For the majority of my career I have been apposed to any outside funding being used for wildlife management. But, it has become very obvious in recent times that it simply isn’t going to be possible for hunter dollars alone to keep wildlife management financially solvent and I’m not sure hunter dollars should.

Everyone in this state benefits from wildlife management, some just more directly or more obviously then others. But, just like the situation that occurring right now with this white-nose syndrome killing bats we are dealing with something that has a potential to be not only a serious environmental issue but perhaps even a human health issue. The hunters are presently funding the research on this issue and even much more money should be put into trying to find out what is happening, why it is happening and how to control it. Why should hunters be the only people in this state paying for the research and management of non-game species? How long can hunters continue to be the only ones paying for the research of the species for which everyone benefits?

The day simply has to gone when tax dollars will have to be used if we are going to have proper and effective wildlife management. Many wildlife management programs are already GREATLY suffering from a lack of research due to the lack of funds to conduct the research. How long do we want to have wildlife management that is less then it could be should be before we say it is time for everyone to pay their fair share.

I understand, all too well, the concerns about non-hunters having a voice. But, they already have a voice. They are already in the game and even winning the pot at times. If they are already in the game and winning part of the wildlife management pot, why in the heck are we so opposed to making them ante up?

Nearly all other states use at least some tax dollars for the various programs of their state Conservation Agencies and it seems to be working pretty well there. I think if hunters worked with both the Conservation Agencies and State Legislature toward some form of equitable split between tax dollars, of some form, and hunting license dollars it could work to everyone advantage. I can tell you right now the day has to come, if it isn’t already here, when hunter dollars alone just isn’t going to get the job done. The sooner hunters realize that and start to work toward a logical funding solution the better chance hunters have of maintaining a strong voice in the future.

Though I don’t like this tax of oil from public or private lands I think Representative Levdansky is on the right track for the future by trying to find alternative funding solutions that would put more money in the coffers of wildlife management then just hunting license dollars.

R.S. Bodenhorn