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Almost extinct at the turn of the century, there now are over 4 

 milHon wild turkeys. The nonprofit National Wild Turkey Federa- 

 tion was founded in 1973 and has over 140,000 members in all 50 

 states, and we work closely with the professional, State, and Fed- 

 eral agencies to make sure this remarkable wildlife restoration suc- 

 cess story continues. 



With our partners, with our own moneys, and our partner mon- 

 eys, we have spent over $55 million on 4,000 wild turkey projects 

 around the country, and many nongame species have benefited 

 from these on-the-ground projects. 



But the real credit for more wild turkeys goes to the foresight of 

 the early conservationists and the leaders in the Congress in the 

 1930's. When the Pittman-Robertson Act was passed in 1937, it 

 opened the door to the management of habitat and ultimately the 

 comeback of many of this nation's valuable species. 



In 1950, the Dingell-Johnson Act did for fisheries what Pittman- 

 Robertson had done for wildlife. In both of these efforts, hunters 

 and anglers joined businesses to establish legislation mandating a 

 user fee to restore populations of once critically low fish and wild- 

 life species; also to conserve millions of acres of habitat and to pro- 

 vide countless hours of enjoyment for all Americans on our lands 

 and waterways. 



Sportsmen and women know the value of a longstanding commit- 

 ment to conservation and have continually demonstrated their fi- 

 nancial commitment to this goal. We believe that now is the time 

 for all Americans who enjoy our fish and wildlife resources to fi- 

 nancially contribute to their conservation as hunters and anglers 

 have done for years. 



If I may quote from Congressman Dingell's statement submitted 

 today in support of "Teaming with Wildlife," "Today, more than 160 

 million Americans take part in wildlife-related activities. This 

 speaks even more urgently to the need for expanding the user fee 

 program base so that our lands can support this increased activity. 



"I believe most outdoor enthusiasts will be willing to contribute 

 a little more for some recreational equipment if they know the 

 money is dedicated to fish and wildlife conservation, trail access, 

 nature centers, conservation education. The 'Teaming with Wildlife' 

 proposal would provide a dedicated and permanent fund for these 

 purposes." Eloquent words indeed, Mr. Chairman, from the son of 

 the co-author of Dingell-Johnson. 



This broader coalition of outdoor enthusiasts advocated this pro- 

 posal to expand this proven approach and address the broader chal- 

 lenges mentioned previously and to raise $350 million desperately 

 needed annually by State fish and wildlife diversity programs. 



"Teaming with Wildlife" will take Pittman-Robertson and Wal- 

 lop-Breaux a step further by putting dedicated user fees on a vari- 

 ety of items used by outdoor enthusiasts. This will achieve con- 

 servation equity, we hope. Hikers, canoeists, nature photographers, 

 bird-watchers would be able to pay their fair share to contribute to 

 fish, wildlife, recreation, and educational projects when they pur- 

 chase certain outdoor products, just as hunters and anglers have 

 done. 



And, of course, we buy more than just guns and ammunition. We 

 buy backpacks. We buy cameras and films. We buy four-wheel- 



