Seventeen groups or individuals have applied for grants in the state's new Hunter Recruitment, Development, Training and Education program, according to information released Wednesday by the Department of Natural Resources.

The agency announced the $200,000 biennial program in January. Monday was the deadline for applications.

The program will provide up to $10,000 each for "cost-sharing grants to local clubs, organizations, communities, governments, Wisconsin tribes, colleges, universities, and technical schools to ensure the education, training and development of safe and ethical hunters and mentors with preference towards applicants focusing on adults, females and families."

The list of applicants includes well-established conservation groups, such as Pheasants Forever and the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association, relatively new organizations, such as the Hmong American Friendship Association, as well as the Oneida tribe and two individuals.

The DNR received 20 applications for a total of $166,000, said Keith Warnke, hunting and shooting sports coordinator for the DNR.

The grants will be funded by excise tax money provided to Wisconsin through the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, commonly known as Pittman-Robertson.

Under the Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service collects excise tax on the sale of firearms, ammunition, archery and hunting equipment and distributes it to state agencies to fund wildlife, hunter education and shooting programs.

The specific funding stream for the new grant program is Section 4 of Pittman-Robertson.

Unlike the botched Sporting Heritage Grant created in the 2013-'15 state budget by Republican lawmakers and awarded to only one group, the new program has no connection to the Legislature and is designed to be spread among many applicants.

The $500,000 Sporting Heritage Grant was given to United Sportsmen of Wisconsin Foundation Inc., but then canceled by Gov. Scott Walker after it was learned the group misstated its tax status and its president had been cited for a hunting violation. Further, the involvement of the Legislature threatened $28 million in federal funding to Wisconsin.

The new program has received broad support from the Wisconsin conservation community.

"It's a real positive to have this spread widely, helping many groups," said George Meyer, executive director of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation. "Everything has been open and transparent so people are able to get behind it."

The applications will be reviewed by a committee made up of Warnke; Mike Watt, DNR assistant hunting and shooting sports coordinator; Bob Holsman, DNR research scientist; Cortney Schaefer, DNR wildlife biologist; and Dave Tupa, a delegate of the Wisconsin Conservation Congress.

The committee's recommendations will be passed to DNR executives who will make the final decisions, Warnke said.

The agency intends to inform applicants by mid-August whether they will receive a grant.

The program is designed as a 3:1 cost-share. The DNR will reimburse 75% of the costs to a group or individual after a program has been completed and a report has been submitted.

The agency intends to track the success of the programs to help guide its future recruitment and retention efforts.

The DNR received the following applications (shown in alphabetical order with name of organization or individual applying, project title and name of representative):

■Aldo Leopold Foundation, Inc., social marketing as a new strategy for hunter recruitment; W.B. Huffaker IV

■Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, relative effectiveness of learn-to-hunt programs in Wisconsin; Brenda Egan

■Friends of Poynette Game Farm, (four project applications) Mackenzie Center learn-to-hunt-pheasant programs, FPGF learn-to-hunt-pheasant project, extension learn-to-hunt-pheasant programs, and FPGF firearms/clay targets and ammo; Vic Connors

■Grant County Sports Alliance, learn to bowhunt; Laurie Hazen

■Hmong American Friendship Association Inc., developing new hunters in the Hmong community; Lo Neng Kiatoukaysy

■Hmong Mutual Assistance Association of Sheboygan, Hmong American Hunter Development and Mentor Project; John C. Yang

■Kelly Maynard, sustainable hunting and land management; Kelly Maynard

■Marathon County Sporting Heritage Youth Day; Randal Falstad

■Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin, Oneida Conservation Department, hunter recruitment, development, training and education; Greg Matson

■Pewaukee Lake Sportsmen and Women Association, the wonders of wing Shooting; Steven Ewing

■Pheasants Forever, Dane County Chapter, all-terrain wheelchairs opening the outdoors; Howard Vincent

■Pheasants Forever Inc., spirit of the hunt program; Richard Wissink

■Poynette Bowhunters Association, learn to bowhunt; Kevin See

■Scott D. Kirchoff, learning to hunt for food; Scott D. Kirchoff

■Wisconsin Bowhunters Association, learn to bowhunt, Mike Brust

■Wisconsin United Coalition of Mutual Assistance Associations Inc., WUCMAA hunters development initiative; Thai Vue

■Wisconsin Waterfowl Association, women and families in waterfowling; Don Kirby.

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