Wildlife and Sportfish Restoration Exceise Tax

johnwilliamson062 · January 21, 2016, 12:36 PM

As many of you know, there is an 11% excise tax on many of the things used in shooting, hunting, and fishing. I believe it is on both firearms and ammunition. It is supposed to be used for conservation more or less.
With the rise in firearm sales the last few years proceeds must have really jumped. I was wondering if anyone has any exposure to projects funded with this money, knows how it is split up or has any other information. I found a yearly report online, but it seems to be the usual bureaucratic Washington garbage one might expect from a federal agency.

kilimanjaro · January 21, 2016, 01:27 PM

Fish & Wildlife Service spends much of the money, but the states and other Federal agencies can apply for grants and perform conservation and enhancement projects. I think the states also receive a portion of the fund as a block grant each year for their own Game Department budgets.

Our National Forest did a couple of small habitat projects with grants.

You might contact a local or regional USF&WS office and inquire of the budget dude there.

FlyFish · January 21, 2016, 01:28 PM

I'm a New Hampshire Fish & Game Department certified fly-fishing instructor, working with the Department to teach introductory fly-fishing courses to kids and adults across the state. Like all of the other instructors, I volunteer my time for this, but the Department receives payment for our time from the Feds (Department of Interior) to fund the program. Those monies are derived from the Dingell-Johnson excise tax on fishing equipment, which was enacted in the 1950s as, in effect, an extension of the 1937 Pittman-Robertson excise tax, which was originally restricted to firearms and ammunition.

January 21, 2016, 12:36 PM	#1
johnwilliamson062 Junior member Join Date: May 16, 2008 Posts: 9,995	Wildlife and Sportfish Restoration Exceise Tax As many of you know, there is an 11% excise tax on many of the things used in shooting, hunting, and fishing. I believe it is on both firearms and ammunition. It is supposed to be used for conservation more or less. With the rise in firearm sales the last few years proceeds must have really jumped. I was wondering if anyone has any exposure to projects funded with this money, knows how it is split up or has any other information. I found a yearly report online, but it seems to be the usual bureaucratic Washington garbage one might expect from a federal agency.

January 21, 2016, 01:28 PM	#3
FlyFish Senior Member Join Date: January 20, 2009 Location: Overlooking the Baker River Valley Posts: 1,723	I'm a New Hampshire Fish & Game Department certified fly-fishing instructor, working with the Department to teach introductory fly-fishing courses to kids and adults across the state. Like all of the other instructors, I volunteer my time for this, but the Department receives payment for our time from the Feds (Department of Interior) to fund the program. Those monies are derived from the Dingell-Johnson excise tax on fishing equipment, which was enacted in the 1950s as, in effect, an extension of the 1937 Pittman-Robertson excise tax, which was originally restricted to firearms and ammunition. __________________ NRA Benefactor Life Member NRA Certified Instructor: Rifle, Pistol, Shotgun, PPIH, Metallic & Shotgun Shell Reloading; RSO Pemigewasset Valley Fish & Game Club

January 21, 2016, 01:27 PM	#2
kilimanjaro Senior Member Join Date: November 23, 2009 Posts: 3,963	Fish & Wildlife Service spends much of the money, but the states and other Federal agencies can apply for grants and perform conservation and enhancement projects. I think the states also receive a portion of the fund as a block grant each year for their own Game Department budgets. Our National Forest did a couple of small habitat projects with grants. You might contact a local or regional USF&WS office and inquire of the budget dude there.