---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 7913"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "7913"
heading: "Closure of Federal land to hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/7913"
units:
  - "Chapter 98 — Sportsmen’s Access to Federal Land"
  - "Subchapter II — Sportsmen’s Access to Federal Land"
---

# §7913. Closure of Federal land to hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting

- (a) **Authorization—**
  - (1) **In general—** Subject to [paragraph (2)](#a-2) and in accordance with [section 1732(b) of title 43](/usc/43/1732.md?p=b), the [Secretary concerned](/usc/16/7911.md?p=2) may designate any [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) on [Federal land](/usc/16/7911.md?p=1) in which, and establish any period during which, for reasons of public safety, administration, or compliance with applicable laws, no hunting, fishing, or recreational shooting shall be permitted.
  - (2) **Requirement—** In making a designation under [paragraph (1)](#a-1), the [Secretary concerned](/usc/16/7911.md?p=2) shall designate the smallest [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) for the least amount of time that is required for public safety, administration, or compliance with applicable laws.
- (b) **Closure procedures—**
  - (1) **In general—** Except in an emergency, before permanently or temporarily closing any [Federal land](/usc/16/7911.md?p=1) to hunting, fishing, or recreational shooting, the [Secretary concerned](/usc/16/7911.md?p=2) shall—
    - (A) consult with [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) [fish and wildlife](/usc/16/3102.md?p=17) agencies; and
    - (B) provide public notice and opportunity for comment under [paragraph (2)](#b-2).
  - (2) **Public notice and comment—**
    - (A) **In general—** Public notice and comment shall include—
      - (i) a notice of intent—
        - (I) published in advance of the public comment period for the closure—
          - (aa) in the Federal Register;
          - (bb) on the website of the applicable Federal agency;
          - (cc) on the website of the [Federal land](/usc/16/7911.md?p=1) [unit](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4), if available; and
          - (dd) in at least 1 local newspaper;
        - (II) made available in advance of the public comment period to local offices, chapters, and affiliate organizations in the vicinity of the closure that are signatories to the memorandum of understanding entitled “[Federal Lands](/usc/16/620e.md?p=2) Hunting, Fishing, and Shooting Sports Roundtable Memorandum of Understanding”; and
        - (III) that describes—
          - (aa) the proposed closure; and
          - (bb) the justification for the proposed closure, including an explanation of the reasons and necessity for the decision to close the [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) to hunting, fishing, or recreational shooting; and
      - (ii) an opportunity for public comment for a period of—
        - (I) not less than 60 days for a permanent closure; or
        - (II) not less than 30 days for a temporary closure.
    - (B) **Final decision—** In a final decision to permanently or temporarily close an [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) to hunting, fishing, or recreation[^1] shooting, the [Secretary concerned](/usc/16/7911.md?p=2) shall—
      - (i) respond in a reasoned manner to the comments received;
      - (ii) explain how the [Secretary concerned](/usc/16/7911.md?p=2) resolved any significant issues raised by the comments; and
      - (iii) show how the resolution led to the closure.
- (c) **Temporary closures—**
  - (1) **In general—** A temporary closure under this section may not exceed a period of 180 days.
  - (2) **Renewal—** Except in an emergency, a temporary closure for the same [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) of land closed to the same activities—
    - (A) may not be renewed more than 3 times after the first temporary closure; and
    - (B) must be subject to a separate notice and comment procedure in accordance with [subsection (b)(2)](#b-2).
  - (3) **Effect of temporary closure—** Any [Federal land](/usc/16/7911.md?p=1) that is temporarily closed to hunting, fishing, or recreational shooting under this section shall not become permanently closed to that activity without a separate public notice and opportunity to comment in accordance with [subsection (b)(2)](#b-2).
- (d) **Reporting—** On an annual basis, the [Secretaries](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) concerned shall—
  - (1) publish on a public website a list of all [areas](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) of [Federal land](/usc/16/7911.md?p=1) temporarily or permanently subject to a closure under this section; and
  - (2) submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives a report that identifies—
    - (A) a list of each [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) of [Federal land](/usc/16/7911.md?p=1) temporarily or permanently subject to a closure;
    - (B) the acreage of each closure; and
    - (C) a survey of—
      - (i) the aggregate [areas](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) and acreage closed under this section in each [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a); and
      - (ii) the percentage of [Federal land](/usc/16/7911.md?p=1) in each [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) closed under this section with respect to hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting.
- (e) **Application—** This section shall not apply if the closure is—
  - (1) less than 14 days in duration; and
  - (2) covered by a [special use permit](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=13).

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. Probably should be “recreational”.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 116–9, title IV, § 4103, Mar. 12, 2019, 133 Stat. 757.)