only approved nontoxic shot for hunting (see 
Sec.  32.2(k)).
    6. You may not shoot or discharge any hunting firearm from, across, 
or along a public highway, designated route of travel, road, road 
shoulder, road embankment, or designated parking area.
    7. We prohibit camping on the refuge except in designated 
campgrounds on Long Island for up to 14 days.
    8. We open the refuge for hunting access from 1\1/2\ hour before 
legal sunrise until 1\1/2\ hour after legal sunset.
    9. We require dogs to be kept on a leash, except for hunting dogs 
engaged in authorized hunting activities, and under the immediate 
control of a licensed hunter (see Sec.  26.21(b) of this chapter). We 
prohibit dogs on Long Island and on beaches within the Leadbetter Point 
Unit.
    10. Access to the hunt area is by foot or boat access only. We 
allow bicycles on designated roads and trails only. Mobility-impaired 
hunters should consult the refuge manager for allowed conveyances.
    11. We prohibit permanent blinds. You must remove all personal 
property, including decoys and boats, by 1 hour after legal sunset (see 
Sec. Sec.  27.93 and 27.94 of this chapter).
    B. Upland Game Hunting. We allow hunting of forest grouse (sooty 
and ruffed) on Long Island, subject to the following conditions:
    1. Hunters are required to obtain and carry a Big/Upland Game Hunt 
Application (FWS Form 3-2356) and report game taken, hours hunted, and 
name/address/date on the Upland/Small Game/Furbearer Report (FWS Form 
3-2362).
    2. Archery hunting only.
    3. You may not shoot or discharge a firearm on Long Island.
    4. Dogs are not allowed on Long Island.
    5. Conditions A7 through A10 apply.
    6. We prohibit fires on the refuge, except in designated 
campgrounds on Long Island (see Sec.  27.95(a) of this chapter).
    C. Big Game Hunting. We allow hunting of deer, elk, and bear on 
designated areas of the refuge, in accordance with State regulations 
subject to the following conditions:
    1. At Long Island hunters must obtain and carry a Big/Upland Game 
Hunt Application (FWS Form 3-2356) and report game taken, hours hunted 
and name/address/date on the Big Game Harvest Report (FWS Form 3-2359).
    2. At Long Island, only archery hunting is allowed, and hunting 
firearms are prohibited.

[[Page 14844]]

    3. Bear hunting is prohibited on any portion of the refuge except 
Long Island.
    4. The use of centerfire or rimfire rifles is prohibited within the 
Lewis, Porter Point, and Riekkola Units.
    5. Dogs are prohibited.
    6. Conditions A7 through A10 and B6 apply.
    7. We prohibit construction or use of permanent blinds, platforms, 
ladders, or screw-in foot pegs.
    8. You must remove all personal property, including stands, from 
the refuge by 1\1/2\ hours after legal sunset (see Sec. Sec.  27.93 and 
27.94 of this chapter).
    9. Tree stands may stay in place for 3 days and must be labeled 
with the hunter's name and phone number, and the date the stand was 
set-up. The stand may be set-up 1\1/2\ hours before legal sunrise. The 
stand must be removed before 1\1/2\ hours after legal sunset on the 
third day.
* * * * *

0
35. Amend Sec.  32.69 by revising paragraph B.5 and removing paragraph 
B.6 under Necedah National Wildlife Refuge to read as follows:


Sec.  32.69  Wisconsin.

* * * * *

Necedah National Wildlife Refuge

* * * * *
    B. Upland Game Hunting. * * *
    5. You may only hunt snowshoe hare during the season for cottontail 
rabbit.
* * * * *

0
36. Amend Sec.  32.70 Wyoming by adding, in alphabetical order, an 
entry for Cokeville Meadows National Wildlife Refuge to read as 
follows:


Sec.  32.70  Wyoming.

* * * * *

Cokeville Meadows National Wildlife Refuge

    A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. We allow hunting of ducks, dark 
geese, coots, mergansers, snipe, Virginia rail, Sora rail, sandhill 
crane, and mourning dove in accordance with State regulations and 
subject to the following conditions:
    1. We prohibit hunting of migratory game birds in areas of the 
refuge indicated on the Cokeville Meadows National Wildlife Refuge 
Hunting Brochure and marked by signs as closed to all hunting or closed 
to migratory bird hunting.
    2. You may only possess approved nontoxic shot while in the field 
(see Sec.  32.2(k)).
    3. We prohibit pits and permanent blinds.
    4. You may use portable blinds or blinds constructed of natural 
dead vegetation (see Sec.  27.51 of this chapter).
    5. You must remove all decoys, shell casings, portable and 
temporary blinds, and other personal equipment (see Sec. Sec.  27.93 
and 27.94 of this chapter) from the refuge at the end of each day.
    6. We prohibit possession or consumption of any alcoholic beverage 
while hunting (see Sec.  32.2(j)).
    7. Hunters may not enter closed areas to retrieve animals legally 
shot in an open area unless authorization has been given by a refuge 
employee or State Conservation Officer. Permission must be obtained 
from private landowners before attempting to retrieve game on private 
land.
    8. Dogs must be leashed and/or under the direct control of a 
handler (see Sec.  26.21(b) of this chapter). The use of dogs to find 
and retrieve legally harvested migratory game birds is allowed.
    9. Hunters must park in a Designated Hunter Parking Area, as 
identified by signs.
    10. Hunters are required to access and exit the hunting areas from 
a Designated Hunter Parking Area only. Drop off or pick up of hunters 
is prohibited except at Hunter Designated Parking Areas.
    11. Hunters may only access the refuge 1 hour before legal sunrise 
until 1 hour after legal sunset.
    B. Upland Game Hunting. We allow hunting of blue grouse, ruffed 
grouse, chuckar partridge, gray partridge, cottontail rabbits, snowshoe 
hares, squirrels (red, gray, and fox), red fox, raccoon, and striped 
skunk in accordance with State regulations and subject to the following 
conditions:
    1. Conditions A2 through A7 and A9 through A11 apply.
    2. We prohibit hunting of upland game species in areas of the 
refuge indicated on the Cokeville Meadows National Wildlife Refuge 
Hunting Brochure and marked by signs as closed to all hunting.
    3. Dogs must be leashed and/or under the direct control of a 
handler. The use of dogs to find and retrieve legally harvested upland 
game birds, cottontail rabbits, and squirrels is allowed and 
encouraged. Dogs may not be used to chase red fox, raccoon, striped 
skunk, or any other species not specifically allowed in A8 or this 
paragraph.
    4. Red fox, raccoon, and striped skunk may be taken on the refuge 
by licensed migratory bird, big game, or upland/small game hunters from 
September 1 until the end of the last open big game, upland bird, or 
small game season. Red fox, raccoon, or striped skunk that is harvested 
must be taken into possession and removed from the refuge.
    5. We prohibit hunting of sage grouse.
    C. Big Game Hunting. We allow hunting of elk, mule deer, white-
tailed deer, pronghorn, and moose in accordance with State regulations 
and subject to the following conditions:
    1. Conditions A3 through A7 and A9 through A11 apply.
    2. We prohibit hunting of big game in areas of the refuge indicated 
on the Cokeville Meadows National Wildlife Refuge Hunting Brochure and 
marked by signs as closed to all hunting.
    3. You may hunt with the aid of a temporary tree stand that does 
not require drilling or nailing into the tree. All personal property, 
including temporary tree stands, must be removed at the end of each day 
(see Sec. Sec.  27.93 and 27.94 of this chapter).
    D. Sport Fishing. [RESERVED]
* * * * *

    Dated: March 4, 2014.
Michael Bean,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Principal 
Deputy.
[FR Doc. 2014-05214 Filed 3-14-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P