How Gun Owners’ Taxes Help Restore Elk Herds

It’s nice to see our taxes working towards something we support, isn’t it?

This new video, courtesy of our friends at the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) highlights the significant impact of Pittman-Robertson Act funding on the successful restoration and management of Pennsylvania’s elk population.

For decades, the excise taxes paid by firearm, ammunition and archery manufacturers through the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act have provided a steady and reliable source of funding for wildlife conservation efforts in all 50 states. This funding has been instrumental in restoring species like elk, deer, wild turkeys, waterfowl and countless non-game species, as well as enhancing habitat and outdoor recreation opportunities for millions of Americans.

One powerful example of this impact can be seen in Pennsylvania. Once nearly eliminated from the region, elk now thrive thanks to decades of conservation efforts made possible by the excise taxes paid by firearm, ammunition and archery manufacturers through the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act. These funds have enabled habitat restoration, herd health monitoring and sustainable management of Pennsylvania’s now-thriving elk herd, estimated at 1,400 to 1,500 animals.

“Our agency takes ZERO state tax dollars; we are completely independently funded through the sale of hunting licenses, wildlife restoration dollars from the Pittman-Robertson Act and revenues we generate from our state game land system,” said David Gustafson, Director, Bureau of Wildlife Habitat Management, Pennsylvania Game Commission.

To see the impact of these funds firsthand, a team from Beretta USA, one of the many manufacturers contributing to Pittman-Robertson excise taxes, visited Pennsylvania to observe how their contributions are used to sustain conservation efforts. Through this video series, viewers can see firsthand how this funding model supports not only wildlife but also local economies by driving tourism and outdoor recreation opportunities.

“Thanks to the Pittman-Robertson Act, [the Pennsylvania Game Commission] was able to fund the habitat for the reintroduction of elk,” said Joe Cunniffe, Brand Marketing Manager, Hunting, Beretta USA. “Now they actually have a huntable population.”

“We cannot have places to go and spend time in the outdoors without the conservation efforts from these excise tax dollars,” said David Armistead, Manufacturing Manager, Beretta USA.

Pennsylvania’s elk restoration is just one of many examples of how Pittman-Robertson funding benefits wildlife conservation across the nation. These funds also support hunter education programs, shooting range development and habitat conservation projects that benefit both game and non-game species in every state.

This video was produced by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Pennsylvania Game Commission, and Beretta.