| Almost everyone in America seems to profess a love | | | | In every state, a hunter is required to purchase |
| of wildlife in one form or another. However, it is very | | | | hunting permits and wildlife stamps. It is this money |
| important to understand that just saying that you | | | | that is used to develop critical habitat for wildlife. |
| love wildlife is not enough to ensure the continuation | | | | Almost always, state taxes are not used for direct |
| of the various species. | | | | wildlife management programs. Rather it is the |
| Instead, an understanding of wildlife management and | | | | licensed hunter that is the critical tool for habitat and |
| just what it is, is necessary to creating a healthy | | | | consequently wildlife development. |
| wildlife population. | | | | Additionally, the licensed sport hunter pays a federal |
| Wildlife management is the science of managing the | | | | excise tax on the hunting equipment that he/she |
| environment for the benefit of all of the kinds of | | | | purchases. This money is then funneled back to the |
| wildlife in a given area. This management includes the | | | | various state game departments for additional habitat |
| management of human activities because everything | | | | development. |
| that people do will affect the environment in one | | | | It is only because of the monies supplied by licensed |
| way or another. | | | | hunters that America has any wildlife of note. Today, |
| Creation of proper habitat is critical to a healthy | | | | every state has thousands of acres of wildlife |
| wildlife population because, without habitat, wildlife | | | | management areas that provide home for hundreds |
| cannot survive and it is just as simple as that. | | | | of species of wild birds and mammals. These species |
| Consequently, the wildlife manager of today is | | | | consist of both game and nongame wildlife. None of |
| concerned constantly with the state of the habitat in | | | | these areas would have been possible without the |
| a given area for the benefit of the wild population | | | | funding supplied by the hunters dollars. |
| that the manager is trying to sustain or expand. | | | | When people profess a love of wildlife, that is a good |
| Like a carpenter building a house with his tools, so | | | | thing, however, if one really does have a sincere |
| also does a wildlife manager have specific tools to | | | | interest in the wild creatures that share our planet |
| build his wildlife population. Regulated sport hunting is | | | | with us, one of the best things that one could do to |
| one of the managers most important tools. To many | | | | ensure the survival of wildlife is to simply purchase a |
| people, this sounds like a contradiction, however, in | | | | hunting permit and wildlife stamp in the state where |
| our capitalist society, everything revolves around the | | | | one lives. If people fail to do this over time, wildlife as |
| dollar. So too, does wildlife management. It takes a | | | | we know it today will disappear. |
| lot of money to develop wildlife habitat. | | | | |