Hunting & Fishing license fees to be raised for resident and non-residents alike!



Click Link to full story;

http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2003/01/2 8/build/wyoming/xgr-gamefish.inc

My comments follow:

A five dollar increase for residents and a FIFTY dollar increase for non-residents. The 20% increase only applies to residents but my math shows a 23.81% for non-residents!
Where will it end?
Wyoming is going to find themselves in a similar situation as Colorado did last year when they raised their fees! Far fewer hunters, over crowding of animals resulting in heavy winter kill due to starvation!

[ 02-13-2003, 21:09: Message edited by: Marsh Mule ]

Were any other license fees raised (elk, antelope, bear, etc.)?

George

George;
This was the only info I saw on it. I haven't gone to Wyo game and fish to see if it has been updated yet, you may want to look for yourself.

The WY G&F site has not been updated yet.

As I understand it, all tags will be increasing by the approximate 20% mark.

It's so nice to have Andrea Lococo, regional director for the Fund for Animals, living in Wyoming and doing her damndest to raise the cost of hunting in her quest to end the practice altogether.

I'm runnin' out of places to live....

Be my guess, but this seems to be the reason for the increases. Be sure to read the last sentence of the second paragraph which I bolded.

From the Casper Star-Tribune (state newspaper)

CHEYENNE -- Wyoming spent about $1.4 million in 2002 to manage the federally-protected grizzly bear in the state.

The federal government contributed about $45,000 to that effort, according to year-end figures provided by the Game and Fish Department. The state's sportsmen and hunters mostly picked up the rest of the tab. emphasis by Elkslayer

Agency officials last week told the Game and Fish Commission that they expect the state's grizzly bear management costs to continue to rise in the future as the state works to get the bear's listing under the Endangered Species Act (EAS) removed.

Commissioners grudgingly decided once again to stay in the grizzly bear management business while the department searches for new funding sources.

The commission again decried the lack of funding from federal sources and again debated the merits of continuing to pay for grizzly bear management in Wyoming while they wait for the animal to be delisted.

"Why are we still in grizzly bear management....six years ago (then Game and Fish Director) John Baughman said it would be two years until delisting and now we hear it's still two years out," said Commissioner Gary Lundvall, a longtime critic of the federal recovery program.

"The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has no desire to delist because we're paying all the bills," Lundvall said.

Here is the link to the "rest of the story".
And guess what is going to happen when Wyoming has to pay for all of those lovely wolves runing around!

http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2003/01/28/news/wyoming/602e5c7d4bc4d5c726c9c5aef25abf5d.txt

Elkslayer;
That, no doubt is part of it but if you'll take the link provided by Varmintguy in his topic on the wolves, then click on tab at top of page for Wyoming you'll find more of the story there.
This is going to have ramifications including Outfitters, Guides, and local economy will suffer greatly, as have your neighbors to the south in Colorado.
I'm sorry to say, you can count on not seeing me or any of my money next fall in Wyoming. Don't get me wrong, I dearly love your state but it's getting to the point where it's getting out of my reach.

Wyoming Game and Fish is broke.... and they just completed construction a few months ago on a new multi-million dollar facility in Jackson Hole. Seems to me that they need to figure out a better way of managing our money instead of building new buildings. I have been in the "old" building several times...didn't appear to me that it was going to collapse any time soon.

I got a letter from Game and Fish about a month ago...the new fee increases aren't the end of it. There is more to come....

Wyoming Game and Fish broke?
Maybe they could get some of your Tax money sitting in the....
State of Wyomings Budget $urplu$ ? !!
The Governor is so proud of!

Wow!. It's been years since I've hunted in Wyoming, but that is steep for a deer tag. I sure as hell wouldn't pay that price for an out-of-state deer license. Even the in-state deer license fees are ridiculous. Nothing like subsidizing the grand schemes of the enviro-wonks huh? It might be time to hang the game commisioner... or feed him to his Grizzlies.

Elkslayer;
I could be wrong. But the figure [3.5 million dollars] given in both articles, the one I provided the link to in my first posting, and the link below is just a coincidense? Seems a little odd to me.



http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2003/01/2 9/build/wyoming/60-xgr-house.inc

[ 01-30-2003, 23:07: Message edited by: Marsh Mule ]

Thanks, if we don't get moisture soon there won't be any water to study.

Well after a few minutes worth of browsing...

Neveda
Deer- $200.00
Elk- $1000.00
Antelope-$250.00

Idaho
Deer- $235.00
Elk- $338.00
Antelope $235.00

Utah
Deer- $208.00
Elk- $333.00
Antelope-$233.00

Colorado
Deer- $293.00
Elk- $473.00
Antelope-$293.00

Montana
Deer- $338.00
Elk- $588.00
Antelope-$203.00

Wyoming
Deer- $220.00
Elk- $410.00
Antelope-$195.00
*note- there are the fees for Wy prior to the proposed fee hike.

Is it just me or does it seem that Wyomings fees are not really out of line with other neighboring states?

Dakota,

Part of the problem is that just because another state raises its' fees is no reason for someone else to. Sure you can look at it as a "supply and demand" issue, but the fact of the matter is that the government is supposed to be "for the people" and not a business that capriciously raises fees because they think they can make a few more dollars.

Each time fees are raised, more citizens will be unable to go hunt, simple as that. Sure you can argue that they might not want to go hunting that bad if they can't find an extra $50 or whatever, but that is not the point, or at least not until a permit gets priced out of your budget, whether that be a $50 or $500 bump.

Raising the fees a little at a time takes the sting out of it and few will gather and oppose the issue with any cohesion.

I remember when I said I'd quit smoking when cigarettes hit $1/pack.

Of course, I also remember numerous temporary taxes imposed by the gooberment, e.g., gas taxes, energy taxes, etc.

What do you suppose the gooberment definition of temporary is?

Dont believe the rhetoric about demand exceeding funds, they are doing it because they can! As Dakota pointed out, I read an article in an Evanston paper last year on this and they were also quick to point out that the states previous resident tags were well behind those of other states in the riegon. This increase puts them right in line with Ut. Id. Etc. Not that that is a good thing, on the contrary I too think it sucks. I believe Montana, according to the article I read, now has the most favorable "resident" fees in the area.

I blame it on Utah and Colorado. They were the first ones to get big dollar signs in their eyes and put greed before sensibility. Idaho was quite willing to follow as well, at least there appears to be some resistance to this nonsense in Wyo and Montana.

In a recent conversation, a WY G&F regional director told me that volunteer revenues for programs such as Search & Rescue, Public Access, etc., dropped dramatically after the last license and fee increase.

He also did not dispute the opinion that the current increase was anything more than bringing Wyoming fees "into line with neighbouring states.

Hey, we've got to fund our illustrious Business Council someway or else where would all those deposed politicians go when they lose their position at the table of public dole?

We have just had our hunting licence fees increased in British Columbia by %50. We now pay $22US for the privilege. See below for other price increases.(In US$)

Angling

� Increase in resident annual angling licence, from $20 to $24.

� Increase in Canadian annual angling licence, from $26 to $36.

� Increase in non-Canadian annual angling licence. from $36 to $50.

Hunting

� Increase in resident annual hunting licence, from $14 to $22.

� No increases in resident species licences.

� Increase in Canadian annual hunting licence, from $30 to $50.

� Increase in non-Canadian annual hunting licence, from $100 to $120.

� Increases in non-resident species licences.

Well guys, there's been a whole new wrinkle added to this situation!
This is really going to get really very interesting now!
I'm going to start a new thred to show case it!

Hell from what I've read in posts in other parts of this forum the wolves coming out of yellowstone will have them down to the last fawn by spring anyway. The out of state license in WI is $135.00 and you can buy additional tags for $20.00 ea in T zone areas.(As many as you like)This is archery or rifle.

gettin' so's huntin' tain't a redneck thang, anymore. ya average redneck cain't afford it no more.

Having lived in the MT and WY for 47 years of 50+
Years of my life I feel that I can speak from experience about western hunting and tags. I remember $2 deer, fishing and$5 elk tags and we complained about the cost. You could buy a tank of gas for $5 and feed the family at a restaurant for a $10 bill. Now you cannot get out the gas station for less than $25 and that is if you are driving a compact car. I travel for work like lots of you and think nothing any more to spend $100++++ for one night in a motel depending on the city that I am in. Food is even a bigger rip off when a hamburger and fries cost you $10. Granted the little town I live in is much cheaper except for gas but it is not the norm. Most people think nothing of spending well over a $100++ for 1 night out with friends so the price of hunting tags are relatively inexpensive compared to lots of other things we do that last minutes and not days. I do not make big $$$ at all but adjust by the cost of my toys and extras. We adjust as the cost of everything else goes up and I guess for hunting and fishing I figure that�s what I have to do also. I truly find it funny how we all say how crazy someone else is for spending XX$$$ to go to ball game, movie, golf fees and so on as they say the same thing about us that hunt and fish. I do not like the cost of what I enjoy increasing anymore than you do but I will adjust and cut the corners I have to purchase my license and pay the fees. The one thing I do not understand is why the folks that use lakes, mountains, streams and the rest of the outdoors do not have to pay for it like we do. The game and fish spend a healthy % of their revenues on managing non-game and protected animals. If a tree hugger wants to see a grizzly, a wolf a frog or eagle they should be paying some type of fee like the conservation stamp we are required to by. That would help to pay for the work required to support those critters. Take care and enjoy it all you can and be glad to have a chance to be in the great outdoors. olefish

Well said olefish. I couldn't agree more.

Hudge

Good points Olefish!

BUT................
Boy this is getting real ugly! Here is a real eye-opener!
After following the link below, Type in any number listed here! Each number is a different bill!

HB0034
HB0036
SF0027
HB0073

http://legisweb.state.wy.us:8765/

[ 02-13-2003, 05:49: Message edited by: Marsh Mule ]

Added info;
follow link below and you can see Demigraphics (Money Spent by Sportsmen) for any state your interested in.

http://www.sportsmenslink.org/Sportman/