Hunting, Conservation, and how to get involved
With special guest, Allison Rauscher
Allison volunteered last year to help search for elk calves with the purpose of collaring and tagging them for further research.
If you’re a hunter, without even knowing it, you’re contributing to conservation. Each year, equipment, ammunition, licenses, tags and fees that are purchased in order to hunt contribute to conservation efforts. Sportsmen and women have contributed more than $14 billion to conservation since 1937 (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service). This is due to the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, AKA the Pittman-Robertson Act, which places an 11% excise tax on all firearms, ammo, archery, and related hunting equipment. The money from this tax is then placed in the hands of state wildlife agencies and used on conservation projects.
So What’s the impact?
Here are a few facts from the RMEF article, “25 Reasons Why Hunting is Conservation”
In 1907, only 41,000 elk remained in North America. Thanks to the money and hard work invested by hunters to restore and conserve habitat, today there are more than 1 million.
In 1900, only 500,000 whitetails remained. Thanks to conservation work spearheaded by hunters, today there are more than 32 million.
In 1900, only 100,000 wild turkeys remained. Thanks to hunters, today there are over 7 million.
In 1901, few ducks remained. Thanks to hunters’ efforts to restore and conserve wetlands, today there are more than 44 million.
In 1950, only 12,000 pronghorn remained. Thanks to hunters, today there are more than 1.1 million.
Habitat, research and wildlife law enforcement work, all paid for by hunters, help countless non-hunted species.
Getting involved in Conservation Efforts
In this episode, I sat down with Allison Rauscher, a hunter and passionate conservationist from Wisconsin. She has been involved with Whitetails Unlimited for more than 20 years, assisting her dad in running their Chapter Banquet. She is also a committee member for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation-Badger Chapter. Beyond being a member of RMEF, last Spring she volunteered to help the Wisconsin elk population by locating and collaring elk calves (which we discuss in the podcast) On her own website, you’ll find blogs from Allison about hunting and conservation along with articles like this one, giving tips for successfully obtaining donations for banquets.
For those who are looking to get more involved in conservation orgs, this is a must listen!
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