Pre-Paid Debit Cards Now Available for Hunters Using Non-Lead Ammo on These 7 Refuges

After announcing a new incentive-based program back in July, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is backing it up by putting their money where their mouth is. In an announcement made last week, the Service launched a brand-spankin’ new website that was built to allow eligible hunters to log their non-toxic ammo purchases and get reimbursed for them.

The pilot program is being rolled out across seven refuges scattered across the country for those choosing to chase whitetails, waterfowl and small game using non-lead ammunition. While each refuge comes with its own unique set of rules and regulations, USFWS is offering up pre-paid debit cards to cover the costs of ammo if the dates, ammunition and firearms used check a number of pre-determined boxes.

As per the USFWS’s announcement, here are the participating refuges and the rules and regs specific to each one:

Lead-free incentive program hunting locations:

• William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon (for antlerless elk with refuge hunting permit) 

• Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge in Indiana (for whitetail deer)

• Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge in Wisconsin (for whitetail deer with refuge hunting permit) 

• Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge Pungo Unit in North Carolina (for hunting whitetail deer, refuge hunting fee required)

Lead-free incentive program locations with additional education workshops and an opportunity to test ammunition:

• Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge in New Jersey  (for all authorized species with refuge hunting permit)

• Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Maryland (for deer with refuge hunting permit)

• Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge in West Virginia (for all authorized species)

For those participating at the above refuges, the process is simple and involves quickly filling out an online form along with proof of their refuge permit and ammo purchase. Once approved, eligible hunters will receive a pre-paid debit card for $50 per box of rifle ammunition and $25 per box of shotgun or muzzleloader ammo. 

While the program is hopeful that they don’t run out of funds, it’s worth mentioning that this isn’t a bottomless pit of available money. Stating that the rebates are only accessible until the available funds at each refuge are exhausted, the USFWS is reminding participating hunters to get their application submitted sooner rather than later.

At this point, officials are taking a ‘wait and see” approach to the new pilot program. With July 2025 being the one-year anniversary of the program, the USFWS is hopeful that by that time the data will reveal the effectiveness of the program and whether or not it should be continued or expanded.