August is National Shooting Sports Month - Take Someone New Shooting

August is National Shooting Sports Month – and here in North Dakota, that’s something to celebrate.

From the trap range to the Grasslands, recreational shooters and hunters are not only part of our outdoor heritage—they’re critical to funding conservation efforts that protect wildlife and expand public access across the state.

Thanks to the Pittman-Robertson Act, which places an 11% excise tax on firearms, ammunition, and archery gear, North Dakota’s fish and wildlife agencies receive essential support for habitat restoration, wildlife research, and public land improvements. In Fiscal Year 2024 alone, $989.5 million was distributed nationwide, including funding to all 50 states and U.S. territories—money directly tied to the purchases hunters and recreational shooters make.

This model of self-imposed conservation funding is one of the greatest examples of sportsmen and sportswomen stepping up to ensure that future generations can hunt, fish, and recreate on the public lands we all cherish.

Over the past five years, the North Dakota Wildlife Federation has proudly awarded just under $100,000 in shooting sports grants to help expand access, education, and participation in shooting sports statewide.

This month, we encourage you to take someone new to the range, support your local shooting sports programs, and recognize the vital role hunters and shooters play in safeguarding North Dakota’s wild places.