March 26–Last year’s debate over guns — and the corresponding increase in gun sales — apparently provided a windfall for wildlife in Colorado, and probably other states as well.
The Department of Interior Tuesday announced $1.1 billion in funds to states through excise taxes on hunting, boating and fishing equipment. That’s a jump from $981 million the previous year.
The biggest increase came from the sales of guns and ammunition, with revenues jumping to $760
million from $552 million the previous year.
That follows a generally increasing trend for the past decade. There also was an increase because some sequestered funds withheld from 2013 were returned.
For Colorado, the total allocation was $27 million, $19 million of that from the sales of guns and ammunition — up from $21.8 million in 2013. Colorado typically gets more than its share of the funding because of a formula that favors states with higher rates of hunting and fishing.
The gun-related revenue was up $6 million from the previous year and roughly double what it was from 2007-12.
“The money goes to programs with a wildlife purpose and is guaranteed and protected,” said Randy Hampton, spokesman for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. “There have been attempts at the state and federal level to make a run at the money.”
The federal funding also amounts to about one-fourth of the state’s wildlife budget.
Colorado was at the center of last year’s gun debate after legislation passed in response to the Aurora theater shootings. Two state senators, Democrats Angela Giron of Pueblo and John Morse of Colorado Springs, were recalled over the gun laws. A gun manufacturer made plans to leave the state and hunters threatened a boycott.
The boycott never materialized.
“We heard a little talk about it, but didn’t really see the impact,” Hampton said.