Tiffany, Crowley Split On How To Fix Wisconsin’s Wildlife Funding Gap

Republican candidate for governor Rep. Tom Tiffany speaks Saturday, May 16, 2026, during the Republican Party of Wisconsin State Convention at Kalahari Resorts & Conventions in Baraboo, Wis. Angela Major/WPR

Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany said, if elected governor, he would audit spending at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources before considering any fee or tax increases to support fish and wildlife management.

The Ashland Daily Press reported Tiffany made the remarks to an invite-only group of anglers and conservation advocates at an Ashland town hall on Oct. 1 hosted by the Friends of Wisconsin Fisheries.

A spokesperson for Tiffany’s campaign said he will audit every state agency, including the DNR.

Tiffany previously said he would create a “Taxpayer Accountability Plan” that would include hiring more state auditors, seeking to root out fraud and waste, similar to actions by the federal government.

As Tiffany seeks audits, the state’s nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau has already released an audit of the DNR’s fish and wildlife account. That audit ordered by state Republican lawmakers found the agency had spent money appropriately.

“Before asking Wisconsin families, hunters, and anglers to pay more, we must ensure existing funding is being spent effectively. The previous audit focused only on the Fish and Wildlife Account, and questions remain about how much funding directly benefits sportsmen and women,” the Tiffany campaign said.

State GOP lawmakers have highlighted that the audit’s findings show 49.8 percent of $92.9 million in state funding directly benefited hunters and anglers in fiscal year 2023-2024, which was down from 57.3 percent in a 2006 audit. The DNR has said 89.3 percent of the account’s funds benefited hunters, anglers and other users.

Tom Johnson with the Douglas County Fish and Game League, who was at the Oct. 1 meeting, said another audit would be redundant.“

“The department was already reviewed by an independent entity that was chosen by our Legislature, and they found only minor issues,” Johnson said.

The audit found about $303,100, or 0.3 percent of state funding, went to activities that didn’t directly benefit hunters and anglers.

The state’s fish and wildlife account has faced a roughly $16 million shortfall in recent years. This summer, the DNR closed the Brule and Osceola fish hatcheries in northern Wisconsin amid cuts to fish stocking due to a lack of access to the account’s funds. The deficit stems from rising costs, declining license sales and license fees that have remained largely flat since 2005.

In a statement, the campaign for Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, the Democratic candidate for governor, said he knows hunters and anglers want their fisheries well-stocked and reopened.

“Wisconsin’s outdoor heritage depends on clean water, healthy habitat and good wildlife management. That’s why he will focus on giving it the tools to deliver for hunters, anglers and everyone who enjoys the outdoors,” a campaign spokesperson said.

Todd Berg, board member of Friends of Wisconsin Fisheries, said most voters have supported fee increases during spring hearings held by the Conservation Congress.

“We are not keeping up with costs,” Berg said.

Lawmakers have approved a $15 million transfer from the state’s forestry account in each year of the 2025-27 budget to address the ongoing shortfall. When the DNR forged ahead with cuts in April, the agency said it couldn’t access around $4 million for fish and wildlife management without approval from the Legislature’s finance committee. The committee voted to approve the agency’s request for funds a month later.

Despite that, the DNR has said it continues to face financial challenges with the account.

Federal data released this year shows that boating and fishing generates around $1 billion for Wisconsin’s economy.

Overall, the DNR is requesting more than $1.2 billion for the 2027-2029 budget. The agency’s request doesn’t include a funding solution for the ongoing shortfall in the fish and wildlife account. DNR Secretary Karen Hyun has said it will work with stakeholders and the Legislature.

If elected, Tiffany’s campaign said he will work toward “a sustainable, long-term solution that protects wildlife management and Wisconsin’s hunting and fishing traditions.”

Crowley’s campaign said he would work with groups “on a long-term plan to keep the fish and wildlife account on solid ground, instead of patching it with stopgap transfers budget after budget.”

Tom Tiffany says he will audit Wisconsin DNR before weighing any fee increases was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.