Founded by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1903, national wildlife refuges offer access to a host of popular activities while providing vital habitat for thousands of wildlife species. Nearly 60 million people visit refuges each year. You can find at least one refuge in every state and every U.S. territory and within an hour drive of most major cities.

“Through the Great American Outdoors Act, John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act, and numerous other actions, President Trump has improved our nation’s conservation initiatives and expanded public access to outdoor recreational activities on our great public lands, particularly national wildlife refuges,” said U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt. “National Wildlife Refuge Week is a great time to experience these new opportunities by hunting and fishing at our one-of-a-kind national wildlife refuges.”

Special events traditionally mark National Wildlife Refuge Week, observed each year during the second full week of October. Many of this year’s events will be virtual. The first day is a fee-free day at national wildlife refuges that normally charge an entrance fee. However, nearly 500 national wildlife refuges and wetland management districts offer free admittance to the public year-round.

“The Trump Administration’s priority of providing access to public land and policies implemented by Secretary Bernhardt have bolstered our efforts to help the American people enjoy their lands and partake in outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing on public lands,” said Service Director Aurelia Skipwith. “National wildlife refuges offer spaces for people to gather and experience breathtaking wildlife and their habitats while also contributing to local economies.”

National Wildlife Refuge Week celebrates all the ways people can discover a range of world-class recreation opportunities from hunting, fishing, biking and paddling to trail running, photography, walking and virtual nature programs.

Sportsmen and sportswomen can celebrate with expanded hunting and fishing on national wildlife refuges from coast to coast with new opportunities to pursue migratory birds, upland game and big game, as well as a range of fish species.

Under the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, the Service permits hunting and fishing along with four other types of wildlife-dependent recreation, including wildlife photography, environmental education, wildlife observation, and interpretation, when these activities are compatible with an individual refuge’s purpose and mission. Hunting, within specified limits, is permitted on 430 wildlife refuges. Fishing is allowed on 360 wildlife refuges.

More than 101 million Americans – 40 percent of the U.S. population age 16 and older – pursue wildlife-related recreation, including hunting and fishing.

National wildlife refuges pump $3.2 billion per year into local economies and support more than 41,000 jobs, according to the Service’s report Banking on Nature. National wildlife refuges also make life better by conserving wildlife, protecting against erosion and flooding and purifying our air and water.

Findings of a major study show Americans from all backgrounds understand that thriving wildlife populations and places dedicated to their conservation help them and their families live happier, healthier lives.

Learn more about this year’s celebration by visiting: https://www.fws.gov/refuges/events/National-Wildlife-Refuge-Week.html