The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program has its origins in the late 1800s/early 1900s with the establishment of wildlife conservation efforts. The program evolved in the 1920s-1930s with the realization that science could be used as a tool to manage wildlife populations. The Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937 and the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act of 1950 provided dedicated funding sources for state wildlife agencies which transformed them into science-based professional organizations. The acts have generated over $6.4 billion for fish and wildlife conservation efforts in the United States since 1937.

1. Historical Context of the
Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration
Program
John F. Organ
Christina Zarrella
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

2. Origins
 Late 1800s/early 1900’s - wildlife conservation
became established largely through the efforts of
conservation organizations such as the Boone and
Crockett Club as mostly a program of refuges, game
breeding, law enforcement, predator control, and
regulation of seasons and bag limits.

3. Conservation Pioneers
 Man and Nature - George Perkins Marsh
 Yellowstone Park Protection Act – John Lacey
 Lacey Act
 New York Zoological Society – Madison Grant
 Migratory Bird Treaty

4. Roosevelt Era
 1908 – Conference of Governors

5. Wildlife Management Origins
 Up to circa 1905, dominant paradigm was to
Perpetuate, rather than to improve or create
 Hunting thought of as something that must
eventually disappear
 Restrictive regulations designed to string out a
dwindling supply
 Better law enforcement and prohibition of market
hunting were thought to be the answer

6. Science as a Tool
 Novel concept at advent of 20th century
 Early naturalists discovered, catalogued, and
described
 Realization that species are not like planets or
geologic strata – different in that civilizations can
destroy them
 “New” breed of naturalists would not accept this

7. Science as a Tool
 1924: Herb Stoddard, Bobwhite Quail and
land management in Georgia
 1928: Aldo Leopold and the Game Surveys

8. RESTORATION PHASE
POST-1920 AMERICA
 Population primarily Urban
 Hunters increasing (3 million in 1910; 6 million in
1920).
 Sportsmen’s organizations decline

9. The Need for Federal Funding
 Excise Tax on sporting arms and ammunition
established in 1918 with intent to fund Migratory Bird
Treaty Act implementation.
 1925 - Federal Hunting Stamp proposed and Refuge
Bill drafted. Bill failed to pass Congress.
 AFWA recommended tax be used to fund Refuge Bill
 Congress repealed all Excise Taxes
 Hoover reinstated Excise Tax during depression for a
period set to expire in 1938

10. LEOPOLD
 GAME SURVEY OF
NORTH CENTRAL
STATES: 1928-1930

11. 1930 AMERICAN GAME POLICY
 Land acquisition
 Partnerships:landowners/hunters/public
 Experiment state-by-state ways partnership yields
management
 Research (find facts)
 Joint conservation program with hunters and
protectionists together with scientists and landowners
 Establish wildlife management profession
 Adequate, equitable, secure $

12. Franklin Roosevelt Era
 Ding Darling comes to Washington in 1934
 Heads Bureau of Biological Survey
 Establishes Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit System

13. Carl Shoemaker
 Oregon Fish and Game Commission Chief
 1930 - U.S. Senate Special Committee on Wildlife
Resources

14. Carl Shoemaker
 1937 - During 2nd North American Wildlife
Conference, Shoemaker, Darling and others discussed
the decade-old Refuge and Hunting Stamp Bill
 Shoemaker writes 1st draft of Wildlife Restoration Act
 John Burnham, president of American Game
Protective Association (now WMI) was on AFWA
committee that drafted 1925 Bill
 Shoemaker goes to SAAMI meeting in New York; with
Burnham’s help gets Industry’s endorsement

15. Senator Key Pittman
 Chair of Senate Special Committee on Wildlife
Resources
 Shoemaker asks him to sponsor the Bill – He readily
agrees

16. Congressman A. Willis Robertson
 1926 – 1932 Virginia Commissioner of Game and
Inland Fisheries
 Member of Leopold’s 1930 American Game Policy
Committee
 1933 – 1946 U.S. Congress House of Representatives
 1946 – 1966 U.S. Senate
 Chair – House Special Committee on Wildlife

18. Congressman A. Willis Robertson
 Robertson’s 29 words: “...and which shall include a
prohibition against the diversion of license fees paid
by hunters for any other purpose than the
administration of said State fish and game
department...”

19. Senate Deliberations
 Bill introduced in House and Senate on July 20, 1937
 Senator Wallace H. White (ME): “We have the time in
this country when many species of our game life will
disappear altogether unless the people of the country
arouse themselves, and unless there are adopted
measures of conservation and measures of
restoration……… This Bill recognizes this great
necessity….I believe the people of the country will give
wholehearted approval to the efforts of the Congress to
stay the wanton destruction of our game life which has
been going on over the years.”

20. House Deliberations
 Robertson’s Committee did not have jurisdiction
 Agriculture Committee ruled over Bills involving
Bureau of Biological Survey
 Chair Scott Lucas (IL), an ardent hunter, was not
aggressive in pushing Bill
 Shoemaker sent telegrams to all Garden Clubs and
Women’s groups in Illinois urging them to contact
Lucas
 “For God’s sake, Carl, take the women off my back
and I’ll move the Bill immediately”

21. September 2, 1937
 President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signs the Bill into
law.
 Within 12 months, 43 of 48 States enact laws assenting
to provisions of Act prohibiting use of Hunter license
revenues for purposes other than administration of
fish and wildlife agency.

22. Implementation
 USFWS Director Ira Gabrielson puts Albert Day in
charge
 Day immediately begins meetings with State directors

23. 3 Types of State Projects Allowed
 Purchase of Land for Wildlife Rehabilitation Purposes
 Development of Land to make it more suitable for wild
mammals and birds
 Research projects set up on a definite basis and
directed to the solution of problems that stand in the
way of wildlife restoration

24. Trained and Competent
 Policy created requiring State agency personnel hired
to work on P-R to be “trained and competent.”
 USFWS had to approve before they were hired.
 “One of the chief difficulties we have encountered and
one of the most discouraging things in the
administration of the wildlife resources of this
country has been the large turnover in the
administrative officers of the various state game
departments.” – Albert Day

25. Management Added
 1955 – Amendment allowing P-R funds to be used for
management of wildlife areas and facilities, exclusive
of public relations and law enforcement.
 Also allowed excise taxes to be directly apportioned to
states by USFWS instead of being appropriated by
Congress

26. Hunter Education
 Early 1970s – Amendments adding excise taxes to
handguns and archery equipment
 Approved use of one-half of these revenues for Hunter
Education programs.

27. Origins of
Dingell-Johnson
Sport Fish Restoration Act
 1939 – Congressman Frank Buck proposes excise tax
 1941 – 10% E.T. imposed to fund war effort
 1946 – Buck reintroduces Bill
 1947 – John Dingell, Sr. introduces Bill
 1949 – Dingell and Senator Johnson introduce Bill
 1950 – D-J Sport Fish Restoration Bill passes

28. Wallop-Breaux Amendments
 1979 – Senator Jennings Randolph and Congressman
John Breaux introduce legislation to expand SFR E.T.
 1982 – Sport Fishing Association develops compromise
that substitutes motor boat fuels tax and import duties
 1984 – Breaux and Senator Malcolm Wallop get
Amendment passed

29. Wallop-Breaux Amendments
 Dramatically Increased Program funding
 Requires Boating Access Program
 Allowed funding for Aquatic Resources Education
 Split Freshwater and Saltwater funding
 Subsequent Amendments:
 Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program
 Clean Vessel Act Program
 Boating Infrastructure Grant Program

30. 2000 Improvement Act
 Multi-State Conservation Grant Program
 Enhanced Firearm and Bowhunter Education and
Safety Program (Section 10)
 Funding for 4 Fisheries Commissions
 Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council

31. Protecting License Dollars
 Robertson’s 29 Words
 Legacy of WSFR Program
 Protects license revenues and assets acquired with
license revenues: Lands, Vehicles, Interest, Buildings,
Equipment………..
 Snapshot: During February 2009 WSFR Regional
Offices were actively involved in preventing 10
diversions nationwide

32. Join the celebration - It’s YOUR Nature!
Visit: www.wsfr75.com
“Like” WSFR 75 on Facebook + “Follow” WSFR75 on Twitter

33. Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration and the
Evolution of American Wildlife Conservation
Curtis Taylor, John Organ, Christina Zarrella, Ron
Essig

35. Impact of the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife
Restoration Act
The Act enabled (demanded) the professional management of
wildlife, and transformed how State fish and wildlife
agencies operate. How?

36. Prussian Forestry Model…
o Professional societies to establish standards
o Universities to train in these standards
o Agencies to do the technical work

37. Provided Funding…
o To hire trained professionals
o To have trained professionals conduct research
o This led to the profession of wildlife, and later fish,
management to become SCIENCE-DRIVEN and
ACCOUNTABLE

38. For State fish and wildlife
agencies to participate in
the Wildlife Restoration
program, they had to
dedicate their hunting
license revenue to the
wildlife agency.

39. This same model was
used for the later Sport
Fish Restoration
program.

40. Today, fish and wildlife management is a formal
profession with training, professional organizations,
and even certification.

41. By 2011, more than $6.4 billion in Wildlife
Restoration funds have been apportioned to State
fish and wildlife agencies. In 2009, States used
these funds for:
Operation & Maintenance
0.6
2 Research & Surveys
6.3
Hunter Education
7.3
33.2 Coordination & Admin
12.4 Capital Development &
Stocking
Technical Assistance
Land Acquisition
15.5
Outreach
22.5

42. Some Successes…
o Appalachian Ruffed grouse
- 12 study sites, 10 states
o Joint Wild turkey – 9 study
sites, 2 states
o Atlantic coast striped bass
- $19M over 10 years
o Among many others….
o Long-term stable funding
key

43. Black Bear - 1940

44. What’s next?
 While WSFR has provided successes, many declining
fish and wildlife species are not covered by these two
programs.
 We need support from a broader segment of the
public to benefit all fish and wildlife species

45. What’s Missing?
 Vested Self-Interest and Passion

46. The Wildlife Restoration Act, and later Sport Fish
Restoration Act, have transformed fish and wildlife
Conservation in the U.S.
Thank you to our many partners including other
state and federal fish and wildlife agencies, industry,
conservation NGOs, and the anglers, boaters,
hunters and shooters.