The Service is proposing to add hunting and fishing programs on six national wildlife refuges in Alabama, California, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The Service is also proposing to expand hunting and fishing opportunities at seven additional wildlife refuges. The proposed rule is available for public comment until August 5, 2005. The full text of the proposed Refuge-Specific Regulations for Hunting and Fishing is available on the Internet at http://refuges.fws.gov within the "Policies and Budget" link.

"Fulfilling the intent of the 1997 National Wildlife Refuge Improvement Act, the Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to expand compatible wildlife dependent recreational opportunities, such as hunting and fishing, on our national wildlife refuges. We welcome hunters, anglers, bird watchers, photographers, and others who seek to enjoy the extraordinary resources on this nation's wildlife refuges,? said Acting Fish and Wildlife Service Director Matt Hogan.

According to Dave Bennett, who manages Glacial Ridge NWR and nearby Rydell NWR, the proposal would open 2,300 acres of Service-owned land at Glacial Ridge NWR this year. ?The land would be open for deer hunting as per Refuge regulations and Minnesota laws, this includes archery, regular season and muzzle loader,? said Bennett, ?The hunting of prairie chicken and sharp-tailed grouse will be in accordance with zones and regulations established by Minnesota. Specific refuge regulations would also apply.?

All existing Glacial Ridge Refuge lands are in Special Prairie Chicken Zone 405A. Migratory bird hunting to include: ducks, geese, coots, common snipe, morning doves, woodcock and rails, will be allowed on 40 percent of the 2,300 acres to comply with International Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Maps and boundary posting will identify areas open to migratory bird hunting.

?As additional lands are added to the Glacial Ridge NWR in future years, areas opened for specific hunts will be adjusted to accommodate non-consumptive public uses,? Bennett said.

In addition to Glacial Ridge NWR, the Service is proposing to add the following wildlife refuges to the agency's list of units open for hunting or fishing: Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Alabama; Stone Lakes NWR in California; Stewart B. McKinney NWR in Connecticut; Assabet River NWR in Massachusetts and Silvio O. Conte NWR in New Hampshire.

In addition, the Service is proposing to expand recreational hunting and fishing opportunities on seven wildlife refuges: Sacramento River NWR in California; Moosehorn NWR in Maine; Great Meadows NWR and Oxbow NWR in Massachusetts; Squaw Creek NWR in Missouri; Wertheim NWR in New York; and Julia Butler Hansen for the Columbia Whitetail Deer NWR in Washington.

The Register notice also announces existing hunting and fishing opportunities on 12 wetland management districts including Big Stone and Minnesota Valley WMD in Minnesota, and 10 other wetland management districts in North Dakota: Arrowwood WMD; Audubon WMD; Chase Lake WMD; Crosby WMD; J. Clark Salyer WMD; Kulm WMD; Lostwood WMD; Long Lake WMD; Tewaukon WMD and Valley City WMD in North Dakota.

Two wildlife refuges are being removed from the Code of Federal Regulations: The former Pocasse NWR is now managed by the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks and is no longer part of the Refuge System; and Rock Lake NWR in North Dakota was closed to hunting in 1996.

In 2004, there were 2.3 million hunting visits to wildlife refuges and 7 million fishing visits. By law, hunting and fishing are two of the six priority wildlife-dependent recreational uses on wildlife refuges. The Refuge System provides opportunities to hunt and fish whenever they are compatible with the conservation goals of individual national wildlife refuges.