A significant factor in the conservation of the nation’s wildlife was the establishment and  proliferation in the late 1800s of politically active sportsmen’s organizations. These groups waged a protracted, and ultimately successful, war against market hunting. They also vigorously supported the enforcement of game laws, selftaxation to support state game management, and acquisition of habitat reserves and management areas.

The policies and other factors that had the greatest effect on the improved condition of U.S. wildlife are the following:

• Adoption of a variety of strong state and federal wildlife conservation laws, and the establishment of the agencies effectively to enforce them. This game law framework includes the following:
  • Halting market hunting of wildlife for meat and most other products, including feathers (market hunting of furbearers has continued under state regulation);
  • Eliminating spring shooting of waterfowl and other game birds;
  • State regulation of resident game and non-game species;
  • Prohibition under federal law of: a) hunting of song birds, plume birds, and other migratory non-game birds, and b) interstate commerce in wildlife products taken in violation of state law;
  • Federal regulation of sport hunting of waterfowl and other migratory game birds;
  • Federal protection of endangered and threatened species after 1966.
• Improving the art and science of wildlife management.
• Establishing professional state fish and game departments devoted to scientific wildlife management and game law enforcement.
• Improving habitat conditions,
  especially in the East and South, where millions of acres of agricultural land have reverted back to forest.
• Reintroductions of species into formerly occupied range.
• Establishing about 90 million acres of National Wildlife Refuges and 4 million acres of state wildlife reserves. Wildlife refuges and reserves in the contiguous 48 states were financed largely by hunting license fees and taxes on sporting arms, ammunition, and
• Establishing the National Forests, National Parks and other federal and state lands for conservation objectives:
  • In the West, National Forests and Parks acted as wildlife reserves by providing protection for beleaguered populations of many wildlife species, especially large game, until state and federal wildlife programs and enforcement was put in place in the 1930s and beyond. The National Forests were the source of animals for a number of later reintroductions into formerly occupied habitat elsewhere.
  • East of the Mississippi, millions of acres of abandoned and depleted farm and forest lands became National Forest lands after 1920. After acquisition, feral cattle, dogs, and goats were eliminated and the land rehabilitated. Today, these areas provide superb habitat supporting rich populations of many wildlife species, some of which had not existed on these lands since before the American Revolution.
  • The multiple use mandate of the 191-million acre National Forest System lands provides for full consideration of wildlife values and objectives in land management decisions. It has also encouraged the development of highly constructive joint efforts with state wildlife agencies in the management of wildlife habitats and populations.