NDA Celebrates 85 Years of American System of Conservation Funding

85 years ago, a partnership between sportsmen and woman, state fish and wildlife agencies and the archery and firearms industries was formed through the passage of the Pittman-Robertson Act (PR). In 1937, an excise tax was placed on the sale of firearms and ammunition. This tax helps to fund wildlife conservation throughout the United States. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) deposits all PR revenue into an account called the Wildlife Restoration Trust Fund, and these funds are available to states for wildlife management activities the year following their collection. This year alone, state fish and wildlife agencies have received $1.1 billion in PR dollars.

The National Deer Association (NDA) joined a coalition of the nation’s strongest conservation organizations in showing strong support for PR and its accomplishments via the graphic below. Here’s to another 85 years!