Wildlife Restoration Program 75th Anniversary

What is the Wildlife Restoration Program?

On September 2, 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act (now the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act.) This year marks the 75th Anniversary of the most successful effort for funding long-term wildlife conservation in the World. This Act fostered partnerships between Federal and State fish and wildlife agencies, the sporting arms industry, conservation groups, and sportsmen to benefit wildlife and has been key to implementing the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. The Wildlife Restoration Program that was authorized by the Act is the nation’s oldest and most successful wildlife conservation program. Through the purchase of firearms, ammunition and archery equipment this program is a successful user pay, user benefit program. The cycle graphic illustrates the funding process.

Wildlife Restoration Funds at Work in Georgia

Georgia receives approximately $7 million annually through the Wildlife Restoration Program and has received a total of nearly $146,000,000 since the program’s inception in 1939. The Wildlife Resources Division uses these funds for projects that promote conservation of wildlife and their habitats; provide public access to Georgia’s wildlife resources; hunter education and development; shooting range development and enhancement; wildlife research; and many other wildlife conservation projects.Examples of projects funded through the program include:

Successful restoration and management of white-tailed deer, wild turkey and black bear; Acquisition and/or management of more than 935,000 acres of public hunting lands on more than 100 Wildlife Management Areas statewide; Support and promotion of the National Archery in the Schools program; Construction, management and maintenance of Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center trap & skeet range and 17 other shooting ranges statewide; Assess the impacts of coyote predation on fawn recruitment; Population size, survival and reproductive ecology of the central Georgia black bear population; and many other important wildlife conservation projects.

To learn more about Wildlife Restoration in Georgia, visit www.fws.gov and www.gohuntgeorgia.com