SB 6308: Migratory bird hunting fee

[bobcat]

I guess I only support it because I don't hunt ducks anymore! 

bigtex, is there anywhere we can go to see the justification for this? Are they planning on buying up a lot of wetland areas for waterfowl habitat which would mean more hunting opportunities for us?

I gave up on duck hunting a long time ago due to the lack of places to hunt.

[JimmyHoffa]

By any measure this increase appears to be much greater than inflation would support. $50 in extras now just to hunt ducks. Personally I think that's completely unjustified.

Why only waterfowl? Should we start tacking on an extra fee for elk, deer, pheasants, and bear?

I'd much rather give my money to organizations like RMEF and DU.

I stopped for pheasant a few years back once that permit shot up in price.  And quite a few people I knew did too. 

[Bob33]

By any measure this increase appears to be much greater than inflation would support. $50 in extras now just to hunt ducks. Personally I think that's completely unjustified.

Why only waterfowl? Should we start tacking on an extra fee for elk, deer, pheasants, and bear?

I'd much rather give my money to organizations like RMEF and DU.

I stopped for pheasant a few years back once that permit shot up in price.  And quite a few people I knew did too.

You don't need an extra permit to hunt pheasants in Eastern Washington.

I took my son duck hunting last year for the first time in many years. It cost nearly $100 just in stamps and permits. That's ridiculous. More than likely they'll get $0 from me now.

[bobcat]

I think what is needed is a lower priced license for waterfowl hunting for the person who only wants to hunt one weekend per year. Most of the people I know that waterfowl hunt have access to private land and they hunt nearly every weekend for 4 months. For that kind of dedicated waterfowl hunter, $100 for licenses shouldn't be a big deal. But for someone like me who may only hunt one or two days, it would be nice if there was another option.

[Bob33]

I think what is needed is a lower priced license for waterfowl hunting for the person who only wants to hunt one weekend per year. Most of the people I know that waterfowl hunt have access to private land and they hunt nearly every weekend for 4 months. For that kind of dedicated waterfowl hunter, $100 for licenses shouldn't be a big deal. But for someone like me who may only hunt one or two days, it would be nice if there was another option.

That would be a good idea. You can buy a 3 day fishing license, for example. Dividing $50 in stamps over 10 hunts is $5/hunt: not bad. Dividing $50 in stamps over one hunt is $50/hunt: bad.

[bigtex]

bigtex, is there anywhere we can go to see the justification for this? Are they planning on buying up a lot of wetland areas for waterfowl habitat which would mean more hunting opportunities for us?

I gave up on duck hunting a long time ago due to the lack of places to hunt.

This isn't WDFW sponsored/requested legislation, but that doesn't mean WDFW wouldn't support it.

So because of that we don't have any information yet as to what they will do with the money. Once the fiscal note of the bill comes out we will see where WDFW will spend the money on. The fiscal notes are issued prior to the first committee hearing.

[bigtex]

I think what is needed is a lower priced license for waterfowl hunting for the person who only wants to hunt one weekend per year. Most of the people I know that waterfowl hunt have access to private land and they hunt nearly every weekend for 4 months. For that kind of dedicated waterfowl hunter, $100 for licenses shouldn't be a big deal. But for someone like me who may only hunt one or two days, it would be nice if there was another option.

Just don't expect the feds/congress to institute a separate Duck Stamp. They wont reduce the $25.

[Bob33]

At some point they're going to kill the goose that laid the golden egg.

[bobcat]

I'd like to hunt ducks one day a year but I don't because the fees are too much for just one day. I bet there are a lot of others who feel the same way. If I hunted only waterfowl for 4 months straight the fees wouldn't matter at all. But for a one day hunt it's too much.

[Fl0und3rz]

I'd like to hunt ducks one day a year but I don't because the fees are too much for just one day. I bet there are a lot of others who feel the same way. If I hunted only waterfowl for 4 months straight the fees wouldn't matter at all. But for a one day hunt it's too much.

I would like to give duck hunting a try, at some point, and the amount of the taxes are certainly a disincentive to even try at certain levels. 

[timberfaller]

If you have a employee making $8000 a day,  YOU'VE got OTHER real and serious problems! 

[REHJWA]

That is what some of them want.

Divide and conquer...

Maybe and five-year dollar three day permits.

At some point they're going to kill the goose that laid the golden egg.