CHARLESTON — Even some graybeards not required to get them are snapping up West Virginia’s special seniors hunting and fishing license.

In fact, the sales are right on target, just where the Division of Natural Resources expected them to be, and ultimately, this is going to pump more federal dollars into West Virginia’s outdoor adventures.

As of late in the week, the DNR had posted 2,756 sales.

“It’s pretty well tracking the figure we presented several years ago when we looked at the U.S. Census Bureau data, indicating how many seniors we had that hunted and fished,” DNR Wildlife Chief Curtis Taylor said.

“That’s pretty close to what we were projecting and it’s going to grow. As the Baby Boomers get older, West Virginia is going to have a substantial population of people 65 and older.”

Under a new law, anyone who turned 65 as of New  Year’s Day is required to purchase the one-time license for $25. Not only does that put more cash into the DNR’s coffers, but more importantly, it raises the number of licenses.

And that figure is vital, since federal dollars returned to the states under the Pittman-Robertson Act are based on the number of licenses sold, Taylor pointed out.

Formally, the 1937 law is known as the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration, and  bears the names of its two sponsors, Nevada Sen. Key Pittman and Virginia Congressman Absalom Willis Robertson. Signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the law has been amended several times.

Rather than go directly into the U.S. Treasury, proceeds from an 11 percent excise tax on firearms and ammunition is distributed to the states by the interior secretary. Each state’s allotment is based on area and the number of licenses.

“Back when I did the research, every additional hunter we could certify was worth another $6,” Taylor said.

“That fluctuates. It’s based on what the treasury allocates every year and that’s based on sales of firearms and ammunition.”

Before Pittman-Robertson came on line, a number of species forced to near-extinction by hunting pressure of mere human encroachment have been revitalized, among them the white-tailed deer, wild turkey and ducks.

“Some people don’t have to have a license but they’re buying it because there is an advantage,” Taylor said.

“You get more antlerless deer. And I think one of the big selling points is that you can participate in those youth hunts with your grandkids, which I think is a great thing.”

Intended exclusively for hunting, the Pittman-Robertson Act was amended in the 1950s as the Dingell-Johnson Act to include fish and was heavily promoted by the late Sen. Jennings Randolph, D-W.Va., then a member of the House.

Delegate Larry Williams, D-Preston, the chief sponsor of the seniors license in the West Virginia Legislature, said one potential windfall for those buying one are discounts offered to retirees, and that isn’t likely to be limited to outdoor gear.

“I operate a business and I certainly will recognize that as a discount card,” Williams said when the measure was up for passage.

Williams said the Bureau of Senior Services welcomed the idea of working with the Division of Tourism to promote the license as a means of letting seniors buy merchandise at cheaper prices.

Approval of the special license ended a three-year battle waged for passage by Natural Resources Director Frank Jezioro, who was issued license No. 1.

Anyone interested in getting the license can go online at the DNR’s website, unless the threshold age already has been reached. In that case, you can get an application form at any licensing agent. If you turned 65 before New Year’s Day this year, there is no requirement to get the seniors license.

There is one fly in the ointment, however, as Taylor pointed out.

Lacking a budget for nearly the past four years, the Obama administration is proposing to sequester all federal monies, the DNR official noted.

“That is really going to hurt the state,” he said.

“Since Congress hasn’t passed a budget bill, it would hold Pittman-Robertson and all wildlife grant money. States are up in arms. It’s ironic that this would happen on the 75th anniversary of Pittman-Robertson.”

— E-mail: mannix@register-herald.com