Wildlife Management
Hunters were the first conservationists. They were the first to recognize the need for scientific wildlife management, for hunting regulations, for law enforcement -- and they were the first to the fund these efforts. Hunting and fishing license fees and excise taxes fund more than 75% of all state fish and wildlife management programs, including those for non-game species. In fact, less than 10% of state fish and wildlife budgets come from general taxpayer funds to which hunters also contribute.

Fish and wildlife agencies use hunters' money for species management, biological surveys, wildlife research and habitat improvement, access sites, shooting, and field trails facilities, law enforcement, education/safety programs and land acquisition. P-R funds have resulted in the acquisition of approximately five million acres of state owned wildlife habitat, more than 1.6 million acres of waterfowl habitat, and the establishment of over 4,000 state wildlife management areas containing 45 millions acres. In 2000, P-R federal assistance provided the states over $167.8 million for wildlife restoration that includes species management, habitat improvement, and wildlife research.

Even though the lands purchased with P-R money are financed completely by firearm users and archery enthusiasts, the benefits for non-hunters and non-game wildlife are tremendous. Almost all the lands purchased with P-R funds are managed for wildlife production and for other public uses. It is estimated that between 70-90- percent of the people using these areas are not hunting.

Hunters' Successes
Since the 1920's when several wildlife populations were at historic lows, the dollars and efforts of sportsmen, wildlife agencies and conservation organizations have gained momentum and achieved many notable successes throughout North America. Some examples:

	Then	Now
White-tailed Deer	300,000	20 million
Wild Turkey	30,000	4.5 million
Pronghorn Antelope	25,000	1 million
North American Elk	50,000	1 million plus
Wood Duck	nearly extinct	most common breeding waterfowl in the east

Hunter Education, Shooting Ranges and Law Enforcement
Pittman-Robertson federal aid funds are distributed to all 50 states to provide hunter safety training and education. The state's population determines allocations of funds. Since 1979 more than $400 million has been appropriated for this purpose, with $28.9 million apportioned in 2000. Combined with state funds, this money supports the training of approximately 750,00 hunters each year, and over 20 million hunters to date. Every year more than 50,000 hunters donate over $25 million worth of services as volunteer hunter education instructors.

The results of this training are remarkable. In the last 30 years national hunting accident rate has decreased steadily with some states reporting as much as a 75% decline. By 1997 the U.S. accident rate was down to a low 6.02 accident per 100,000 hunters, and the fatal accident rate had dropped to only .57 per 100,000. To help put this in to perspective, the 1995 swimming accident rate was 144 per 100,000 swimmers, and based on estimates by the National Safety Council the fatal accident rate for 1997 totaled 1500 swimmers.

Hunters are still the strongest supporters of conservation law enforcement. In addition to license fees, hunters contribute to this important cause in many cooperative efforts. Perhaps most noteworthy in recent years are the various special programs such as Turn In Poachers and Operation Game Thief. In most states hunters initiated these systems, served on advisory committees and sponsored fund-raising actives.

Hunters for the Hungry
Whatever it's called in your area -- Hunters for the Hungry, Sportsmen Against Hunger, Hunters Sharing the Harvest -- the goal, and the way to reach it are basically the same: First hunters harvest their game. Then, through cooperative efforts with members of the hunting community, meat processors, food banks, sportsmen's associations, churches and charities, they donate it to those most in need.

Over the past seven years, hunters have donated hundreds of thousands of pounds of game meat to those less fortunate. As programs continue to grow, it is estimated that approximately seven million meals are being provided on an annual basis. For information on programs in your area, or for information on how to start a program in your community, contact the NRA Hunter Services Department at (800) 492-HUNT or visit our website at www.nrahq.org/shooting/hunterhungry.asp.