State Joint Finance Committee Includes Adjustment to Wisconsin Waterfowl Stamp in Budget

Monday, June 7th, 2021 -- 8:01 AM

The Wisconsin Conservation Congress and partner organizations applaud the vote by the Joint Committee on Finance to include a $5 adjustment to the Wisconsin Waterfowl Stamp in the state legislature’s 2021-2023 proposed budget.

The current price of the waterfowl stamp ($7) has been in place since 1997. Inflation over the last 24 years has significantly reduced the buying power of this critically important conservation funding mechanism.

As a result, with limited habitat work, there are fewer acres of wetland habitat in Wisconsin and fewer ducks. Waterfowl hunters have been asking the state legislature for an adjustment to the state waterfowl stamp for the last 10 years.

A coalition of all the major waterfowl and wetland conservation organizations, representing over 40,000 of the state’s waterfowl hunters, has long supported this effort.

The coalition includes the Wisconsin Conservation Congress, Wisconsin Waterfowl Association, Ducks Unlimited, Delta Waterfowl, Wisconsin Wildlife Federation and the Green Bay Duck Hunters Association.

Membership surveys by these organizations over the last decade have consistently shown overwhelming support for an adjustment to the Wisconsin Waterfowl Stamp.

The most recent survey conducted In WWA’s and Delta Waterfowl’s most recent survey, 84% and 95% of their memberships, respectively, supported adjusting the state stamp fee by at least $5.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.