On September 2, 1937, at the urging of organized outdoor enthusiasts, state wildlife agencies, and the firearms and ammunition industries, the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, known as the Pittman-Robertson or "P-R" Act, was signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The bill was passed to extend an already existing 10% firearms and ammunition tax, but this time the money was earmarked for distribution to the states for wildlife restoration. Funds returned are based on a state's total hunting license sales and geographic size. The tax is now generally 11% of the manufacturer/importer price and includes handguns and archery equipment as well.

Over 60% of the funds available are used to buy, develop, operate and maintain wildlife management areas. Some estimates indicate that about 70% of the people using these areas are not hunting, and may be as high as 95% in some areas.

Federal Aid in Iowa

Half of the Iowa Wildlife Bureau's four million dollar budget is derived from "P-R" funding, and the remainder comes from hunting license and habitat stamp sales. Virtually all citizens in Iowa benefit from these funds--every angler, bird watcher, hiker, target shooter--any outdoor enthusiast who uses any of the 354 public wildlife management areas, public fishing lakes or river access sites. With few exceptions, these hiking trails, roads, parking lots, viewing areas, boat ramps, fishing jetties, restrooms, wildlife food plots, signs, native grass seedings and waterfowl nesting structures are managed and maintained y the wildlife bureau using "P-R" funds and license fees.

Wildlife management areas encompass over a quarter million acres for outdoor recreation, including river access to 10,400 miles of Iowa streams. In the last several years, more wetlands have been restored in Iowa than have been drained. Since 1987, over 900 wetland basins (4,100 acres) have been restored.

Most Iowa land is in private ownership. Because much of our wildlife production and recreation occurs on this land, private land habitat improvement is a priority for the wildlife bureau. The DNR conducts and aggressive program to provide landowners cost-share and technical assistance programs to plan, implement and improve habitat. The value of food plots, prairie grasses and shelterbelts are now recognized by farmers, conservation organizations and outdoor enthusiasts as sound land use practices. First promoted by the DNR's wildlife bureau in cost-shared demonstration programs, the practices are now commonplace for many farmers.

Wildlife reintroduction projects in Iowa are another big success story made possible through this program. Thirty years ago nesting Canada geese, wild turkeys, prairie chickens and river otters were a distant memory and deer hunting opportunities were limited at best. Today, Canada geese and wild turkeys nest across the state, providing some of the best recreational opportunities in the nation.

A very conservative number of professional wildlife personnel are quietly at work all year managing Iowa's wildlife resources carefully, and with sound scientific information, to ensure a bright future for Iowa's sportsmen and women. Without the fees paid through license and equipment purchases by the hunters, such wildlife programs would not be possible.

- excerpts from an article written by Ken Herring, Carl Priebe and Mel Moe, Sept. 1994