Safari Club International (SCI) appreciates President Trump's recent Executive Order, Removing Unnecessary and Counterproductive Restrictions on Access to Federal Lands, revoking two longstanding executive actions.
SCI previously sent a letter urging the White House to revise these orders—originally signed by Presidents Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter—to better recognize the importance of motorized access to federal lands for hunting, hiking, wildlife management, and other recreational uses. As SCI noted, the Nixon and Carter orders were inconsistent with more recent Congressional statutes, including the Dingell Act and the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act. These laws direct federal agencies to expand public access opportunities, such as appropriate motorized access, on public lands.
The previous orders imposed vague "minimization criteria" that, when combined with activist litigation, often led federal agencies to disproportionately restrict motorized access. Anti-use groups leveraged these standards to challenge motorized big game retrieval and limit hunting access on National Forest lands during peak seasons, effectively creating de facto wilderness by litigation rather than Congressional designation.
President Trump's Executive Order seeks to establish a more balanced framework for managing off-road vehicle use. It restores agency discretion to implement travel management policies that expand access while maintaining responsible resource stewardship.
"The President's Executive Order will promote access to the public lands cherished by hunters, hikers, and all who enjoy the outdoors while bringing federal policy back in line with Congressional intent," said SCI CEO W. Laird Hamberlin. "SCI applauds the Administration's ongoing work to increase access to outdoor recreation by removing outdated restrictions, and we look forward to working with federal land management agencies to further enhance access to America's public lands."
Background:
For over 50 years, SCI has been the leader in defending the freedom to hunt and promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. SCI is unique in the scope of its ability to defend and advance the freedom to hunt. SCI is the only hunting rights organization with a Washington, D.C.-based national and international advocacy team, a hunting litigation team, and an all-species focus. SCI also mobilizes more than 150 chapters and affiliate networks representing millions of hunters around the world.