WISCONSIN DNR
ZACH WOOD
Wisconsin’s hunting culture is rich — steeped in generations of history, tradition and a shared commitment to ensuring the next generation of hunters can enjoy their time outdoors. Hunters help make this vision a reality each time they take a young person hunting, volunteer to teach a hunter education class or provide input through the Wisconsin Conservation Congress each year. Every time they buy new gear, they also help generate millions of dollars annually for expanding access to hunting opportunities — whether they realize it or not. The Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937, better known as the Pittman-Robertson Act, established a federal tax of 11% on the sale of shotguns, rifles, ammunition and archery equipment. There's also a 10% federal tax on handguns. All funds from the tax are distributed back to states for the exclusive purpose of supporting wildlife habitat restoration, preservation and expanding access to public lands. Pittman-Robertson fund distribution is based on a formula that
Accessible bridge at Dane County’s Badfish Creek State Wildlife Area.
accounts for each state’s size and the number of hunting licenses sold. Thanks to Wisconsin’s outstanding license sales, the state consistently punches above its weight with federal distributions, ranking eighth nationally in 2023 with nearly $34 million in federal funds received. Tim Lizotte, DNR's Lands and Habitat section supervisor, said that money is essential to expanding public access to hunting. “It really is thanks to these funds generated by our hunters that Wisconsin has made some of the biggest investments to expand access
to hunting opportunities in recent years,” he said. In the past few years, Lizotte noted, excise money has been used to: • Improve over 50 miles of public hunting access roads; • Repair more than 100 hunter access parking lots; • Build an accessible group hunting yurt; • Install seven new accessible hunting blinds at DNR properties; • Improve hundreds of miles of walking trails used by hunters; and • Add more than 500 acres of public hunting land to the Leola Marsh Wildlife Area. Funds also have been instrumental in several recent DNR land purchases, including adding 1,830 acres adjacent to Princes Point Wildlife Area in Jefferson County. All these projects are making Wisconsin’s hunting opportunities more accessible than ever. “None of that could have happened without Pittman-Robertson funds," Lizotte said.
28 wnrmag.com
WISCONSIN DNR
BY HUNTERS, FOR EVERYONE While the funds are derived from hunting-related purchases and designated for improving hunting habitat,
