Hunting organizations such as Ducks Unlimited and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation invest a lot of money in conserving habitat. Without these efforts, critical lands may be bought up, developed, and reduce the land available to wild animals. User fees paid in the form of taxes on both guns and ammunition are used to fund management of game populations. This may include providing winter food for animals. Elk, for example, come down off the high mountains in winter and herd together in low elevations -- such as 6500' elevation. These low elevations typically are now private property, and the owners are not disposed to feed herds of 100s or 1000s of elk through the winter.