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Education

This is the subheading

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service supports a range of educational initiatives aimed at promoting responsible attitudes and ethics towards the environment. Through grants authorized by the Sport Fish Restoration Act, aquatic resource education programs are funded to enhance public understanding of aquatic resources and sportfishing. Additionally, the Hunter Education Program, funded by excise taxes, provides safety and conservation-focused training to over a million individuals annually, with funds also supporting the development of shooting range facilities. Beyond these, grant funding extends to workshops such as Trapping Matters and Becoming an Outdoors Woman, offering hands-on experiences in various outdoor activities.

Aquatic Education

Over 850,000 people receive aquatic education supported by excise taxes in the United States

Aquatic Resource Education grant funds are authorized through the Sport Fish Restoration Act, which provide funds to the states, the District of Columbia and insular areas fish and wildlife agencies, for their aquatic resource education programs. The purpose of these funds are to enhance the public’s understanding of aquatic resources and sportfishing, and to promote the development of responsible attitudes and ethics toward the aquatic environment.

Hunter Education

Over 1 million people receive hunter education supported by excise taxes in the United States

Every year, over 1 million people receive hunter education that is supported by excise taxes administered through the Hunter Education Program. The goal of these hunter education efforts is to teach students to be safe, responsible, conservation-minded hunters. Most states require completion of a hunter education course prior to purchasing a hunting license. Program funds may also be used for the development, operation, and enhancement of target range facilities. Over 800 shooting ranges have been designed, constructed, renovated, or opened to the public using excise taxes, like Arizona’s Ben Avery Shooting Facility, the largest of its kind in the United States.

Additional Workshops

In the United States, 38 states offer Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW) workshops

Additional education opportunities supported by grant funding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service extend beyond hunter education or aquatic education programs to include workshops like Trapping Matters or Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW). These workshops touch on a variety of outdoor activities and participants are able to engage in hands-on experiences.

In the News

A meal is prepared with raw wild-harvested meat, cheese, and bell pepper.
Firearms & Ammunition

Sharing the Wild Harvest

Beyond gestures, real or perceived, this is fact: hunters commonly share the bounty of the harvest; it’s a custom—a common courtesy, common etiquette.

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April 28, 2026
National Guard
Firearms & Ammunition

The Path to Shooting Sport Participation Starts Close to Home

This February, millions of viewers are tuning into the Winter Olympics. On their screens biathletes glide across snow and into shooting lanes. In seconds, the biathletes still their skis, shoulder their rifles, and aim at the five small steel targets that stand between triumph or a penalty. 

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February 23, 2026
Drone thermal camera over Kerr WMA TPWD photo
Management

Drones and Whitetails

The leading-edge conservation work was an intersection science, technology, know-how, and reliable Pittman-Robertson funding—the federal excise taxes paid by the manufacturers of firearms, ammunition, and archery gear.

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February 17, 2026

Partner With A Payer