Special report: Wisconsin DNR’s tight budget under scrutiny

Back in January at the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board (NRB) meeting, DNR officials reminded NRB members that the bulk of fisheries, wildlife, and law enforcement funding comes from the “conservation fund,” also known as the Fish and Wildlife Account, that’s fueled largely by hunting, fishing, and trapping license fees, along with special stamps required for some fish and wildlife species.
The fund normally “rotates” on a 10-year cycle, building funds early in those 10 years while paying for traditional conservation activities. The DNR “spends down” the fund later in the cycle when license fee increases have taken place in the past.