The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration (WSFR) Program channels tax dollars from hunting and fishing revenue to public lands conservation and outdoor sports infrastructure. The program will disperse a record $1.5 billion in funding this year.
On Friday, Feb. 11, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced the program would allocate the most money in its history in 2022. Two separate funds feed the WSFR, distributing the money to state governments. States then cooperate with public and private entities to spend it on conservation or recreation infrastructure projects.
The WSFR stemmed from two crucial congressional acts: the 1937 Pittman-Robertson Act and the 1950 Dingell-Johnson Act. The decisions set precedents for apportioning excise taxes from hunting and angling equipment and licenses toward natural resource management.
The program disperses funding to states on a scaled basis to meet local demand. To do it, it uses a formula that accounts for landmass and licenses purchased. Alaska, Texas, Colorado, and California are often near the top of the program’s multiple allocation categories.
What Do WSFR Projects Look Like?
In recent examples, WSFR has funded shooting ranges to reduce stress on public lands from recreational shooting.
John Gale is the Conservation Director of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. The nonprofit “seeks to ensure North America’s outdoor heritage of hunting and fishing in a natural setting, through education and work on behalf of wild public lands, waters, and wildlife.”
He said WSFR-funded projects like shooting ranges could help mitigate informal shooting in places like dispersed campgrounds and help hunters build their skills before they take to the field.
Gale said the program received record funding in 2022 due to a recent uptick in hunting and angling interest. That growing population also makes its programs increasingly valuable.
How to Get Involved
![Fly fisherman standing in a stream tying a knot wearing the SIMMS Fishing Flyweight Hybrid Hip System and Flyweight Waders Fly fisherman stand to gain from the WSFR](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2021/10/Fly-fisherman-standing-in-a-stream-tying-a-knot-wearing-the-SIMMS-Fishing-Flyweight-Hybrid-Hip-System-and-Flyweight-Waders.jpg)