WDFW Proposed pricing for 2011

[chester]

Rifle-Gift to me cost 0 Dollars
truck- cummuter and only rig. used for work and everything else. dont figure it into hunting costs
box of 270 ammo- $30
tank of gas-45 dollars give or take x3 (one to the eastside for deer,one back, and one for a week of elk)
case of steel-$98.70
big game-$81.20
small game-$21.80
state migratory bird-$ 12.50
fed migratory bird-$15.00
snow goose, area 2 goose, seaduck,brant-$2.00

hunting costs-$260 ish( rounded off)
license costs-$132.50

i might be the odd one out. but licenses out of the total are about a third of my costs. 
 

[Kain]

Im glad you guys dont have to worry about an extra increase but for me, and lots of people like me, it is just another cost that makes us sacrifice somewhere else.  Yes the cost of hunting is way more than just the license and tags but it is still all part of the same bill.  That increase is one less weekend in the woods or one less species I can target.  I cut waterfowl and pheasants already.  What will I have to give up next.

It is also not just about the cost.  It is about what we are getting for the money.  Each year it is less and less for more money.  Constant tweaking and reductions of seasons by the a department that sees us as nothing but cash machines.  We get NO support from them against the animal rights crowd.  They spend more time looking for new ways to bleed us than making it a quality experience.  They threaten us with closures and cutting of enforcement officers if we dont bow down.  Then they go spend a ton of money on wildlife viewing areas and land purchases they have no budget to maintain.  

I could probably swing another $25ish a year if I felt my hunting opportunities would be a priority or saw an increase in officers in the field but we will not.  We are going to get an increase just to maintain what is already there.      

If we can make some sort of deal to get a constitutional amendment to make hunting, fishing and trapping a right in exchange for an increase I might go along.  An increase just to get the same old crap....NO WAY!

[krout81]

$100 bucks for all licenses seems fair to me.  Toss in small game and the stamps for ducks  $95.50 for all big game, and $41 for migratory permit, and federal stamp.  If you hunt turkey another $16
$155 to hunt for any animal if my math is correct.  If you can kill at least a deer or elk and some ducks you could pay for that.  
Even if you didnt have to pay the state you still have to buy gas, food, and essentials.  Me personally I don't hold the stuff I have to buy against the state.  It sucks that the costs go up, but if I have to pay more to do something I love then so be it.

[bigtex]

$100 bucks for all licenses seems fair to me.  Toss in small game and the stamps for ducks  $95.50 for all big game, and $41 for migratory permit, and federal stamp.  If you hunt turkey another $16
$155 to hunt for any animal if my math is correct.  If you can kill at least a deer or elk and some ducks you could pay for that.  
Even if you didnt have to pay the state you still have to buy gas, food, and essentials.  Me personally I don't hold the stuff I have to buy against the state.  It sucks that the costs go up, but if I have to pay more to do something I love then so be it.

 

[billythekidrock]

So what happens when F&W and DNR merge?
More (expensive) permits for DNR land related activities?
Higher F&W license fees to pay for DNR employees?

I know that our hunting licenses are only a small part of the total cost, but for many any increase is too much. Take a look at the the westside pheasant costs this year. Way too much in my opinion, and now look at the proposed increase for a second deer tag. It will be a rich man's sport sooner that we want to believe.

[Wacenturion]

What government fails to recognize is that in reality it is far more important to keep license cost down and have people continue to go afield hunting and fishing than to raise them to a level where you lose participants.

The first way you have people spending money going and coming, supporting local businesses and such.  The second...they stay home...no license purchased, no gas bought, no ammo, lures, gear, or whatever sold......I think you get the message.

Personal expenditures for recreation are far broader than any one agency's needs.  Government needs to start looking at the whole rather than an individual part.  Of course that starts with the Governor, whom have all been democrats since Spellman...... a long time.

[high country]

the cost of legally hunting will at some point cross with the fine for not legally hunting......that scares me. if you make it too expensive more folks will hunt w/o licenses which means out of season. perhaps wa should consider a subsistance tag like ak does. it sounds silly, but at least it makes for a season that is the same for everyone.

me, I could give a rip how much this state jacks the price, I am within rifle distance of Idaho, and have no problem spending my money there instead, afterall the only thing wa has over id is coyote hunting. birds, bucks, bulls......yup better if I go 30 minutes east then anywhere else. if I can figure th cost of my in state tag is going to be removed from my NR id stuff......it is getting more reasonable in a hurry.

[Mr T]

I understand the need to occasional increases.  However, I do not agree with the increase in youth  increases.  I look forward to the day my two boys are old enough to go with me but not for the huge amount of $$ I will need to put out.  Maybe you could put out the idea of a family package for the department to work on for the future.

As far as my personal aggenda, I really dislike the increase in permit applications.  I have been applying for a number of hunts for years to build up points for some trophy hunts.  Some years just ghost points because I now my schedule would not allow for me to accidentally get drawn!  Now I need to justify to the wife some more $$$ disapperaing into a temporary invisible place. 

[bobcat]

The proposal actually shows youth tag prices going down. Deer and elk tags are currently $23.60 and it shows them going to $21.80 each.

[Mr T]

thank you for the clarification bobcat

[huntingfool7]

Interesting that Western WA Pheasant release sites may be costing less.  Raise fees/taxes too high and people choose not to play.

I was told by a WDFW employee that the last increase was going to be to 70 or maybe 80 bucks.  When it came out it was at $92.

I chose not to play this year and I'm not alone.

I think that the proposed decrease shows that someone up there noticed they went too far.  Higher fees = less revenue

[Bob33]

Compare 2000 general elk seasons (first image) to the 2010 general elk seasons (2nd image).  If nothing else, it's become more complicated.
2000:
[smg id=10047]

2010:
[smg id=10048]

[Tony 270]

Seems straight forward and easy to me. Just look up your GMU and there you go. Have dates and legal restrictions. 

[bigtex]

Seems straight forward and easy to me. Just look up your GMU and there you go. Have dates and legal restrictions. 

 

Doesnt look complicated at all.

[krout81]

I got confused trying to figure out why it was confusing