Why bother buying a Discovery Pass?

[wence5]

I spent the modern rifle deer and elk season, so far, traveling a lot of roads on DNR lands. I live in SW Washington and spend a lot of time hunting in the Washougal unit, and in my travels I noticed the only people with the discovery passes displayed are other hunters. I drove to Grouse vista last Saturday, two cars parked there, that were hikers up to Sliver Star, no pass displayed. Tarbell trail locations, where mountian bikers park at, no passes displayed. Ed's trail, tons of people up there, only one pass displayed! My brtoher inlaw said he passed a trail head on the 1000 road earlier in the muzzy season loaded with Subaru's with bike racks parked there, watched the DNR gal drive past the parked cars w/o a pass displayed, and wave at the bikers as she drives on by! I am going to contact the DNR to see what they have to say about this.
Do bikers and hikers get a free pass, while hunters get pinched? This is more of a venting on my part, but what have spome of you guys noticed?

[doyourtime89]

I have seen and wondered the same thing.  I would be intersted to hear what DNR tell you.

[washelkhunter]

I have avoided state/dnr land like the plague. I will not voluntarily support a corrupt program designed to triple tax a person.

[mfswallace]

Never bought a discover pass and lost my pass that we get with hunting license, talked with 2 LEO's who stopped next to my truck driving by, they never said a word about me not having one........on DNR land

[wence5]

Sent an email to Public lands commissioner Peter Goldmark stating what I've seen, now we will see what he has to say about this, if anything. 

[Curly]

This is more of a venting on my part, but what have spome of you guys noticed?

I haven't noticed anything because I haven't set foot on DNR land since the discover pass's inception.  I'd like to go to DNR land but I refuse to buy a pass. 

That really pisses me off that so many people are using DNR land without the pass and not getting tickets.

[MountainWalk]

It doesn't piss me off. I don't want anyone to buy them, hiker nor hunter.  I have not bought one. And I'd never dream of turning someone in who was without it even if I did possess one.

[Curly]

What pisses me off is that I'm following the law and others are ignoring it.  It is a stupid law for the pass to be required on all DNR land; it should be required at campgrounds and trail-head parking lots.  (And if they are not going to enforce it, then it needs to go away so law abiding people can use the land too without having to buy the stupid pass).

[wence5]

What pisses me off is that I'm following the law and others are ignoring it.  It is a stupid law for the pass to be required on all DNR land; it should be required at campgrounds and trail-head parking lots.  (And if they are not going to enforce it, then it needs to go away so law abiding people can use the land too without having to buy the stupid pass).

My point exactly.

[wildmanoutdoors]

I was at Tahuya Saturday riding dirt bikes. While I was sitting on my tailgate eating a sandwich we had the DNR cop pull in. He gave 5, 99 dollar tickets out. There were probably 11 or 12 trucks parked. All who had no pass got tickest.

[Jonathan_S]

It looks like I will be buying my first soon. Are they good for a year from date of purchase or until April 1st?

[JLS]

Good for one year from date of purchase.  I broke down and bought one because I actually feel like I get good value where I live.  If you don't feel like it's a good value, don't buy one.  But don't turn around and use sites that require one.

[coachcw]

i'm ok with popint of use taxes as long as all follow, How about dog parks nice areas the should require a permit in my mind .

[bigtex]

The only people who can cite for the pass are law enforcement officers, and a VERY few amount of non-LE DNR and State Park employees.

Your "everyday" DNR employees don't have citation authority.

[Bofire]

buy it, display it, I hate talking to cops.
\Carl

[Maybee-R]

Im on my second pass. Ill support it. It helps keep DNR lands accessible so why not? I dont care paying for an access fee but it becoming the norm in this day and age.
Parks need the help also. I can pee $35 bucks away in one movie theater setting.
You dont want to pay for one, work it off by volunteering to help cleaning a park..they will give you one for your time.

[fireweed]

What I hate is that every hunter that buys the pass for DNR land is subsidizing the state parks system to the tune of 85% of the cost of the pass--and  parks don't allow hunting.  If the DNR and WDFW got all the $ from people who bought it for their land I would be more ok with it, but it is a scam to save state parks at the expense of hunters/anglers/bikers/horseback/motorized who usually can't use state parks! On top of that hunters and motorized users ALREADY pay extra in licenses, tags, ORV fees.  It's unfair double or triple dipping.

[muzbuster]

I was at Tahuya Saturday riding dirt bikes. While I was sitting on my tailgate eating a sandwich we had the DNR cop pull in. He gave 5, 99 dollar tickets out. There were probably 11 or 12 trucks parked. All who had no pass got tickest.

Yea, and you have to have an ORV license on your bikes that "pay for those trails". But if you come apon guys on horses riding the same trails they dont have to have the 'ORV license for the horse" and you "ORV riders" are required to stop & turn off your engine and wait for them to pass!  WTF, they didnt pay for the trails to ride on them & the ORV's have have to treat them like a princess and get out of their way. Yea I realize it is for safety reasons so the horsie dosnt get scared and buck the city slicker want to be cowboys & cowgirls off on their a**es, if they are worried about it they should go to trails that dont allow ORV's.There are lots more of those trails then ORV trails anyway.
Sorry, rant over.

[wildmanoutdoors]

The funny thing was I was talking up a storm to him, got a new couple maps from him and that morning I discovered my pass expired in Oct. He dident even look at mine close. Just saw it hanging. He checked everyone elses closely. I guess my timing on lunch saved me 100 bucks. But I got a new one on the way home...

[Blacktail Sniper]

Tagging to hear response on wence5's email.

[wence5]

Tagging to hear response on wence5's email.

Suprise! Nothing yet. I am confident I won't hear anything back.

[JimmyHoffa]

What I hate is that every hunter that buys the pass for DNR land is subsidizing the state parks system to the tune of 85% of the cost of the pass--and  parks don't allow hunting.  If the DNR and WDFW got all the $ from people who bought it for their land I would be more ok with it, but it is a scam to save state parks at the expense of hunters/anglers/bikers/horseback/motorized who usually can't use state parks! On top of that hunters and motorized users ALREADY pay extra in licenses, tags, ORV fees.  It's unfair double or triple dipping.

Yeah, this is one of my gripes too--the % distribution.  One of the few (only?) benefits I see to the hunters to somewhat subsidizing the state parks is that it is potentially keeping DNR areas from overcrowding.  DNR has great recreation areas and it would blow if you roll up to a normally greeny free DNR campground and find it packed with screwbarus because the nearby state park was closed down. 

[csaaphill]

for waht i aknow as long as you have the parking pass thing that you get for buying your hunting license is all you need.
However DNR lands may be different, but haven't been to any so probably wont care.
My parking pass is on my mirror like most.
I have read though, that; discovery sales are way down. Go figure I guess eh?

[pilebuck]

the one you get when you buy a licence will get you a ticket at state parks for sure i got one at camino island state park was camping and parked down at the beach.I went up and found the ranger and told him i had the one i got when i bought my licence no good he said! So i told him i was ingnorant to the law and would by one asap he took the ticket back:) So big deal 30 bucks for a year quit wining.I worry about myself and quit complaing about others unless a law like poaching or breaking into truck's then i will raise some hell !:)

[jtw]

I've bought one each year since the law passed. I spend a lot of time on DNR land so I get my money's worth.
I don't like our state parks and actually turned down the $5 donation to our parks when I renewed my tabs.
I wish State parks would just be absorbed into DNR. No point in having so many administrators for a failing parks system.

[Jingles]

Haven't bought one and won't buy one DNR and WDFW lands are public lands, bought and paid for with public Funds ( tax dollars and fees collected from hunting licenses and fishing licenses)  If you want to use a State Park then State parks should have their own user fees.

[Curly]

 

I wish more people would just say no to the DP.  Eventually they will get a clue that the pass was a bad idea and they will do away with it.