Managers Eye More Hunting, Fishing at U.S. Wildlife Refuges

"U.S. wildlife managers proposed on Tuesday allowing the first migratory bird hunt at a wildlife refuge in Oregon and opening or expanding sport fishing and hunting at other protected sites in states including California and North Dakota.

The push to provide more hunting and fishing opportunities at 21 of 560 federal wildlife set-asides in the nation is designed to lure additional sportsmen to the refuge system, which adds roughly $2.4 billion a year to local and national economies and supports more than 35,000 jobs, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Under the proposal, a waterfowl hunt geared at children and teens would be allowed for the first time this fall at the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge on the outskirts of Portland."

Laura Zuckerman reports for Reuters June 9, 2015.