Hunters' efforts help wildlife groups, economy

I've received some e-mails from those unhappy with hunting doves and squirrels. But these "anti-hunters" should know hunters are the nation's best stewards of game and non-game birds and animals, plants and wild lands.

Besides spending billions to personally buy or lease land, protecting it from housing projects, they also spend incredible amounts of money, time and sweat on wildlife enhancement projects. They even took the incredible collective step of begging for a federal tax on themselves to ensure wildlife had a future.

The federal excise tax on firearms and ammunition is called the Pittman-Robertson Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act. Early settlement and industrialization destroyed habitats, along with wildlife that depended upon them. At the request of sportsmen, wildlife agencies and firearms and ammunition manufacturers, Congress extended a 10 percent tax on ammunition and firearms used for hunting, with the money distributed to states for wildlife restoration. This became the P-R Act, named after Sen. Key Pittman of Nevada and Rep. A. Willis Robertson of Virginia. It was signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt Sept. 2, 1937.

Numerous species have rebuilt populations and extended ranges far beyond what they were in the 1930s. Among them are the wild turkey, white-tailed deer, pronghorn antelope, wood duck, beaver, black bear, Canada goose, American elk, desert bighorn sheep, bobcat, mountain lion and many predatory birds species.

P-R funding pays 75 percent of project costs, and states pay 25 percent. The steady funds enable program administrators to begin projects that take years to complete. Short-term strategies seldom create solutions for wildlife.

In more than 50 years of P-R, more than $2 billion in federal taxes has been matched by more than $500 million in state funds, mostly hunting license fees.

Benefits to the overall economy have been equally impressive.

Hunters now spend $10 billion annually on equipment and trips. Non-hunting nature lovers spend even larger sums for travel and items from bird food to binoculars, footwear and cameras, creating thousands of jobs.

More than 62 percent of state P-R funding buys, develops, maintains and operates wildlife areas. Four million acres have been purchased, and 40 million acres are managed for wildlife under agreements with other landowners. Acquired lands include winter rangelands and wetlands essential to waterfowl.

Along with land acquisition, better management methods have yielded remarkable results. Some examples are creating small waterholes in the Southwest, planting trees and shrubs in Great Plains localities for cover during winter storms, creating clearings in the wooded Northeast to provide food and shelter for deer, woodcock, rabbits, and ruffed grouse and controlled burning of brush and tall grass in the South to stimulate seed-producing plants for wild turkey, quail and songbirds.

Although P-R is financed entirely by shooters and archers, its benefits extend to an enormous number of people who never hunt but enjoy birdwatching, nature photography, painting and other outdoor pursuits. Almost all lands purchased with P-R money are managed for wildlife production and multiple public uses. State wildlife areas acquired under P-R are used by hikers, fishermen, campers and picnickers. Wetlands for summer waterfowl nesting are useful to nature lovers in other seasons. Recent estimates indicate about 70 percent to 95 percent of people using these areas are not hunting.

Non-game species enjoy P-R benefits. Game-bird cover is used by songbirds and small animals. Bald eagles benefit under careful management of forested nesting areas. The Pittman-Robertson act does not restrict funding to game species, providing funds for any wildlife species.

Congress in the early 1970's expanded P-R's taxes to handguns and archery equipment, authorizing states to spend half those revenues on hunter education and target ranges. Hunter education makes each hunter aware of how his behavior affects others. They learn safe handling of hunting equipment, responsible conduct, wildlife identification, habits and habitats and respect for animals, other hunters, landowners and the general public.

If the general public knew the sacrifices hunters have made, instead of finding fault with the taking of the surplus animals created by wildlife restoration for table or trophy, they might give hunters respect they deserve. Every citizen who enjoys wildlife benefits from a hunter's dollars, effort and time. Hunters are this nation's champions of wildlife. They are otherwise ordinary citizens from every walk of life who cherish wild places and wildlife and care strongly enough to pay the tab.

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