The Pittman–Robertson Act has provided states with funding for research and projects that would have been unaffordable otherwise. According to a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services webpage that was updated in January 2010, over two billion dollars of federal aid has been generated through this program, which in turn means that states have kept up their 25% contributions with over 500 million dollars. The habitat acquisition and improvement made possible by this money has allowed some species with large ranges such as American black bears, elk, cougars, and others, to expand those ranges beyond where they were found prior to the implementation of the act. Important game populations such as white-tailed deer and several Galliformes have also had a chance to recover and expand their populations.
The idea behind this act is that by creating more and better hunting experiences for people through habitat management and hunter education, more taxable items will be purchased, which would then provide more funding for management and improvement. The habitat improvement may also stimulate the eco-tourism sector of the economy by creating jobs in areas where people tend to visit for hunting or aesthetic reasons.
One source shows hunters spending around ten billion dollars a year on everything they need for their hunting trips. A different source found that hunters spend between 2.8 and 5.2 billion dollars a year on taxable merchandise. This generates between 177 and 324 million dollars a year in P–R money.
Another source estimated that hunters contribute about three and a half million dollars a day to conservation by purchasing taxable items and hunting licenses.
One study showed an extremely high Return on Investment for firearm manufacturers; 823% to 1588% depending on the year.
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