Where Does Deer License Fee Money Go?

With firearm season approaching its first weekend, many hunters wonder where their license fee money goes. Most of the money goes to the DNR fish and game fund.

That money helps pay for conservation officers and all wildlife management, among other things. A $1.50 of the license fee is set aside for deer management only.

Federal matching funds also come in. The federal dollars come from excise taxes on things like rifles and ammunition.

So, slight but steady declines in license sales every year means budget erosion for the DNR’s wildlife division. It’s about $420,000, to be precise.