Micropterus
Member
I agree with art on this one - I have worked for a short time with the U.S. Forest Service and with my state's game and fisheries department (VDGIF), so I have some idea what goes on, and the Pitman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson acts are some of the most important around.
Every state in this country is responsible for its own wildlife - except, of course, national parks and forests. State natural resource agencies have to, for the most part, generate their own capital for the management of these resources, they receive little to no help from the feds or anyone else. Those two federal acts combined provide your state agencies with about 80-90% of their funding and it's not just a tax on your guns and ammo - everything from fishing/hunting licenses, rods, reels, tackle, etc. all fund the management and maintenance of state wildlife. On top of that, they also keep the state from dipping its hand into that money - everything collected can only be used for conservation and management (purposes) of natural resources.
Never hunt? That's fine. How about fishing? Hiking, camping, canoeing, birdwatching, feeding the ducks, etc. - all these things are paid for and maintained by your tax dollars - specifically those collected from your guns, ammo, fishing/hunting licenses, and fishing equipment.
So you all propose to get rid of such a tax, fine, but the state's going to get that money one way or another - either that or your state's natural resources take a turn for the worse.
Every state in this country is responsible for its own wildlife - except, of course, national parks and forests. State natural resource agencies have to, for the most part, generate their own capital for the management of these resources, they receive little to no help from the feds or anyone else. Those two federal acts combined provide your state agencies with about 80-90% of their funding and it's not just a tax on your guns and ammo - everything from fishing/hunting licenses, rods, reels, tackle, etc. all fund the management and maintenance of state wildlife. On top of that, they also keep the state from dipping its hand into that money - everything collected can only be used for conservation and management (purposes) of natural resources.
Never hunt? That's fine. How about fishing? Hiking, camping, canoeing, birdwatching, feeding the ducks, etc. - all these things are paid for and maintained by your tax dollars - specifically those collected from your guns, ammo, fishing/hunting licenses, and fishing equipment.
So you all propose to get rid of such a tax, fine, but the state's going to get that money one way or another - either that or your state's natural resources take a turn for the worse.