June 2020

The Wildlife Management Institute (supported by a Multi-State Conservation Grant) provides this quarterly snapshot of the excise tax collections to help understand the health of American System of Conservation Funding. This system of funding was established in the 1930s and expanded and perfected over the next decades. This reliable source of annual funding for state fish and wildlife agencies represents a unique partnership between the agencies and the hunting, shooting sports, angling, and boating industries. In rough numbers, these excise tax deposits made by the partner industries represent about half of the state fish and wildlife agencies’ annual budget. Therefore, it is imperative to conservation that agencies (from the commissioners down to the field biologists) understand the industry trends and work with these industries to ensure a strong income flow going forward.

The National Park Service (NPS) has announced their final rule repealing regulatory provisions issued in 2015 that prohibited certain sport hunting practices that are otherwise permitted by state regulations in National Preserves in Alaska. Among other restrictions, the 2015 rule prohibited taking of black bears with the use of artificial light at den sites, taking black or brown bears over bait, using dogs to hunt black bears, taking wolves and coyotes between May 1 and August 9, taking swimming caribou, and taking caribou from a motorboat under power. The 2015 rule also prohibited any state authorization or management action within a National Preserve that had the intent or potential to reduce predators to increase ungulate harvest by people. A similar rule adopted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for National Wildlife Refuges several months after the NPS’ 2015 rule was repealed by Congress in 2017. The new NPS rule restores the State of Alaska’s primary role in managing sport hunting in Preserves.

Natural resource agencies, and state and local governments, are challenged to respond to an increasing number of flooding disasters. The Army Corps of Engineers reported the Great Lakes are expected to continue setting water level records in some areas this summer, a result of historic rainfall and warm weather that also fueled dam failures and widespread flooding in the Midwest. Among the headlines during the past month was a story about the city of Midland, Michigan having major flooding issues due to the failure of a dam upstream, impacting thousands of people and businesses. Last year the headlines were filled with flooding stories of the upper Mississippi River, which was above flood stage for 85 days in Dubuque, Iowa. In 2018, the geographic area was the Missouri River drainage.

The 86th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference Steering Committee is seeking ideas and participation from professional conservation interests to help develop the conference agenda. In particular, proposals for the four conference Special Sessions are invited. Ideas for prospective plenary keynote speakers are also welcome.