Hunting isn’t a cheap hobby, but if you’re looking to recoup some of your expenses this season, you could put a few bucks back in your wallet. That’s right, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) will pay you to hunt with lead-free ammo. The agency’s voluntary lead-free ammunition incentive program is entering its third year, and it’s bigger than ever.
For the 2026-27 hunting season, the program has expanded to 26 National Wildlife Refuges across 19 states, doubling the number of participating refuges from last year. Hunters at participating refuges can receive reimbursements for purchasing lead-free ammunition, including up to $50 per box for rifle ammo and $25 per box for shotgun or muzzleloader ammo.
Getting your money is fairly simple. On the USFWS lead-free incentive website, hunters can follow a link to submit their reimbursement request along with a copy of their current year refuge hunting permit, a photo of the lead-free ammunition box, and their purchase receipt. Once approved, the reimbursement is issued on a prepaid debit card.
Don’t think you’re going to get rich stocking the gun safe with free ammo, though. The program is limited to two boxes per hunter in an effort to spread the incentives among as many hunters as possible. Reimbursements are also available on a first-come, first-serve basis and will continue only until the funding allocated to each participating refuge is exhausted.
So why go lead-free?
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, there are three primary reasons hunters should consider making the switch. First, lead bullets can fragment when they strike an animal, leaving behind tiny pieces of lead that may be too small to see with the naked eye. Second, lead left behind in gut piles and carcasses can be eaten by scavengers, potentially exposing wildlife such as eagles and other birds to lead poisoning. And third, hunters now have an alternative. Lead-free ammunition, typically made from copper or copper alloys, can provide effective hunting performance without leaving lead fragments behind.
The impacts of lead exposure are particularly well documented in endangered California condors. USFWS data tracking condor mortality from 1992 through 2022 lists lead poisoning as the leading cause of death, ahead of predation and fatal encounters with powerlines.
So, if you’re hunting one of the participating refuges this season, you might as well do the environment a solid and save yourself a few bucks in the process.
Hunters can visit the USFWS Lead-Free Ammunition Incentive Program website to view the full list of participating refuges, eligible hunts, reimbursement amounts, and instructions for submitting a claim.
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