Pittman-Robertson

The Pittman-Robertson Act became law on Sept. 2, 1937. It puts an 11% excise tax on the sale of “sporting arms and ammunition” and over the past several decades, it has raised billions of dollars. Back in 1972, the Act was amended to add an 11% excise tax on archery equipment (bows and arrows) so all of the bowhunters share in this program.

Hunters can make credible arguments against anti-hunters, who seem to pop up this time of year to complain about “slaughtering” animals. To their credit, some non-hunting conservation organizations have made strong arguments in support of hunting and the benefits this law has provided such as land acquisition with public access for all kinds of outdoor recreation opportunities.

It’s easy to find how much money your state receives from the P-R fund annually. Go online and log onto fws.gov and follow the links to the “Final Apportionment of Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Funds.”

Here are a few significant examples, from FY 2021 — Alaska, $28,248,208; Georgia, $21,167,163; Missouri, $17,770,374; Pennsylvania, $23,776,074 and Texas, $31,095,765.