Final Hunt Fish Rule Published, Chapter-Funded Public Land Projects in the Mississippi Flyway, and Advocacy for Hunter Apprentice Licensing in Canadian Provinces
Delta’s Policy Team has been on the road advocating for duck hunters across the United States and Canada
United States
Latest on Challenges in Prairie Pothole Region
In late July, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published a Request for Information on a 2024 rule regarding the calculation of drainage tile setback regulations on wetland easements. Immediately, the Policy team began reaching out to lawmakers, USFWS officials, Delta donors and members, in addition to the organization’s conservation partners to ensure the voice of duck hunters was heard on the importance of this legacy asset. You can read more about these efforts here.
In response to the broad pushback from the waterfowl hunting community, USFWS stated on August 14 that no further action is planned as they review the information they received during the RFI period. Delta’s Policy Team expects this issue to reemerge, and we will continue to work to protect these vital wetland habitats.
Hunt-Fish Rule Finalized
The USFWS has announced the final 2026 Hunt-Fish Rule for the upcoming season, which opens or expands waterfowl hunting on 41 refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System and National Fish Hatchery System. In addition to opening these locations, more than 500 revisions and deletions to existing regulations have been made to reduce complexity and align more closely with state fish and wildlife laws.
You can read more about this rule and Delta’s efforts here.
Grasslands Region Wetlands Support in California
Delta's policy team has been advocating for Senate Bill 1108, legislation that would establish the Grassland Ecological Area Conservancy as a new state agency within the California Natural Resources Agency. The new agency would be tasked with the protection, conservation, and restoration of the Grassland Ecological Area and the surrounding Grassland Focus Area in Merced County.
The Grasslands region features some of the most critical and threatened wetland habitats in California. The bill would support putting water on wetlands, which in turn would support migratory waterfowl throughout California and the Pacific Flyway.
We are pleased to report that this bill made it out of Senate Appropriations and passed its final floor vote 37-1. The bill was transferred to the Assembly and was eventually referred to Appropriations. Unfortunately, this bill was held on suspense in Appropriations. This takes place when a bill has a significant fiscal impact that needs to be debated. Our team does not believe the fiscal impact of this bill is significant to the overall state budget, but unfortunately the bill was not able to make it of suspense and is effectively dead.
Our team is disappointed to see this outcome, but we are hopeful that we will be able to work with the bill sponsors next session to get this legislation passed.
Funds Generated on California Refuges
Assembly Bill 1987 could lead to more funding for state wildlife areas by ensuring that money generated from certain wildlife areas is properly used to support them. The bill would create the Waterfowl Management Areas Operations and Maintenance Account within the Fish and Game Preservation Fund. All revenues generated from the sale of waterfowl hunting reservation applications and entry passes for Type A and Type B wildlife areas will be deposited into this account. These funds are continuously appropriated for the operation, maintenance, and reasonable administrative costs directly related to public hunting programs in these areas.
Delta’s Policy Team is happy to report that this bill passed its final floor vote in the Assembly and Senate unanimously. The bill is now headed to Gov. Newsom, where it will hopefully be signed into law. Our policy team sent a letter to Gov. Newsom earlier this month encouraging him to sign this legislation that will have longstanding positive impacts not only for California duck hunters, but for habitat within the Pacific Flyway.
Colorado Constitutional Right to Hunt and Fish
The Colorado Secretary of State’s office announced on Aug. 20 that proponents of Proposed Initiative #302 — Constitutional Right to Hunt and Fish — had submitted more than the required number of signatures so it will appear on the Nov. 3 General Election ballot under the title of Proposition 83.
Delta’s Policy Team, as well as our partners, have been advocating for the constitutional right to hunt and fish in Colorado. The proposed ballot initiative would amend the Colorado Constitution to establish the right of people to hunt, fish, and harvest wildlife. It would recognize hunting and fishing as preferred methods for responsibly managing wildlife populations while preserving Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s authority to regulate seasons, licenses, bag limits, and other wildlife-management measures based on sound science, public safety, and conservation needs. On July 8, supporters submitted 184,097 signatures in an effort to place the measure on the Colorado ballot for the November 2026 election. More than 124,000 valid signatures are required for the measure to qualify for the ballot, and 145,299 signatures were validated. The initiative needs to receive at least 55% of the vote to pass. If you would like to make your voice heard on this issue, please join us and our partners in signing onto the Protect Wild Colorado petition in support. In recent years, Colorado has seen many attacks on the right to hunt and fish. Hunting and fishing are key tools in science-based wildlife management, and our team will continue to support this crucial ballot initiative as it makes its way through the legislative process.
Michigan Hunters Save Draw Hunts for Managed Waterfowl Areas
On July 30, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced that budget constraints would limit the ability of staff to perform daily draws for waterfowl hunters during the 2026 season. In response, duck hunters in Michigan began raising money to provide a one-time solution and ensure the draws could occur. Among the groups contributing to this effort were local waterfowl hunters’ associations, Delta Waterfowl and Ducks Unlimited. In total, the groups raised $80,000 to fund operations at four waterfowl areas this fall.
You can read more about these efforts from the Michigan DNR.
Missouri Habitat Projects
Delta Waterfowl chapters in Missouri have been putting their WHF dollars to work to improve habitat for waterfowl through a number of projects throughout the state.
The Osage Bottoms Chapter Waterfowl Heritage Fund request for water control structures and beaver protectors at Schell-Osage Conservation Area in Vernon County has been completed. The Rebel Cove Conservation Area project, which consisted of herbicide application and millet planting is also complete.
In August, Delta’s Jeff Wardlaw conducted a site visit at Bay Island Conservation Area, part of the Upper Mississippi Conservation Area, for a project focused on removing woody plant encroachment from a moist-soil unit. This project has also been completed.
Tennessee Habitat Projects
Jeff Wardlaw, Delta’s senior manager of government affairs for the Mississippi and Central Flyways, organized and convened a meeting between the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the Delta Waterfowl Memphis Chapter to discuss potential habitat projects in the Memphis area that could be supported with the chapter's Waterfowl Heritage Funds — a portion of the net proceeds Delta chapters keep from their fundraising banquets to reinvest in local projects. The group identified a strong candidate project on the Fig Field Unit at the John Tully Wildlife Management Area, a pipeline to move water directly from the wells to the field. The new pipeline will reduce seepage loss and allow water to reach the field roughly two days earlier, a meaningful improvement for timely flooding ahead of the season. The chapter voted to move the project forward at an estimated cost of $15,000. The improvement is expected to be in place ahead of this year's duck season.
This project has been completed and will be ready for this season. The project was funded solely by the Memphis Chapter of Delta Waterfowl with their Waterfowl Heritage Funds.
Texas WHF Project
The Texas State Committee's request for WHF dollars to fund a gator pump and a limb saw has been executed in partnership with Texas Parks and Wildlife. This equipment will primarily serve the northeast Texas region.
Kentucky Habitat Projects
The Four Rivers Chapter in Calvert City recently assisted the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources to rehabilitate levees in the Beaver Pond Rest Area at Doug Travis Wildlife Management Area. The project excavated and repaired rodent and flood damage
and installed a new water control structure and engineered spillway. This project will allow KDFWR to better manage water levels and increase the pool acreage in the flooded timber and buttonbush shrub roosting area.
Meetings and Conferences
Delta’s Jeff Wardlaw attended the Osage Basin Wetland Symposium in Nevada, Missouri. During the event, there were discussions on the Wetlands Reserve Program and the Wetlands Easement Program and how each interacts with flowage easements. Wardlaw also attended the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses Executive Council meeting, where discussion centered on the state of the refuge system nationwide and the funding shortfalls facing wildlife agencies across the country. These two topics are expected to be the main items of discussion at the meeting in Oklahoma City in December.
Canada
Water Act and Wetland Policy Weakened
Alberta’s Ministry of Environment and Protected Areas announced changes on Aug. 28 that remove protection for temporary and seasonal wetlands for farming activities on croplands such that they can be drained. These are the very same, important wetlands that Delta has been striving to conserve through a shallow wetlands incentive program (SWIP). We have been working with partners to apply for a provincial grant in mid-September, and if successful, begin implementation next spring.
Hunter Apprentice Licensing in Alberta and Ontario
Our Canadian Policy Team continues to advocate for the implementation of Hunter Apprentice Licensing, an effective tool in simplifying the point of entry for new hunters. While most states have apprentice licensing programs, it is only available in British Columbia and Quebec in Canada. Hunter apprentice licensing creates a “try before you buy” option for those who may be unsure about the time and financial commitment of becoming certified to hunt in Canada. We would like to see apprentice licensing enacted in all remaining provinces, and our current focus is on Alberta and Ontario given existing relationships and strategic engagement with provincial leadership.
Do you want to stay involved with issues that are threatening the future of waterfowl hunting? Make your voice heard by registering for Delta Waterfowl's Duck Hunters Action Alert System. Delta Waterfowl's policy team will send you emails and alerts when issues that impact you arise and provide you with the tools and resources to engage with lawmakers.