Fish and Wildlife Management: Where the Money Comes From

**Craig Johnson** · 01-10-2012, 08:49 AM

FISH AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT: WHERE THE MONEY COMES FROM

Jan. 5, 2012

2012 marks 75th anniversary of landmark legislation that brought wildlife back from the brink

PRATT — Hunters and anglers pay for wildlife management in Kansas. If you’ve heard that before, you were probably talking to an employee of the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT). There is a popular myth, probably because KDWPT is a state agency, that general taxes pay for its programs. Actually, State General Funds make up less than 7 percent of the agency’s budget, and that money is dedicated to state park programs and administration. The bulk of KDWPT’s budget is derived from the sale of licenses and permits, and the rest of the budget used for wildlife and fisheries management comes from federal funding — a self-imposed excise tax on hunting and fishing equipment lobbied for by hunters and anglers themselves.

This funding can be traced back to the beginning of modern wildlife management. In 1900, wildlife populations in the U.S. were dwindling to dangerously low numbers, and some species were near extinction. Wildlife management, while desired, wasn’t funded by Congress or the states. And even though there were Kansas laws on the books designed to protect game populations, there wasn’t funding to pay for enforcement.

In the 1930s, hunters and the hunting and shooting industry urged Congress to act before it was too late for many wildlife species. Congress acted by extending the life of a 10 percent tax on ammunition and firearms used for sport hunting and earmarked the funds to be distributed to the states for wildlife restoration. On Sept. 2, 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, now called the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act (P-R) after its principal sponsors, Sen. Key Pittman of Nevada and Rep. A. Willis Robertson of Virginia.

The money has been distributed to the states based on the number of hunting licenses they sell pay for wildlife-related programs on a 75-25-percent match. State license and permit fees make up the states’ 25 percent. Since P-R was signed into law, more than $2 billion in excise taxes has been sent to the states, which matched $500 million for wildlife restoration.

How is the money spent? Nationwide, more than 62 percent is used to buy, develop, maintain, and operate wildlife management areas. Four million acres have been purchased, and nearly 40 million acres have been managed for wildlife under agreements with private landowners. Twenty-six percent of the funding is used for surveys and research, two efforts extremely important to the evolution of modern wildlife management programs. But it’s accurately called the Wildlife Restoration Act. Since it was signed, historical wildlife population comebacks have been witnessed again and again.

Great comeback stories abound. In 1900, numbers of white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and pronghorn, once abundant, had dwindled dramatically in North America, and all three species were extirpated from Kansas. Today, whitetails and wild turkeys provide great hunting statewide, and a strong, huntable population of pronghorns — a species unique to the continent — thrives in western Kansas. Whooping cranes, while still endangered, have grown from fewer than 40 to more than 400. And the once endangered national symbol — the bald eagle — has recovered so dramatically that it has been removed from the endangered species list.

Following in the footsteps of Pittman and Robertson, Sen. Edwin Johnson of Colorado and Rep. John Dingell Sr. of Michigan sponsored the Sport fish Restoration Act in 1950. Commonly called the Dingell-Johnson, or D-J, Act, this legislation was modeled after the P-R Act, bringing revenue to sport fish conservation efforts from excise taxes on sport fishing equipment and import duties on fishing tackle, yachts, and pleasure craft, plus a portion of the gasoline fuel tax attributable to small engines and motorboats. That money is distributed to the states based on fishing license sales and also requires a state 25-percent match. The funds are used for fisheries management programs and boat access.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration (WSFR) program (now considered two parts of a common program). Since they began, nearly $14 billion has been generated and apportioned back to the states. Recipient fish and wildlife agencies have matched these program funds with more than $3.4 billion. Grants to the states from the Sport Fish Restoration program can be used for fishery projects, boating access, and aquatic education. Money from the Wildlife Restoration Program is used for projects to restore, conserve, manage and enhance wild birds and mammals and their habitat, as well as projects that provide public use and access to wildlife resources, hunter education, and development and management of shooting ranges.

Through the WSFR, Kansas receives approximately $15 million annually. Last year, WSFR funds helped the department purchase land at the Parsons Ammunitions Plant that will be managed for public hunting, and Fancy Creek Shooting Range at Tuttle Creek State Park was enhanced. Popular programs such as Walk-In Hunting Access, Fishing Impoundments and Stream Habitat, and Community Fisheries Assistance Program would not have been possible without WSFR.

WSFR leverages license and permit revenues and allows the department to provide direct benefits to wildlife, as well as anglers, hunters, and boaters. And while the programs funds are usually specific to game animals and sport fish, they benefit all wildlife and fish. Because so few of our wildlife species are hunted or fished, habitat enhancement efforts benefit many more nongame species.

If you enjoy wildlife in Kansas, you can thank hunters, anglers, and the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program. All of our wildlife resources and most of our outdoor recreation have benefitted from this far-reaching program that was started 75 years ago by some visionary people.

**imajigger2** · 01-10-2012, 04:25 PM

Craig, where can one find a current breakdown of licenses sold in the State of Kansas by year for the last ten years? Am I reading correctly that there are two different funds and one fund can only be used for Hunting and the other for fishing or are they apportioned together and someone (who) gets to determine where the funds are used? Can you tell us the funding or where to find it for fishing only for the last ten years? Is there any way to tell how many free licences were given for 65 year old non military people in 2011 compared to the last five years? Also will the Tourism Department get any of these funds and can you give an example of what they would use that money for? Is it the retirees getting free licenses that are causing the projected shortfalls or is it the national trend of young people just not being interested in either hunting or fishing? Does any of the monies go to making the parks more camper friendly or are those from seperate funds? Is there somewhere online where one can view the actual dollar amount recieved in total and where each dollar was spent? Thanks for all you guys do.

**fishlessDan** · 01-11-2012, 08:23 AM

Craig, what percentage of the cost of a fishing liscense go directly to KDWPT? If someone would provide numbers for outdoors folks before announcing plans to increase fees they would probably be more favorably accepted. Not jumping you, but you can maybe get us some scoop!

**Craig Johnson** · 01-11-2012, 06:47 PM

Originally Posted by imajigger2

Craig, where can one find a current breakdown of licenses sold in the State of Kansas by year for the last ten years? Am I reading correctly that there are two different funds and one fund can only be used for Hunting and the other for fishing or are they apportioned together and someone (who) gets to determine where the funds are used? Can you tell us the funding or where to find it for fishing only for the last ten years? Is there any way to tell how many free licences were given for 65 year old non military people in 2011 compared to the last five years? Also will the Tourism Department get any of these funds and can you give an example of what they would use that money for? Is it the retirees getting free licenses that are causing the projected shortfalls or is it the national trend of young people just not being interested in either hunting or fishing? Does any of the monies go to making the parks more camper friendly or are those from seperate funds? Is there somewhere online where one can view the actual dollar amount recieved in total and where each dollar was spent? Thanks for all you guys do.

imajigger2,

I'll try to answer your questions the best I can. These topics are a long ways out from my area of responsibility but hopefully you'll find the info useful. I've checked with a couple of other sources to get some info as well.

1.) KDWP used to publish an annual report which included revenues and expenditures for the Department. This report was made available in the KDWP Magazine. However, the last report that was provided in this manner was for FY07. The most recent annual report (FY11) is currently in the works and should be available in the near future.

2.) Revenues generated from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses are placed in to the Wildlife Fee Fund which can be used for both Fish and Wildlife projects. These monies are used as match for Federal funds which greatly increases the funds available for projects.

3.) Who decides where the money is spent? Production expectations shape the budgets for programs, projects, and activities such as hatcheries. Field staff provide input of needs to meet production demands, Regional Supervisors rate projects for their regions (currently there are only two Fisheries Regional Supervisors in the state one covering the north half the other the south half), the Section Chief will also weigh in on what is available to be spent and rankings are made in cooperation with Regional Supervisors. Above the Section Chiefs is the F&W Division Director who must take in to account priorities made by both Fisheries and Wildlife Sections. So in short, the list of 'who decides' where the money is spent is a rather lengthy one.

4.) I do not know the funding for fishing nor do I know where to find it for the last 10 years. Obviously, it should be available somewhere. I'll do some more looking when I have time and see what I can find.

5.) I wouldn't think that there is any way to track the 'free licenses' for those over 65 because they do not need to obtain a license from KDWP to hunt or fish for free other than having a drivers license or proof that they are 65+. Since no additional (or free license) is required, it would be tough to know how many 65+ anglers are hunting or fishing in a given year. I was told that the number of age 65+ deer hunters that purchased deer permits increased 25% from 2006 through 2011. (Deer permits can be tracked for those 65+ because a deer permit is still required for those 65+ but a hunting license isn't).

6.) Tourism will not get any funding from the Wildlife Fee Fund. Tourism is still funded with Economic Development money.

7.) From my experience, shortfalls are being created by numerous factors. Cost of doing business in the fish world is higher as fish food costs have increased alongside grain costs, fuel costs have increased which have impacted the Department, other necessary supplies to conduct business have increased in recent years which have resulted in cuts in a number of the projects I deal with on a routine basis. If you are wanting a statewide synopsis of shortfalls, I don't have that but from my experience it is costing my Section more to do the same things we used to do for less while funding hasn't kept up with the increases. I have seen some numbers on demographics of the Kansas anglers but I can't recall them accurately enough to cite them here. I'll see if I can dig them up to help answer your question of those entering and those leaving the license buying portion of Kansas anglers.

8). None of the monies generated from the sale of fishing/hunting permits are utilized by the State Park system.

9). I don't know of anywhere on line where the dollar to dollar accounting can be viewed for KDWPT.

**Craig Johnson** · 01-11-2012, 06:55 PM

Originally Posted by fishlessDan

Craig, what percentage of the cost of a fishing liscense go directly to KDWPT? If someone would provide numbers for outdoors folks before announcing plans to increase fees they would probably be more favorably accepted. Not jumping you, but you can maybe get us some scoop!

Dan,

KDWPT gets all of the money from the sale of each fishing license minus the $2 vendor/convenience fee for the automated licensing system (the green, computer generated licenses/permits we all started getting a number of years ago).

**crappiedoc** · 01-11-2012, 07:34 PM

Craig,
Some questions I have and you may not want to even touch them. How is upper mgmt paid? Where are the funds allocated from to pay their salaries? Are department heads paid through their agencies? Are your wages through fish and wildlife? Are Robin Jennisons through a collective system or a separate divisions.

My reasons for these questions are because as I recall Robin Jennison received a substantial raise when KDWP incorporated the Tourism department as stated in my local newspaper. There were a handful of upper mgmt as I recall. All in a time when there was a freeze on State employees wages. I'm sure the backbone and working person in most of KDWP-T's haven't received any additional income. I think most people are tired of the fat cat scenario. I'm probably way off base here, but a breakdown of the numbers will diffinently ease peoples worries. I appreciate many of the working class in fish and wildlife, even parks its not an easy task.

**fishlessDan** · 01-12-2012, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by Craig Johnson

Dan,

KDWPT gets all of the money from the sale of each fishing license minus the $2 vendor/convenience fee for the automated licensing system (the green, computer generated licenses/permits we all started getting a number of years ago).

Thanks Craig!

**fishlessDan** · 01-12-2012, 11:48 AM

Craig, got another one for ya, how do they count the "Lifetime" licenses? as it pertains to the Fed. monies? Does a Lifetime license count every year or do they only count the year they are purchased?

**Craig Johnson** · 01-13-2012, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by crappiedoc

Craig,
Some questions I have and you may not want to even touch them. How is upper mgmt paid? Where are the funds allocated from to pay their salaries? Are department heads paid through their agencies? Are your wages through fish and wildlife? Are Robin Jennisons through a collective system or a separate divisions.

My reasons for these questions are because as I recall Robin Jennison received a substantial raise when KDWP incorporated the Tourism department as stated in my local newspaper. There were a handful of upper mgmt as I recall. All in a time when there was a freeze on State employees wages. I'm sure the backbone and working person in most of KDWP-T's haven't received any additional income. I think most people are tired of the fat cat scenario. I'm probably way off base here, but a breakdown of the numbers will diffinently ease peoples worries. I appreciate many of the working class in fish and wildlife, even parks its not an easy task.

Crappiedoc,

"Upper management" (those that have responsibilities within multiple divisions) are paid a portion from each of the four funding areas which are Wildlife, Boating, Parks, and Tourism.

Yes, my wages are strictly fisheries.

**Craig Johnson** · 01-13-2012, 10:49 AM

Originally Posted by fishlessDan

Craig, got another one for ya, how do they count the "Lifetime" licenses? as it pertains to the Fed. monies? Does a Lifetime license count every year or do they only count the year they are purchased?

Dan,

After a check with the Chief of Licensing in Pratt, a lifetime license holder is recognized each year as a license buyer based on a formula that figures average life expectancy. So a person that buys a lifetime license at age 32 would be counted as a license buyer every year until they reach somewhere in their 70's.

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