38% increase in fishing and hunting licenses

[baldopepper]

Not sure if anybody gave this some thought.
I grew up less fortunate than most.
Bringing home a deer was almost mandatory.
Alot of guys are gonna slaughter any buck they can find , especially when the cost is higher .
I don't see it helping our deer herds one bit.

Suspect the majority do that anyway.  Doubt it will have much effect on that basis.  Don't really think it'll make much difference on license sales

[hunter399]

Not sure if anybody gave this some thought.
I grew up less fortunate than most.
Bringing home a deer was almost mandatory.
Alot of guys are gonna slaughter any buck they can find , especially when the cost is higher .
I don't see it helping our deer herds one bit.

Suspect the majority do that anyway.  Doubt it will have much effect on that basis.  Don't really think it'll make much difference on license sales

Probably true.
I won't pass a legal deer now.
Can't say for anyone else.

Maybe hunting will be better,if sales dip down far enough.
I can dream that for now .

[kodiak06]

To those who say they will become outlaws to some extent I would offer if you really want to hand that mentality to your children? We should all strive to set a good example whether it’s hunting or baseball. Life is all about choices. Choose well my friends. It’s my sincere wish that WE all continue to gather around those evening campfires and make memories to last a lifetime.

elksnout

I think most are blowing off steam or just FOS, but if they're gonna poach they need to be ready to pay the piper, especially with 10 bonus points floating around out there. There are hunters on this site that wanted the bait ban so if they find that bait, odds are they'll blow the whistle.

[chukardogs]

 Wow! I've read some real nonsense on here over the years but this takes the cake. If you itemize everything that you actually spend to hunt and fish and can honestly tell yourself that you go into the field just for putting food on the table, PLEASE!
 Yeah yeah, I understand there were times in this country where hunting and fishing were a way to get by, I was there. I grew up on the Wenatchee river in the 60s, when it teemed with steelhead and salmon. The area was overrun with deer and bear. My grandfather didn't know what a license was. We had freezers full of meat all year long and we were still in the field at daybreak.
 The days of filling freezers from the field for less than buying the same amount in the store are over and have been for a long time. Unless you live right where you hunt and fish, just the license, tags and the cost of gas most likely puts you over the break even point, and that's only if you get an animal? Throw in everything else we as hunters and anglers spend money on and I think you'll see, it's just a passion for most of us.
 I hunt and fish because I love to hunt and fish....... I've passed up far more animals than I've killed because I didn't want my season to be over. Thrown back fish because if I kept em, my day was over. If I was going to take a smaller animal than what I was looking for, it was going to be on the last day. I've said to many a buck, "go grow up and may we meet again."
 After giving it some thought, I doubt the idea of getting my money's worth, has never crossed my mind while in the field.
 As far as the quality of the product goes, there's no doubt that the hunters in this state get no consideration for the money they spend. I've thought many times, what would happen if the hunters and anglers just said enough, I'm not spending a dime this year and then I immediately think, wait, I want to go hunting and fishing this year. If I die tomorrow and don't actually go to my happy hunting ground, then last fall would have been the last time I went hunting.
Good luck out there!

[fishngamereaper]

In general I think guys are just tired of every time you turn around someone's got their hands in your pockets...And in WA that rarely equates to a positive return on investment.

[hunter399]

The right thing for WDFW to do ,is hand everyone a flyer with the current rule changes at licence purchases. Along with email everyone as well that held a license last year .
Making "poachers" out of people,so you can pick up some ticket revenue is lamo.

[follow maggie]

Or people can just read the regs. They’re free

[bigtex]

The right thing for WDFW to do ,is hand everyone a flyer with the current rule changes at licence purchases. Along with email everyone as well that held a license last year .
Making "poachers" out of people,so you can pick up some ticket revenue is lamo.

The whole "ticket revenue" this is just BS. WDFW doesn't get a dime from infraction fines.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

[hunter399]

The right thing for WDFW to do ,is hand everyone a flyer with the current rule changes at licence purchases. Along with email everyone as well that held a license last year .
Making "poachers" out of people,so you can pick up some ticket revenue is lamo.

The whole "ticket revenue" this is just BS. WDFW doesn't get a dime from infraction fines.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

Sorry I was unaware, ignorant I suppose.
But informing before purchasing might not be a bad idea .

Does ticket revenue go to county,state,or what?
Trying to learn here.
If it goes to the state general funds,it kinda goes back to you eventually. Just not directly.

[bigtex]

The right thing for WDFW to do ,is hand everyone a flyer with the current rule changes at licence purchases. Along with email everyone as well that held a license last year .
Making "poachers" out of people,so you can pick up some ticket revenue is lamo.

The whole "ticket revenue" this is just BS. WDFW doesn't get a dime from infraction fines.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

Sorry I was unaware, ignorant I suppose.
But informing before purchasing might not be a bad idea .

Does ticket revenue go to county,state,or what?
Trying to learn here.
If it goes to the state general funds,it kinda goes back to you eventually. Just not directly.

Counties have to decide if they keep the fine money or if they want to receive payments in-ieu of taxes (PILT) for the WDFW lands in county. If they elect to take PILT then the fine money goes to the general fund. If they don't elect to take PILT then they keep the fine money in the county coffers.

It varies a little but typically only about 10 counties (typically those with big WDFW land holdings on the eastside) elect to take PILT, the remaining all keep the fine money. There have also been times when the legislature authorizes in state law that counties who elect to take PILT also get to keep the fine money, this occurred most recently from 2015-19.

As for the fine money that counties do send to the general fund its not like if a WDFW Officer writes a $100 ticket that ticket then goes to the general fund and WDFW gets the $100. WDFWs share of the general fund decreases every year and is poised for a big general fund decrease this year and going forward.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

[hunter399]

The right thing for WDFW to do ,is hand everyone a flyer with the current rule changes at licence purchases. Along with email everyone as well that held a license last year .
Making "poachers" out of people,so you can pick up some ticket revenue is lamo.

The whole "ticket revenue" this is just BS. WDFW doesn't get a dime from infraction fines.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

Sorry I was unaware, ignorant I suppose.
But informing before purchasing might not be a bad idea .

Does ticket revenue go to county,state,or what?
Trying to learn here.
If it goes to the state general funds,it kinda goes back to you eventually. Just not directly.

Counties have to decide if they keep the fine money or if they want to receive payments in-ieu of taxes (PILT) for the WDFW lands in county. If they elect to take PILT then the fine money goes to the general fund. If they don't elect to take PILT then they keep the fine money in the county coffers.

It varies a little but typically only about 10 counties (typically those with big WDFW land holdings on the eastside) elect to take PILT, the remaining all keep the fine money. There have also been times when the legislature authorizes in state law that counties who elect to take PILT also get to keep the fine money, this occurred most recently from 2015-19.

As for the fine money that counties do send to the general fund its not like if a WDFW Officer writes a $100 ticket that ticket then goes to the general fund and WDFW gets the $100. WDFWs share of the general fund decreases every year and is poised for a big general fund decrease this year and going forward.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

Thank you for responding
I'm always willing to learn.
Honestly,it should just go to WDFW, I see that's not the way it works.

[hunter399]

....

[actionshooter]

In general I think guys are just tired of every time you turn around someone's got their hands in your pockets...And in WA that rarely equates to a positive return on investment.

That's exactly where I'm coming from... I'll whine a little, but have already bought half my liscenses and applications for 2025.. 

[GeoSwan]

Do we know if this will increase out of state tags too?

[Humptulips]

Do we know if this will increase out of state tags too?

It does. You can look up existing license fees here, https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=77.32&full=true#77.32.450

Proposed here, https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5583-S.pdf?q=20250331174524