The funding mechanism is the Pittman Robertson Act from the 1930s. The act was self-imposed by hunters and is still supported by hunters today. It is a 12% excise tax on hunting equipment and supplies. You as a taxpayer contribute nothing to the federal portion. The matching funds comes from private groups such as hunting groups, conservation groups, private landowners, etc. State wildlife agencies also qualify for these funds and their funds come mostly from hunters and fishers.
When this was enacted waterfowl were in dire straits. It has been a huge success.
If it doesn't cost you or Uncle Bill anything, what right do you have to complain?
As a hunter and avid outdoorsman, I'm all for protecting the true wildlife refuges, however, when wetlands legislation is extended to protecting slews and mud puddles, I get ticked off.
And, btw, if you want to get real nitpicky, the current state of wetlands legislation can be traced back to the Carter administration with the promulgation of the Clean Water Act of 1977. And if you want to get really really picky, then you can trace this act back Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972 enacted under Nixon.
Currently, wetlands administration falls under the Army Corps of Engineers, Federal EPA, state EPAs (not all states have strict regulations, though) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. IMO, in dealing with all these agencies, I've found that the Corps of Engineers is the most level-headed authority. If the government were to take the powers away from the other agencies and concentrate it within the Corps of Engineers then I feel you would have a more even-handed enforcement of the original spirit of the regulations.