SB 5632 Hunting and Fishing Licenses

[bigtex]

If they need more let them tap into the general fund more.

Not going to happen in our lifetime, especially with the McCleary decision which says the state needs to pump billions more into K-12 education.

[Man Tracker]

This issues again points out a problem with the original merger of Fisheries and Wildlife.  The "old: Dept., of Fisheries was funded primarily by the state general fund (taxes), plus federal money from several sources.  The old Game/Wildlife Dept. was funded primarily thru license fees and Pittman/Robertson monies.  Upon merger, the new agency expanded many programs without a funding source, i.e. Habitat Program.  As the state has struggled with budgets, (spending more than they take in) the amount of general fund revenue has decreased.  Soft money and the Wildlife Fund unfortunately have to fund more and more of DFW's programs.  To ask the Legislature to increase general fund money to any/all resource agencies is (unfortunately) a pipe dream.  Even though the state will bring in 3 billion more in revenue over the next biennium than the last, you have seen the tax increases the Governor has asked for...So the unfortunate answer to funding issues is to either: curtail/eliminate programs, or raise fees.  And any bettors on eliminating programs???

[csaaphill]

Leave the small game discount alone, and stop money grubbing!

[lokidog]

I would be happy to pay even more if hunters had a bigger say in wildlife management and they were working to increase herds. 

  x 100

Since that's not the case, stupid SB once again.

 

[Special T]

Taking the small game discount out will have the unintended consequence of screwing up WDFW cash flow.

There are many who purchase the combo earlier in the year than they normally would due to special permitt tags OR buy just because. I think you will see a drop in small game sales as a result.

I would love to do some research on how bear cougar tags sales declined when they took away the  Deer or Elk + Bear&Cougar tags. I know that i only bought the deer small game  combo because  I no longer travel or take time off for elk hunting. (no elk hunting near me) I know that if this passes Im likley to buy the deer tag last min. I only ended up deer hunting 1 mornign this year, and likley wouldnt have even bothered if i had not already bought the small game/deer combo. Likely i will just bird hunt, and only get a deer tag if i can fit it into my everfilling weekend schedual. I bet if you could get ahold of the raw data, including the end of year seasons that you would find the WDFW recives a LOT of $ on tags/activites that sportmen only do occasionally. I know my hunting has become more focused because of increasing costs, and less personal time. I would bet that many hunters have quit hunting much the same way.

The trends are in the raw numbers that the WDFW has available but they sure dont make much use of it from a Marketing perspective.... Just another way I think the department fails. 

[JimmyHoffa]

yep.  I get the discount combo because I need the big game and get it before the permit apps are due.  Now I'll only get the big game, and then decide later if I want small game...and will probably get distracted and forget to get small game or just not get it at all.

[WDFW Hates ME!!!]

Almost done in this state. I have a few more points to burn. I catch a 1-2 hundred salmon/steelhead a year. I don't need to hunt in WA. It is cheaper for me to hunt in Idaho as a non res than a res in WA.

[oneshot12]

Almost done in this state. seem its all about money  money  and more money .Think they should be thinking more about  game animals and habitat a whole lot more   

[Gringo31]

Its not a revenue problem....

It's a spending problem.  Increasing revenue won't fix a problem spender.

NO!

[actionshooter]

Almost done in this state.  I don't need to hunt in WA. It is cheaper for me to hunt in Idaho as a non res than a res in WA.

 That's how I feel.

[timberfaller]

bigtex said; "The problem is the WAC and RCW don't currently match up. The RCW currently says companions can only kill wounded game, the WAC says otherwise."

Our Hunter ED IST last year was on just this!!  There are more(WAC vs RCW non-matching) then one realizes and it makes mass confusion for LEO's to sort out.   That is why it's important NOT to be arrogant, you know what, around a Warden.

Like any/all money grabbers in Olympia, they all "sugar coat" ideas, looking for the LIV'S who will not question their efforts so they can get their desires, aka: more money.

AND YES its past time to split the department back to what it was before the Fish people got their eyes on the Pittman/Robertson monies!!    Oh that's right, it was done to SAVE money, silly me