DEPARTMENT FUNDING 



The Department's major source of funding is revenue from the sale 

 of hunting and fishing licenses. The 1985 Legislature approved 

 several license fee increases that were effective during the 

 1986-1987 biennium. These fee increases were as follows: 



Resident Licenses 



$1 on the Sportsman's 



$1 on the Season Fishing 



Nonresident Licenses 



$50 on the Big Game Combination 



$5 on the Season Fishing 



$2 on the 2-Day Fishing 



$7 on the Paddlefish Tag 



In addition to these fee increases, the Legislature approved the 

 following new licenses and programs: 



(1) $200 Resident and $1,000 Nonresident Buffalo Licenses 



(2) $5 Waterfowl Stamp and the Sale of Related Artwork 



(3) 1 Mountain Sheep License Sold at Auction 



The department's second major source of income is federal 

 Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson funding. These funds are 

 derived from excise taxes on sport hunting and fishing equipment, 

 motorboat fuel taxes, and import duties on yachts and fishing 

 equipment. These funds are available to the states on a matching 

 basis, 75 percent federal and 25 percent state. The size of the 

 allotment depends upon the state's land area and the number of 

 paid fishing and hunting license holders. 



New federal legislation has resulted in a significant increase in 

 the Dingell-Johnson funds available for state fisheries 

 programs. Those funds available to Montana are now more than 

 triple the level of Fiscal Year 1985 funding. 



The department also receives interest earned on a portion of the 

 coal severance tax. These interest earnings are used to acquire, 

 develop, and maintain state park system sites. That portion of 

 the tax on which the department receives the interest earnings 

 was capped by the legislature at the June 30, 1986, level. This 

 situation, coupled with declining interest rates, has resulted in 

 decreased interest earnings from this source. 



Other sources of funding include federal and private contracts, 

 cabin site and concession rentals, campground fees, entrance fees 

 at Lewis and Clark State Caverns, and fines collected from 

 violators of fish and game, motorboat and snowmobile laws. In 

 addition, the department receives a portion of the gasoline tax 

 for use on areas at which motorboats are operated and for use in 

 providing snowmobiling facilities and promotion of snowmobile 

 safety and education. 



