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HR 5612 107th Congress House

Hunting Heritage Protection Act

Official title: To recognize hunting heritage and provide opportunities for continued hunting on Federal public lands.

Introduced: October 10, 2002 See on congress.gov
Public Lands and Natural Resources AnimalsCivil actions and liabilityCongressCongressional oversight
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Congressional reporting requirementsFederal-state relationsFishingGovernment Operations and PoliticsHuntingInjunctionsLand useLawLegal feesLicensesSports and RecreationState lawsTrapping
This bill died when the 107th Congress ended
It never became law before the 107th Congress (2001–2002) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Oct 18, 2002
Referred to the Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans.
Oct 10, 2002
Referred to the House Committee on Resources.
Oct 10, 2002
Introduced in House
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 Latest action October 18, 2002

Referred to the Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service
Hunting Heritage Protection Act - Requires that Federal public lands be open to access and use for recreational hunting except: (1) as limited by the Federal agency with responsibility for such lands for national security or public safety reasons, or for reasons authorized in applicable Federal statutes as reasons for closure; and (2) as such hunting is limited by the State in which such lands are located.

Directs the head of each Federal agency with authority to manage a natural resource or public lands on which such a resource depends to exercise that authority in a manner so as to support, promote, and enhance recreational hunting opportunities.

Declares that Federal land management decisions and actions should result in no net loss of land area available for hunting opportunities on Federal public lands.

Requires the heads of Federal agencies with authority to manage Federal public lands on which recreational hunting occurs to report annually to specified congressional committees on areas administered that have been closed during the previous year to recreational hunting and reasons for such closures and on areas that were open to such hunting to compensate for closed areas.

Prohibits a withdrawal, change of classification, or change of management status, that effectively closes 5,000 or more acres of Federal public land for use for recreational hunting, from occurring unless the head of the Federal agency with authority to manage the land has submitted written notice of the action to both Houses of Congress.

Grants States the right to file civil actions in district courts in cases where Federal agencies fail to comply with State authority to manage or regulate fish and wildlife.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 5612: Hunting Heritage Protection Act. 107th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/107-HR-5612/
MLA
"H.R. 5612: Hunting Heritage Protection Act." 107th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/107-HR-5612/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 5612, 107th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/107-HR-5612/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 5612: Hunting Heritage Protection Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/107-HR-5612/)
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