WDFW/DNR/Parks Discover Pass Site Up

[bobcat]

Actually I don't have a problem with the fee at all. I just don't agree with it being needed for every vehicle in the family. I should be able to just buy one Discover pass and use it for any vehicle I may be driving. I think $30 for a family would be a reasonable fee to access State Parks and DNR lands. But for me to pay the fee for every vehicle I own, would be $120. And that's just not right. The pass should go with the person, not the vehicle.

[Skyvalhunter]

Well hopefully it is not an adhesive type pass but one similar to the trailhead passes by the forest service that can be moved from one vehicle to the next

[Jack Diamond]

I understand your position as I have 5 vehicles however I would only use 2 for the pass, same situation we have now with the WDFW use permit, easily transported from vehicle to vehicle, to easily if you know what I mean. The state should issue something that adheres permanently to the back window and can not be jacked while your vehicle is parked, even if it was only your cheap brother-inlaw with his new hummer.I just do not understand the mindset that seems rampant in our society that because we are citizens of the state -therefore we should not have to pay for usage of state facilities and upkeep of state lands and resources.As I stated before the sportsmen and women have certainly been paying all along however the general public has contributed very little towards state land and recreation, outside of government squandering of tax dollars.and maybe my whole mindset comes from the illegal alien population that I witness daily taking advantage of resources that do belong to the citizens of the state of Washington.

[Skyvalhunter]

Well if a person has 5 different vehicles they shouldn't be required to by 5 passes. They already pay enough funds to the DOL. A person should be required to buy only 1 pass wich can be moved from one to another.

[Jack Diamond]

As I stated I would only buy the pass for 2 vehicles, not every thing I own. The WDFW permit is only good for 2 vehicles if you actually write the plate numbers on the permit as required.

[Special T]

Jack D, Fines and permits are only for people that have something to lose.. Migrants and deadbeats have little to fear from government. Most punishment by the state come in the monetary form. I think it is because of 2 reasons. 1) its easy to impose, 2)most people are kept law abiding by just the threat of fine or force. We who work realize how a $30 permit is a cost of business because we will be forced to pay the fine in order to keep our drivers, game, fishing lic etc...
In order to impose a penalty to people that have no $$$ it actually costs the state $$$ in imprisonment. We are always asked to pay for more enforcement, when a small percentage of people cause most of the problem. With misdemeanors like a pass infraction do you think they are going to put someone in jail for any period of time?  I would suggest a fine OR corporal punishment like what happens in Singapore... Does anyone remember the Caining that happened to the juvenile that spray painted graffiti several years back? Misdemeanors in Singapore are not violated because of the physical threat of pain, nothing else...

[bigtex]

With misdemeanors like a pass infraction do you think they are going to put someone in jail for any period of time?

Not displaying the pass will be an infraction which is not a criminal offense= no jail time possible, only fines. Most traffic, ORV/ATV, snowmobile violations are infractions. Example of fish wildlife infractions are no hunter orange, barbed hooks, most WDFW land use violations, fail to record catch on catch record card. There was a time when every offense was criminal but that changed many years ago.

Federal violations (such as violating USFS, BLM, NPS, USFWS rules) are still all criminal and arrestable, even for parking violations.

[Armadillo]

schweet! thats the best news ive heard all day 

 The signs on Coleman Rd used to read DFW Colockum Wildlife area, now it's

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naneum Ridge State Forest (Chelan and Kittitas counties)

Recreation Area      Status       Additional Information
Naneum Ridge State Forest      Open      No open fires or barbecue briquettes allowed from April 15 to October 15.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Looks like about $150 in our camp

I knew there was a good reason not to hunt the Colockum

[Special T]

BigTex thanks for the clarification, but it makes my point even more valid...

[Jack Diamond]

I agree with  you Special T,and I have been checked while the beer can spinning reel set was not, so in essence you have a job, you buy the permits and the state hopes you mess up, while the lowlifes continue on. but back to the original subject, I will buy the licence's required, I will not set it out or just go to another state, and I will continue to contact my local and state elected reps and senator with my concerns. As far as no jail time if I read Big Tex right, what the hell is there a fine for, other than the obvious, if you can't pay the fine I would expect an FTA warrant. just don't get it!!!
So according to Tex they can just ignore the infractions, no possible jail time. I'll let someone else try that out..

[bigtex]

As far as no jail time if I read Big Tex right, what the hell is there a fine for, other than the obvious, if you can't pay the fine I would expect an FTA warrant. just don't get it!!!
So according to Tex they can just ignore the infractions, no possible jail time. I'll let someone else try that out..

I thought most people knew this about "infractions" in this state. There are two types of infractions in WA, natural resource infractions and civil infractions.

Natural resource infractions are offenses that are classified as infractions and fall under RCW 76 (Forest and Forest Products "DNR"), 77 (Fish and Wildlife Code "DFW"), 79 (Public Lands "State Parks), and 79A (Public Relational Lands, mainly boating regs). The Discover Pass violation will be a natural resource infraction and will actually have a different offense for each agency. So the RCW for not having the pass on WDFW lands will be different from the RCW in a park which will be different from the RCW on DNR lands, although the fines will be the same. Civil infractions are basically all other infractions, anything from drinking in public to driving with no insurance.

By statute if you "ignore" a infraction you can have charges of contempt of court filed on you, but I don't think that has ever happened, too many infractions are ignored and simply isn’t enough prosecutors. However, if you "ignore" a traffic citation (including ORV/ATV and snowmobile citations) your driver’s license will be suspended.

[Elkaholic daWg]

In the past 4 years or so DNR and WDFW have been doing land swaps basically to remove the checkerboard layout of WDFW and DNR land, as a result the DNR created the Naneum St Forest.

 And this made things better how? I've seen how DNR takes care of elk cover in the area, and the only thing worse for the elk is native seasons!
 another thing....I wonder how much of our budget shortfall was created by administrative costs for these transactions of the last 4 years or so?

[bigtex]

In the past 4 years or so DNR and WDFW have been doing land swaps basically to remove the checkerboard layout of WDFW and DNR land, as a result the DNR created the Naneum St Forest.

 And this made things better how? I've seen how DNR takes care of elk cover in the area, and the only thing worse for the elk is native seasons!
 another thing....I wonder how much of our budget shortfall was created by administrative costs for these transactions of the last 4 years or so?

The land swaps are actually a way to save money and consolidate land, WDFW has actually been the winner in these land swaps because they have been increasing the amount of their acreage by quite a bit. The main reason for these land swaps is management, it is easier to manage land that is consolidated and in one chunk then manage land that is scattered.

[lastmk8]

Not that I'm in favor of the new "use" fee but lets put some of that money to work and start getting on the illegal's out there picking brush and 'shroom's.  Oh, can't buy a pass because your not "legal", oops, I'll bet they didn't consider that in the legislation.  Another loop-hole that won't hlep us out anyway, even if fined, what is the chance the ticket is ever paid?

[bigtex]

Another loop-hole that won't hlep us out anyway, even if fined, what is the chance the ticket is ever paid?

Well thats kind of a common misconception with Fish and Wildlife tickets. A lot of people think fish and wildlife citation $ go to WDFW, thats essentially false. Each county can either keep the violation $ for RCW 77 (Fish and Wildlife code) offenses no matter what the agency is that wrote the ticket, OR they can receive PILT payments (a form of property tax payments that governments give counties). If the county keeps the RCW 77 violation money they don't get PILT payments, if they choose the PILT payments (and usually about 30 counties take the PILT option) the RCW 77 violation money goes into the state general fund.

Now the state general fund funds most state agencies (with the exception of a few, such as starting July 1 State Parks will no longer get general fund $). However State Park and DNR tickets go directly into the counties pockets, which doesn't help state agencies at all.

With the Discovery Discover Pass the violation RCW is different for the agencies land your on. So a violation for not having the pass on WDFW is different from Parks and different from DNR, but the fine is the same. And in most cases who gets the fine money is different (DNR and Parks goes to county, WDFW either county or state).