Interior Proposes Allowing Hunting at Castle Mountains and Craters of the Moon National Monuments, Comments Due Nov. 25
The U.S. Department of the Interior and the National Park Service announced proposed regulations in Washington on Nov. 13 that would allow hunting in Castle Mountains National Monument in California and Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho, implementing a directive in Executive Order 14429 that gave the department 90 days to allow hunting within the two monuments.
Under the proposal, hunting would be permitted for species not protected under the Endangered Species Act in both monuments. The rule recognizes state wildlife agencies' authority to manage fish and wildlife while giving the Park Service the ability to manage hunting to protect public health and safety, the historic and scientific objects the monuments were created to preserve, and any threatened or endangered species present. Hunting would be conducted under both state and federal law, and superintendents at each monument would retain authority to establish closures, restrictions or conditions.
"Hunting is part of America's heritage, and hunters are some of our country's greatest conservationists," said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, adding that the proposal expands hunting opportunities while respecting state wildlife management authority and safeguarding natural resources. Jessica Bowron, Comptroller Exercising the Delegated Authority of the Director of the National Park Service, said the service worked closely with state partners in California and Idaho to craft the rule.
At Castle Mountains, the regulations developed with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife would prohibit hunting within 200 yards of any wildlife watering place, including natural springs, seeps and artificial watering devices, to protect desert species such as bighorn sheep, mule deer and desert tortoises, and within one mile of the Castle Mountain Mine on Bureau of Land Management-administered land inside the monument boundary, to protect mine workers.
At Craters of the Moon, the regulations developed with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game would limit hunters to short-range weapons, excluding modern centerfire rifles, to reduce the risk from errant rounds across the open terrain, and would close the northern section containing park infrastructure, administrative facilities and sensitive archeological sites to all hunting. Hunting is already permitted in the Park Service-administered preserve and Bureau of Land Management-administered portions; the rule would expand it into the original monument, where it is currently prohibited.
The proposed rule will be published in the Federal Register as document 2026-23228. Comments may be submitted through Nov. 25 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time via regulations.gov under RIN 1024-AF13, or by mail to the National Park Service Division of Regulations; comments by email or fax will not be accepted.
(Source: U.S. Department of the Interior)
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：加利福尼亚州 Castle Mountains 国家纪念地的约书亚树与岩峰（David Lamfrom 摄，CC BY-SA 3.0，Wikimedia Commons）。 / Photo: Joshua trees and rock spires at Castle Mountains National Monument, California (David Lamfrom, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons).
