Hunting Washington Forum

Community => Advocacy, Agencies, Access => Topic started by: gallion_t on April 12, 2016, 09:04:38 AM

Title: Life Time Licences
Post by: gallion_t on April 12, 2016, 09:04:38 AM: This thought popped into my head earlier today and I figured I would pose the question and get everyone else's incite on it. Life time hunting licence/tags for Washington residents. I know Idaho and several other state offer them and I can't really see a downside to them as a hunter or too the government trying to get more money. As I mentioned I just thought up the idea this morning so I haven't have had a chance to think about all of the options but here is what I have so far:

Life time licence would cost 10x (just made up this number) current single year licence. You could pick either just deer, elk, or one of the different combos they currently offer. For deer and elk you would still have to pick weapon choice and for elk east or west each year

Only valid years you are a Washington State resident. If you purchase it and move out of state you no longer get automatic tags each year. I do think you should get a discount from the out of state rates though, maybe you have to pay the current in state rates? If you later move back to the state you will start getting your tags again.

Special permit fees are still year by year and must be purchased and submitted the same way they are now.

I haven't really looked into how other states do it, but it could be modeled after some of the other successful programs.

I know one of the arguments will be that the state will never do it because they can't keep gouging us each year for tag fees. If you look at the inverse of it though that not the entire hunting population will buy life time tag so they will still get an annual cash flow. Couple that with special permit fees and there will still be income. Additionally each year new people will still be buying life time licences which will help boost revenue. Plus, out of the people that buy the life time licence at least a portion of them will either stop hunting, move out of state, or pass away before they reach the point where the tags basically become free. That would basically be free money to the state.

For the hunter they wouldn't have to worry about annual price increases or having to go out and purchase the tags every year. And if they stayed in Washington and hunted for enough years their tags would basically be free.

Whats everyone else's thoughts on this idea? Different things you would like to see? You could do the same thing for fishing licences as well.
Title: Re: Life Time Licences
Post by: PolarBear on April 12, 2016, 09:09:44 AM: This state use to have them (if I remember correctly) but realized how much $$ they were missing out on and discontinued it.
Title: Re: Life Time Licences
Post by: BULLBLASTER on April 12, 2016, 09:11:25 AM: Idaho is different because you need a license and then buy tags separate. I really wish I would have moved to Idaho for a year to buy a lifetime license. Not even for the cash savings but just to get into resident draw pools.
Not real sure it would work for wa with how our licenses and tags are set up. :twocents:
Title: Re: Life Time Licences
Post by: Dhoey07 on April 12, 2016, 09:45:04 AM: I'm not sure about other states, but Idaho sells their licenses and tags separately so yes, you can buy a lifetime license but they can increase the price of tags and if you move out of state, you have to pay the out of state cost.

So with the current WDFW system, I highly doubt they will sell a Lifetime License

***Ninja'd by BullBlaster***
Title: Re: Life Time Licences
Post by: elkhunter1977 on April 12, 2016, 09:56:34 AM: I guess I got lucky if they don't sell them anymore. 7 years ago at a Walmart I bought a $5.00 raffle ticket for a lifetime license. Didn't think anything of it until about 6 months later I got a call from F&G telling me I had been drawn. The best part is when you go to get them at a local store the worker at the counter usually ends up calling a few managers down and they all look really confused as to why there is no price. I know it's mean but I like to have a little fun with them before I tell them that i only pay the dealer fee and why.
Title: Re: Life Time Licences
Post by: gasman on April 12, 2016, 10:13:45 AM: I got a buddy that w as drawn for the life time license too, lucky *censored*.......