For Immediate Release: 

Sept. 22, 2025 

Contact: 

Media@backcountryhunters.org 

 

 

BHA Applauds Expansion of Voluntary Lead-Free Ammunition Incentive Program 

Program rewards hunters, reduces risks to wildlife, and keeps refuge opportunities open

MISSOULA, Mont.—Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) welcomed the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) decision to expand its voluntary lead-free ammunition incentive program to 13 national wildlife refuges in 11 states for the 2025–2026 hunting season. 

The program builds on a successful 2024 pilot and offers hunters rebates to try non-lead ammunition while continuing to enjoy high-quality hunting opportunities on refuge lands. Rebates include up to $50 per box of rifle ammunition and $25 per box of shotgun or muzzleloader ammunition—an incentive that reduces the risk of lead exposure for eagles, condors, and other scavenging wildlife. 

“Generations of hunters have helped to recover and conserve species by adapting to meet new challenges,” said Devin O’Dea, BHA’s Western Policy & Conservation Manager. “BHA has long advocated for voluntary, incentive-based approaches for encouraging non-lead use while avoiding heavy-handed restrictions that could undermine public trust and access. We applaud the Service’s decision to expand this program and encourage hunters to take advantage of these new opportunities.” 

BHA emphasized that the program: 

• Respects hunter choice by keeping participation voluntary 

• Supports conservation by reducing the risk of lead ingestion for raptors and other wildlife 

• Expands access by ensuring hunting opportunities on refuges remain open and accessible. 

Together, these elements reinforce hunting’s role as a cornerstone of conservation funding and science-based wildlife management. 

BHA will continue working with USFWS, state agencies, and industry partners to support science-based solutions that strengthen both wildlife conservation and hunting opportunities on public lands and waters. 

---

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers seeks to ensure North America's outdoor heritage of hunting and fishing in a natural setting, through education and work on behalf of wild public lands, waters, and wildlife.