16 U.S.C. § 669a: Definitions

the term “conservation” means the use of methods and procedures necessary or desirable to sustain healthy populations of wildlife, including all activities associated with scientific resources management such as research, census, monitoring of populations, acquisition, improvement and management of habitat, live trapping and transplantation, wildlife damage management, and periodic or total protection of a species or population, as well as the taking of individuals within wildlife stock or population if permitted by applicable State and Federal law; for the purposes of determining the number of paid hunting-license holders in a State, the term “fiscal year” means the fiscal year or license year of the State; to improve communications with hunters, recreational shooters, and the general public with respect to hunting and recreational shooting opportunities; to reduce barriers to participation in these activities; to advance the adoption of sound hunting and recreational shooting practices; to promote conservation and the responsible use of the wildlife resources of the United States; and to further safety in hunting and recreational shooting; providing education, mentoring, and field demonstrations; enhancing access for hunting and recreational shooting, including through range construction; and providing education to the public about the role of hunting and recreational shooting in funding wildlife conservation; is identified by a governmental agency for recreational shooting; is open to the public; may be supervised; and may accommodate archery or rifle, pistol, or shotgun shooting; the term “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Interior; the term “State fish and game department” or “State fish and wildlife department” means any department or division of department of another name, or commission, or official or officials, of a State empowered under its laws to exercise the functions ordinarily exercised by a State fish and game department or State fish and wildlife department. 1 1 So in original. The period probably should be a semicolon. the term “wildlife” means any species of wild, free-ranging fauna including fish, and also fauna in captive breeding programs the object of which is to reintroduce individuals of a depleted indigenous species into previously occupied range; the term “wildlife-associated recreation” means projects intended to meet the demand for outdoor activities associated with wildlife including, but not limited to, hunting and fishing, wildlife observation and photography, such projects as construction or restoration of wildlife viewing areas, observation towers, blinds, platforms, land and water trails, water access, field trialing, trail heads, and access for such projects; the term “wildlife conservation and restoration program” means a program developed by a State fish and wildlife department and approved by the Secretary under section 669c(d) 2 of this title, the projects that constitute such a program, which may be implemented in whole or part through grants and contracts by a State to other State, Federal, or local agencies (including those that gather, evaluate, and disseminate information on wildlife and their habitats), wildlife conservation organizations, and outdoor recreation and conservation education entities from funds apportioned under this chapter, 2 See References in Text note below. 2 and maintenance of such projects; the term “wildlife conservation education” means projects, including public outreach, intended to foster responsible natural resource stewardship; and the term “wildlife-restoration project” includes the wildlife conservation and restoration program and means the selection, restoration, rehabilitation, and improvement of areas of land or water adaptable as feeding, resting, or breeding places for wildlife, including acquisition of such areas or estates or interests therein as are suitable or capable of being made suitable therefor, and the construction thereon or therein of such works as may be necessary to make them available for such purposes and also including such research into problems of wildlife management as may be necessary to efficient administration affecting wildlife resources, and such preliminary or incidental costs and expenses as may be incurred in and about such projects. the use of firearms and archery equipment for target practice and marksmanship training activities on Federal land is allowed, except to the extent specific portions of that land have been closed to those activities; in recent years preceding the date of enactment of this Act [ May 10, 2019 ], portions of Federal land have been closed to target practice and marksmanship training for many reasons; the availability of public target ranges on non-Federal land has been declining for a variety of reasons, including continued population growth and development near former ranges; to promote enjoyment of shooting, recreational, and hunting activities; and to ensure safe and convenient locations for those activities; Federal law in effect on the date of enactment of this Act, including the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act ( 16 U.S.C. 669 et seq.), provides Federal support for construction and expansion of public target ranges by making available to States amounts that may be used for construction, operation, and maintenance of public target ranges; and it is in the public interest to provide increased Federal support to facilitate the construction or expansion of public target ranges. The purpose of this Act [see Short Title of 2019 Amendment note set out under section 669 of this title ] is to facilitate the construction and expansion of public target ranges, including ranges on Federal land managed by the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. is identified by a governmental agency for recreational shooting; is open to the public; may be supervised; and may accommodate archery or rifle, pistol, or shotgun shooting.”