---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 7912"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "7912"
heading: "Federal land open to hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/7912"
units:
  - "Chapter 98 — Sportsmen’s Access to Federal Land"
  - "Subchapter II — Sportsmen’s Access to Federal Land"
---

# §7912. Federal land open to hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting

- (a) **In general—** Subject to [subsection (b)](#b), [Federal land](/usc/16/7911.md?p=1) shall be open to hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting, in accordance with applicable law, unless the [Secretary concerned](/usc/16/7911.md?p=2) closes an [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) in accordance with [section 7913 of this title](/usc/16/7913.md).
- (b) **Effect of part—** Nothing in this subchapter opens to hunting, fishing, or recreational shooting any land that is not open to those activities as of March 12, 2019.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 116–9, title IV, § 4102, Mar. 12, 2019, 133 Stat. 757.)