As a strong advocate of hunting, Hunt 2 Conserve supports this initiative.

The Department of the Interior (DOI) announced a series of priorities that target conservation, hunting and other recreation, natural resource stewardship and growth. The Make America Beautiful Commission, which includes several Trump administration cabinet members and is chaired by DOI Secretary Doug Burgum, released what it calls MABA 250, a strategic initiative to serve as a framework for future conservation policies.

“By honoring our past while building for our future, through responsible conservation, the MABA 250 initiative’s groundbreaking framework will ensure our nation's treasured lands and historic legacy are responsibly managed and preserved for centuries to come," said Secretary Burgum.

Key priorities include balancing stewardship and economic growth, increasing access for hunting, fishing and other recreation, expanding voluntary conservation, reducing red tape by extremists and bureaucracy, and recovering species and supporting habitat.

Below is the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation's stance about the commission’s work: 

RMEF commends the Make America Beautiful Commission appointed by President Trump for its strategic initiative, MABA 250. The priorities laid out in MABA 250 align with our mission to ensure the future of elk, other wildlife, their habitat and our hunting heritage. We look forward to increasing the pace of our shared work priorities, including expanding public access for hunting and fishing, enhancing wildlife habitat on public lands, supporting private conservation and stewardship, and reducing red tape that slows this work down. 

We are particularly heartened by the MABA 250 Commission’s recognition of the conservation achievement of the Great American Outdoor Act (GAOA), which provided permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). RMEF has worked with federal and state agencies in cooperation with private landowners to increase and improve public access and quality wildlife habitat with LWCF investments. 

The Trump administration’s decision to redirect nearly $8 million to grants supporting big-game migration corridors builds on the great success of Secretarial Order 3362. RMEF encourages Congress to codify those executive actions by passing the Wildlife Movement Through Partnerships Act. 

Also aligned with these priorities is RMEF’s top federal legislative agenda item, the Fix Our Forests Act. This comprehensive bipartisan forest management package reduces red tape and litigation that currently hinders habitat improvement in our national forests and is critical to improving public forest landscapes. To address voluntary conservation of our forests, we seek to include a Forest Conservation Easement Program in a Farm Bill. 

RMEF President/CEO Kyle Weaver (left) and RMEF Chief Conservation Officer Blake Henning (right) during a visit with Secretary Doug Burgum (middle) in his Washington, D.C., office

Click here to view the DOI news release. 

About Hunt 2 Conserve

Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more information, go to hunt2conserve.org.

(Photo credit: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation) 

January 23, 2026, marked one year since the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Fix Our Forests Act. To mark the occasion, Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR), chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources, released the statement below.

“A year — and another devastating wildfire season — has come and gone since the House came together and passed the Fix Our Forests Act with an overwhelming bipartisan majority. Catastrophic wildfires aren’t like hurricanes or tornadoes; we can and should take proactive steps to prevent devastating wildfires from becoming our new normal. We can’t afford to wait any longer, and it’s time for the Senate to pass this important legislation and send it to the President’s desk before the next preventable disaster strikes.”

Fires burned almost five million acres in 2025. That came on the heels of a 2024 wildfire season that charred more than 8.9 million acres of forestland and destroyed 4,500 structures. The taxpayer bill to fight the fires is in the billions of dollars.

The Fix Our Forests Act is a set of reforms to improve the quality of wildlife habitat in national forests that would also reduce the risk of high-intensity fires and improve overall forest health.

The House passed the measure on a strong bipartisan 279-141 vote. The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry passed the legislation on an 18-5 vote in October 2025, although it is yet to be taken up by the full Senate.

Hunt 2 Conserve strongly supports the Fix Our Forests Act and urges the Senate to approve it as soon as possible.

About Hunt 2 Conserve

Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more information, go to hunt2conserve.org.

(Photo credit: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation)

Below is a news release from the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture.

House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (PA-15) announced Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04) as the new chairman of the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture.

“Rep. Newhouse is a valued and engaged member of our committee, and I am proud to see him stepping up to lead the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture," Chairman Thompson said. "He has proven himself to be a true advocate for our country’s working lands and specialty crop producers, and I know this subcommittee will thrive under his leadership. Mr. LaMalfa left big shoes to fill, but I have no doubt in my mind that Rep. Newhouse is the right person to carry on his legacy.”

“It’s truly a privilege to receive the gavel for the Forestry and Horticulture Subcommittee,” Rep. Newhouse said. "These are two issues that are at the center of our agriculture industry and natural resources in the State of Washington, and I look forward to working closely with Chairman Thompson on moving the Farm Bill this Congress. It is also an honor to fill the shoes of my late friend, Doug LaMalfa, who led this subcommittee as a fighter for these issues in Northern California. I am thankful for this opportunity and ready to get to work.”

The late Rep. Doug LaMalfa (CA-01), who passed away in January, was the previous chairman of the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture.

(Photo credit: Rep. Dan Newhouse)

Hunt 2 Conserve strongly opposes IP 28 and urges Oregon’s residents to reject it.

It’s a classic example of the pot calling the kettle black. The spokesman for a highly extreme yet still potential Oregon ballot initiative freely admits it is “radical” in nature.

Oregon Initiative Petition 28 (IP 28) seeks to not only legally ban hunting, fishing, trapping, farming and ranching but make it a crime for anyone taking part in those activities. Proponents are currently gathering signatures with hopes to place the issue on the November 2026 ballot.

“Given the radical nature of the campaign, we’re aware that it is almost certainly not going to pass in 2026. Despite that, we believe getting it on the ballot now will make it more likely to pass in a future election cycle, and that it will help us build the organization we’d need to keep getting it on the ballot,” David Michelson told Current Affairs magazine.

Michelson is a well-known animal rights extremist from Portland who initially proposed IP 13 in 2022, a similar initiative that was abandoned due to a lack of support. Among other things, IP 13 sought to criminalize hunting, fishing, farming, animal husbandry and giving all animal owners and veterinarians a criminal record. Michelson labeled those activities and professions as acts of violence.

With IP 13’s failure, he then shifted his focus to the 2024 ballot with IP 3. Once again and yet despite an influx of out-of-state donations from extremist organizations, the regurgitated measure did not gain momentum or gather enough signatures.

“Numerous rights and freedoms have been won through the ballot initiative process,” Michelson told The Oregonian.

It is with that mindset that Michelson and IP 28 proponents eye the ballot initiative process as an end-around to circumvent current law by bypassing state lawmakers, as per his comment of “it is almost certainly not going to pass.”

However, that statement is deceptive. The fact is that history shows radical initiatives can and do pass and only become law after first qualifying for and appearing on the ballot. Michelson and his proponents know that. National examples include steep increases in minimum wage, gun control, abortion and anti-abortion measures, banning or reinstating the death penalty, physician-assisted suicide, tax hikes, sin taxes and reducing criminal penalties. In Oregon, voters passed a 2020 ballot initiative that reduced penalties for those convicted of possessing hard drugs. Today, perpetrators and hardened criminals can avoid and discard prison sentences if they enter drug counseling.

Colorado is another recent example. Extremists tried to pass an anti-wildlife management bill to ban the hunting and trapping of mountain lions and bobcats in 2022. A new coalition at the time called the Colorado Wildlife Conservation Project, of which the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is a member, gathered support, provided testimony and a legislative committee rejected it. Extremists then tried to circumvent lawmakers by taking the ballot initiative route. In 2024, they gathered enough signatures to place a measure on the ballot. In addition to banning the hunting of mountain lions and bobcats, it also sought to ban hunting lynx. Again, this was deceptive in nature as it was already illegal, and remains illegal to this day, to hunt lynx in the Lower 48. Thanks to an educational campaign that included warnings about the dangers of ballot-box biology, including more than $340,000 contributed by RMEF, voters overwhelmingly defeated the measure by more than a quarter of a million votes.

Four years earlier, also in Colorado, extremists used the ballot initiative process combined with emotion and a lack of education to gather enough signatures to qualify a measure to forcibly introduce wolves into the state. Colorado Parks and Wildlife examined the issue over several decades and issued findings four different times that doing so would not be a good idea and would frustrate wildlife management. Pre-election polling and predictions said the measure would easily pass by receiving 80 percent of the vote. RMEF supplied more than $300,000 and combined its resources with other partners as part of a statewide educational campaign. Unfortunately, the measure passed by less than two percent, and the program has faced serious issues and livestock depredations since implementation.

Circling back to IP 28, the dangers of passing this initiative which would destroy wildlife management and the health of Oregon’s fish and wildlife populations are very real. Banning hunting and fishing would mean the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, with its duty to manage fish and wildlife populations, would lose 40 percent of its budget that comes from hunting and fishing licenses. It would also negate millions of dollars earmarked for conservation in Oregon by losing the excise taxes on guns, ammunition, archery equipment and fishing gear that Oregon receives. Banning hunting and fishing would trigger food insecurity by ending opportunities for hunters and anglers to acquire meat to feed their families.

Looking at the bigger picture, IP 28 would instigate a larger statewide food insecurity concern by making it against the law for farmers and ranchers to raise livestock and poultry for food, especially for those who rely on meat as part of their day-to-day nutritional needs. Proponents glaze over the issue by saying, “Oregon is a top-ranking producer of many field and seed crops, fruits, nuts and vegetables, and IP28 could end up increasing our net agricultural production, depending on how the industry adapts.”

In fact, by seeking to end ranching and farming, IP 28 proponents would force such operations to leave the state or transform into economically qustionable “alternative” farms.

“Some of the most talked about transitions have been helping turn chicken farms into mushroom farms. Growing these types of organizations would be instrumental in transitioning away from killing animals for food,” Michelson told Current Affairs magazine.

IP 28 would also outlaw animal research and education, ban pest control and remove the ability for residents to protect themselves.

"For research, we can use human tissues and cells, organs-on-chips and computer models. For wildlife protection, we could use the introduction of sterile males or birth control,” Michelson old Current Affairs magazine. “Our campaign doesn’t have a prescribed alternative that we think works best in every situation, but we do think that by recognizing animals as individuals with needs that we are committed to protecting, then we’ll be able to find or create alternatives together.”

Click here for a Q&A about IP 28.

About Hunt 2 Conserve

Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more information, go to hunt2conserve.org.

In a letter (see below) to U.S. House leadership, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation joined 19 other hunting, fishing and sportsmen and women organizations by urging lawmakers to pass H.R. 281, the Grizzly Bear State Management Act. The legislation would reinstate the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decision to remove grizzlies as a threatened species in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

RMEF has long advocated for state management of recovered grizzly bear populations in line with its support of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, under which state management of wildlife, along with the financial contributions from hunters, dramatically increased wildlife populations across the United States over the last century.

RMEF maintains that state wildlife agencies should sustainably manage grizzlies just as they manage elk, deer, moose, black bears, mountain lions, pronghorn antelope and other wildlife for their overall betterment.

About Hunt 2 Conserve

Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more information, go to hunt2conserve.org.

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Honorable Mike Johnson                                                       

Office of the Speaker                                                                

U.S. House of Representatives                                          

U.S. Capitol                                                                               

Washington, DC 20515      

 

Honorable Steve Scalise

Office of Majority Leader

U.S. House of Representatives

U.S. Capitol                                                

Washington, DC 20515

January 21, 2026

Dear Speaker Johnson and Majority Leader Scalise:

The undersigned organizations, representing millions of hunters, anglers, wildlife professionals, and outdoor enthusiasts, write to express our strong support for H.R. 281, the Grizzly Bear State Management Act. This bill will reinstate the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s science-based decision to remove grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem from the Endangered Species Act lists. The bill prioritizes science and returns these long-recovered bears to state management—where they belong. We respectfully request that H.R. 281 be considered by the entire House as soon as possible.

The Service delisted these grizzly bears in 2007 and again in 2017, using the best available science and in collaboration with the States of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. Unfortunately, these rules were reversed through litigation. H.R. 281 would end that vicious cycle and allow the Service to focus its limited resources on truly at-risk species.

There is no question that grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem have biologically recovered. This population has almost doubled its recovery metrics and no longer meets the definition of a threatened species. Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming should be celebrated and rewarded for their success. They have demonstrated their ability to properly manage grizzly bears. And they require flexibility to deal with the challenges that come with this extensive population recovery and expansion, particularly the significant increase in human-bear conflicts.

The Grizzly Bear State Management Act recognizes this reality. It elevates the Service’s science-based reasoning over that of activist organizations and courts and aligns with past Congressional delisting actions, such as the 2011 delisting of gray wolves in the same States.

For these reasons, we strongly support H.R. 281, the Grizzly Bear State Management Act. We respectfully request that H.R. 281 be scheduled for a vote in the House as quickly as possible, and before the end of this Congress.

Thank you for your leadership and commitment to science-based wildlife management

Sincerely,

Archery Trade Association

Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

Boone and Crockett Club

Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation

Conservation Force

Dallas Safari Club

Houston Safari Club

Mule Deer Foundation

National Deer Association

National Rifle Association

National Shooting Sports Foundation

National Wild Turkey Federation

Pope and Young Club

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

Safari Club International

Safari Club International Foundation

Sportsmen’s Alliance

Whitetails Unlimited

Wild Sheep Foundation

Wildlife Forever

(Photo credit: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks)

Hunt 2 Conserve aligns with the conservation views of those organizations below.

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is among nearly three dozen conservation, hunting and outdoor organizations calling on Congress to support a key farmland conservation program and its undeniable role supplying critical habitat for wildlife.

In a December 2025 letter (see below) to congressional leadership, the groups want the next farm bill to include foundational support for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which encourages agricultural producers and landowners to convert highly erodible and other environmentally sensitive acreage to vegetative cover, like native grasses, trees and riparian buffers. Doing so benefits a wide array of wildlife species.

“This program was originally established more than four decades ago in the 1985 Farm Bill and is probably the most impactful private land conservation effort ever implemented,” said Blake Henning, RMEF chief conservation officer.

For each of the last three years, CRP existed under one-year extensions but according to the groups, a long-term reauthorization gives producers a more reliable and effective way to manage their land.

About Hunt 2 Conserve

Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more information, go to hunt2conserve.org.

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December 22, 2025

The Honorable John Boozman

Chairman

Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

United States Senate Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Amy Klobuchar

Ranking Member

Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

United States Senate Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Glenn “GT” Thompson

Chairman

House Committee on Agriculture

United States House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Angie Craig

Ranking Member

House Committee on Agriculture

United States House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515

Dear Chairman Boozman, Ranking Member Klobuchar, Chairman Thompson, and Ranking Member Craig:

The undersigned organizations, representing millions of hunters, anglers, wildlife professionals, and outdoor enthusiasts, urge you to ensure the next farm bill includes strong support for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). As CRP celebrates its 40th anniversary on December 23, 2025, Congress has an opportunity to mark four decades of voluntary stewardship on private lands by strengthening one of the most successful conservation programs in American history.

Since 1985, CRP has been a cornerstone of the farm safety net, giving producers a voluntary, market-based tool to manage risk on their most marginal and environmentally sensitive acres. For countless farmers and ranchers, enrolling vulnerable acres in CRP helps stabilize operations, diversify on-farm income, and protect long-term productivity, especially during periods of volatile commodity prices and input costs, severe drought, or extreme weather.

At the same time, CRP has delivered unparalleled conservation outcomes over the last 40 years. The program has dramatically reduced soil erosion, improved water quality, enhanced soil health, and provided some of the nation’s most important habitats for myriad wildlife species. Land enrolled in CRP bolsters rural economies by supporting outdoor recreation and access, while targeted initiatives like the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) and State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) demonstrate how the program is tailored to meet local resource needs. Grassland CRP and emergency forage authorities have helped the program evolve into a flexible tool for producers to improve and utilize working lands on their operations.

For the past several years, however, CRP has operated under three successive one-year extensions, creating uncertainty for producers who depend on stable enrollment options and consistent program rules. While leaders at USDA have done an excellent job administering the program under less-than-ideal circumstances, a full, long-term reauthorization is critical to ensure that CRP continues to provide the reliability and predictability producers need to manage risk and steward their land.

As Congress continues developing the next farm bill, this anniversary offers a timely reminder of how well CRP works—and how we can build on the program’s impressive record by making it more accessible and effective for landowners, while strengthening outcomes for wildlife, soil, and water. Reauthorizing and improving CRP now will ensure the program continues meeting the needs of growers, rural communities, and natural resources for decades to come.

We appreciate your ongoing leadership and your long-standing commitment to rural America, agricultural producers, hunters and anglers, and voluntary conservation. We look forward to working with you to ensure CRP’s next 40 years deliver even greater benefits for farmers, ranchers, rural communities, and wildlife.

Sincerely,

American Woodcock Society

Archery Trade Association

Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers

Boone and Crockett Club

California Waterfowl Association

Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation

Conservation Force

Delta Waterfowl

Ducks Unlimited

Izaak Walton League of America

Mule Deer Foundation

National Association of Forest Service Retirees

National Bobwhite & Grassland Initiative Foundation

National Deer Association

National Shooting Sports Foundation

National Wild Turkey Federation

National Wildlife Federation

North American Falconers Association

North American Grouse Partnership

Pheasants Forever

Pope and Young Club

Quail Forever

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

Ruffed Grouse Society

Safari Club International

Safari Club International Foundation

Sportsmen’s Alliance

Texas Wildlife Association

The Wildlife Society

Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership

Whitetails Unlimited

Wildlife Management Institute

Wildlife Mississippi

(Photo credit: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation)

Marking a win for wildlife and conservation, the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee approved a package of reforms to the Endangered Species Act, clearing the way for a potential vote by the entire U.S. House of Representatives.

The ESA Amendments Act of 2025 (H.R. 1897) makes reforms to the Endangered Species Act by streamlining the listing process, clarifying statutory definitions and focusing on recovery. It also provides incentives for the recovery of listed species, promotes accountability for agency actions, expands cooperation with local governments and creates a backstop against frivolous litigation by placing a cap on attorney’s fees.

“Five decades after the ESA’s passage, only three percent of listed species have ever recovered. Special-interest lawsuits and arbitrary rules have weaponized the law against both wildlife and the communities it’s supposed to help,” said Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR). “H.R. 1897 restores science, conservation and sustainable economic development to America’s endangered species policy and returns the ESA to its original, bipartisan purpose as a tool for species recovery.”

Hunt 2 Conserve and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation support this legislation.

“Five decades of case law informed by radical environmental activists has transformed the Endangered Species Act into a purgatory for wildlife. As sportsmen and women, RMEF takes seriously our commitment to wildlife conservation and believes we can and should do better,” said RMEF President and CEO Kyle Weaver. “This measure represents a positive step towards returning the ESA to its original mission, ensuring already limited resources go towards species recovery, not fighting endless court battles. RMEF thanks Chairman Westerman for his leadership on this bill.”

RMEF testified before the committee in 2024 on similar legislation, focusing on incremental recovery targets for threatened species and increased state authority in meeting those targets. These reforms are consistent with RMEF’s efforts to repeal the “blanket rule,” which implements one-size-fits-all restrictions for threatened species and requires the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to establish individual plans to move threatened species to recovered status.

About Hunt 2 Conserve

Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more information, go to hunt2conserve.org.

(Photo credit: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation)

Hunt 2 Conserve is a staunch supporter of creating and improving public access.

The U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) announced a new directive that opens most of its public lands to hunting and fishing. The seven-page Secretarial Order 3447 seeks to ensure consistency and remove barriers to public access for hunting and fishing among its 11 bureaus, which include the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (National Wildlife Refuge System and National Fish Hatcheries).

“We’re cutting barriers and streamlining regulations so Americans have the access they deserve on our public lands,” tweeted DOI Secretary Doug Burgum.

“The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has a clear track record defending and expanding hunter access to public lands, as well as defending hunters' ability to use the ammunition of their choice,” said Blake Henning, RMEF chief conservation officer. “Secretarial Order 3447 is aligned with our approach to these issues and we commend Secretary Burgum for making it clear that public lands should default to being open.”

The announcement does not apply to national parks where hunting is not currently allowed.

“We’ll be implementing the secretary’s order by identifying new hunting and fishing opportunities on service lands and waters, cutting red tape for hunters and anglers, and strengthening our collaboration with states, tribes and territories,” said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik. “Looking ahead to future annual updates, my goal is that all refuges and hatcheries are open to hunting and fishing within two years, except in rare cases where conflicts with legal mandates, public safety or sensitive species or habitats exist.”

The individual bureaus will need to take additional steps to meet requirements of the order.

About Hunt 2 Conserve

Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more information, go to hunt2conserve.org.

(Photo source: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation)

Hunt 2 Conserve agrees with efforts to lessen the impacts of wild horses and burros on the landscape and wildlife habitat.

With wild horse and burro populations now more than three times above levels set by federal law, their negative impacts on wildlife habitat continue to increase too. That is why the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation recently joined more than two dozen conservation and sportsmen organizations in expressing concern to federal lawmakers.

In a letter to the chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources, the groups urged lawmakers to allow the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Forest Service to execute statute as it currently stands before making any possible or requested adjustments.

According to BLM estimates, there are more than 82,000 wild horses and burros on public lands as of 2023, although that number could be closer to 100,000.

“The ecological consequences are devastating: rangelands are degraded, riparian areas are trampled, and forage and water resources for wildlife and livestock are depleted. Many grazing allotments have gone unused for decades due to overuse by feral equids, and the resulting habitat damage continues to threaten the health and diversity of our public lands,” according to the submitted letter.

The groups also stated Congress repeatedly restricted the ability of federal agencies to fully implement the management framework originally envisioned because annual appropriations riders prevent the sale or humane euthanisia of unadopted horses and burros.

Additionally, the cost for taxpayers is staggering. The federal government spends more than $100 million annually, or more than 70 percent of the program’s total budget, to maintain more than 67,000 animals in holding facilities. According to the groups, “This system is financially unsustainable and ecologically irresponsible.”

RMEF maintains unmanaged horses and burros on federal land negatively impact the health of both rangeland ecosystems and native wildlife habitat. As such, it supports population reductions to bring numbers in line with federal laws.

About Hunt 2 Conserve

Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more information, go to hunt2conserve.org.

(Photo credit: Bureau of Land Management/National Horse & Burro Rangeland Management Coalition)

Hunt 2 Conserve agrees with rescinding the blanket rule for the benefit of wildlife.

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Property and Environment Research Center (PERC) applauded a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) decision to repeal the blanket 4(d) rule in a recent joint public comment.

The two organizations filed a lawsuit in late 2024 challenging the agency’s previous  adoption of the rule. RMEF’s primary criticism is that the blanket rule uses a one-size-fits-all approach by treating endangered and threatened species the same. The Endangered Species Act (ESA) allows for less restrictions and more flexibility for threatened species, which provides incentives to states and private landowners to make progress towards recovery. USFWS reversed course and agreed in the summer of 2025 and will rescind the rule by the end of 2026.

RMEF and PERC submitted their comments (see below) and made several main points during a 30-day comment period after USFWS published its decision in late 2025:

• USFWS should finalize recission of the blanket rule to meet the ESA’s goal of recovering species
• Restoring the ESA distinction between endangered and threatened species would remove barriers to voluntary conservation, including habitat restoration, ensuring science rather than arbitrary whim drives development of ESA regulations and gives states needed flexibility to manage recovering species
• Rescinding the rule increases incentives for proactive conservation and the recovery of more species
• The rule violates the ESA by reversing, without statutory authorization, Congress’ choice to limit regulation of take of endangered species, circumventing the requirement to assess what is necessary and advisable to conserve each threatened species, and ignoring the incentives needed to recover species.

About Hunt 2 Conserve

Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more information, go to hunt2conserve.org.

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December 22, 2025

Re: Proposed Rescission of the “Blanket Rule” that Regulates Threatened Species as if They were Endangered

Dear Director Nesvik,

The Property and Environment Research Center (PERC) and Rocky Mountain Elk  Foundation (RMEF) applaud the Fish and Wildlife Service’s (Service) proposal to  rescind the “blanket rule” that arbitrarily regulates endangered and threatened species the same and ignores the Endangered Species Act’s (ESA) text, science, species’ unique needs, and recovery progress. For those reasons, PERC and RMEF filed a lawsuit challenging the previous administration’s adoption of the blanket rule.

In July, President Trump directed the Service, and other federal agencies, to “recover America’s fish and wildlife populations through proactive, voluntary, on-the-ground conservation efforts.” Rescinding the blanket rule is a vital and necessary step toward fulfilling that policy. The blanket rule arbitrarily prohibits proactive, voluntary conservation, including habitat restoration. And, in doing so, it discourages species' recovery. Tailored rules, however, remove roadblocks for proactive conservation efforts, including prescribed fire, forest thinning, and stream restoration.

The blanket rule also ignores science and the important role of state wildlife agencies. Under it, the Service never assesses how to best promote the recovery of most species, despite the ESA requiring this analysis for every threatened species. Instead, it imposes an illegal and arbitrary one-size-fits-all approach that Congress rejected when it limited Section 9 to endangered species. Instead, Congress intended states to take a greater role in recovering and managing threatened species. Yet the blanket rule, without explanation, deprives states of the flexibility needed to fill that role.

Finally, as the Service explained in 2019, and reaffirmed in 2024, developing tailored rules for each threatened species “incentivize[s] conservation for both endangered and threatened species.” The blanket rule, by treating endangered and threatened species the same, removes this incentive by denying states and landowners any reward for recovery progress.

We elaborate on these points in the detailed comments submitted with this letter. Thank you for your continued leadership and focus on species recovery.

Sincerely,

Property and Environment Research Center

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

(Photo credit: Jim Peaco/NPS)