Outdoor News Daily

A Phoenix television station yesterday aired a story about the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s shooting range grant program.

The story was relatively fair but was portrayed in a way that may have given some viewers the mistaken impression that Arizona taxpayer dollars are being used for the range grant program at a time when other state programs are being cut due to the budget situation.

This is untrue, and the department offers the following information to correct any misimpressions.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department receives no state tax dollars; it is not a general fund agency. The department operates under a business model that relies heavily on user fees—a “user pay, user benefit” system where those who use the resource pay for it. Those fees also help fund wildlife conservation activities that benefit all Arizonans.

Shooting range grant dollars come from the sale of hunting licenses and tags. They are used for shooting range projects that provide a safe and educational environment for shooters, including recreational shooters, military and law enforcement. They also help meet a growing demand—there has been a 20 percent growth in shooting sports in Arizona over the past year.

The grants are an investment in local communities to grow shooting sports participation and generate economic activity. Wildlife-related recreation (hunting, fishing, shooting sports, wildlife viewing) generates nearly $2 billion in economic benefit in Arizona. The department is proud to support these activities that contribute to the economies of local, and often rural, communities.

The bottom line is, this grant program benefits Arizona at no cost to taxpayers.

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