American duck hunters and major waterfowl conservation organizations, including Ducks Unlimited and Delta Waterfowl, are opposing a Trump administration review of a 2024 rule that governs the installation of underground drainage pipes, known as “drain tile,” near federally protected prairie wetlands.

The Fish and Wildlife Service opened a 14-day public review on July 24, 2026, to assess whether current protections for these wetlands are effective or should be revised. Although no changes have been proposed, the review has mobilized hunters nationwide, resulting in more than 10,000 public comments submitted by early August.

Parker Williams, communications director at Ducks Unlimited, said hunters were speaking with “one voice” in support of maintaining the existing protections. The issue was a major topic at Ducks Unlimited’s annual expo in Memphis, according to Outdoor Life.

The Prairie Pothole Region, which Fish and Wildlife says provides habitat for over 60 percent of North America’s breeding waterfowl, produces roughly 50 to 75 percent of several major duck populations, including mallards, pintails, canvasbacks, and blue-winged teal. Since 1958, proceeds from the Duck Stamp program have supported federal efforts to protect these prairie wetlands, including purchasing conservation easements from willing landowners.

However, some landowners have expressed concerns. In a recent Washington Post op-ed, Peterson wrote that Fish and Wildlife had “expanded the regulated farmland to include 40 percent of my property, covering areas that were not a part of the original [easement] agreement.”

The review has raised alarms among rural and conservative waterfowlers who fear that weakening protections could jeopardize critical breeding habitats nationwide.

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