Decline in Hunters Threatens Conservation
The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, popularized by Teddy Roosevelt in the early 1900s, is the idea that the best way to create a substantial funding source for conservation is to tax hunters and anglers. Sales of hunting and fishing licenses, as well as excise taxes on weapons, ammunition, and angling equipment, are the majority source of state-level budgets for conservation. As baby boomers age out of hunting and younger generations become more entrenched in urban areas with electronic pastimes, the tradition of hunting and the associated funding source for conservation are drying up.
State agencies have devoted many programs to recruiting new hunters through safety training and mentoring programs, but a growing number of people are asking whether an alternative funding source could be secured through new legislation. As outdoor recreation trends toward more passive forms, taxes on items such as tents and binoculars have been proposed but not gotten far. Bipartisan solutions offer the most hope as the conservation funding crisis becomes more dire.