# License Fee Increase Proposal



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Blah!
Increase in Utah hunting and fishing license and permit fees (abc4.com)


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

$40 for a swan tag is highway robbery...


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## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

It's never pleasant but it makes sense. Everything from labor to project materials has gone up in prices. 

I 100% support retaining prices for veterans. I dislike the amount we defer to youth. I say raise those alongside the adult rates.


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## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

I say double the prices! Lets cull some of the riffraff out there! If guys can afford beer, smokes, tattoos, flat brim hats, sitka, new trucks, side by sides, atv's, boats and new rv's. Pay up!!

But give seniors, veterans and kids a break on price.


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## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

In all honesty. If people can afford all or some of the items I mentioned above they can afford to pay more for a license.


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## Lone_Hunter (Oct 25, 2017)

Honestly, inflation is over time going to drive the cost of everything up. (insert "I did that" sticker here) In the larger view, 6$ or a 10% increase on resident tag fees for annual hunting isn't much. Now 10% increase on an LE tag or a non resident tag might be something to whine about.

Frankly, I'm more concerned with the cost of gas. That bites all of us every week, if not every day. I've noticed more then a couple trucks with "for sale" signs on them in my area lately. I can't imagine why....


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

The DWR posted this over on their FB page and and the haters have come out in force to complain about the increases.

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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

I get why they want to do it. That said, the messaging is terrible.

“To keep up with inflation, we’re going to raise your prices!”


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

I'd be OK with the increase except for one statement made. The cost is needed because of the cost to "MANAGE" the wildlife. Maybe they should start with managing first. Haven't seen any managing as far increasing herd numbers. 

They are planning to loose a number of hunters as it is now, they need to offset that cost of loss by increasing the tag prices.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

JerryH said:


> I say double the prices! Lets cull some of the riffraff out there! If guys can afford beer, smokes, tattoos, flat brim hats, sitka, new trucks, side by sides, atv's, boats and new rv's. Pay up!!
> 
> But give seniors, veterans and kids a break on price.


I'm a senior and I didn't ask for a "free pass" to a lesser tag price. Good hell, this isn't Golden Corral or Sizzler. Make it the same cost for all residents, no matter what the age the applicant is.


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## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

taxidermist said:


> I'm a senior and I didn't ask for a "free pass" to a lesser tag price. Good hell, this isn't Golden Corral or Sizzler. Make it the same cost for all residents, no matter what the age the applicant is.


Just thinking of the fixed income crowd. 

At what year is a person considered a senior?


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

JerryH said:


> Just thinking of the fixed income crowd.
> 
> At what year is a person considered a senior?


Here in Colorado we are a senior person when we hit 65, that gives us a discount on a yearly parks pass and a $7.00 yearly fishing license. All the rest are the same price as everyone else. 

The legislature a couple of years ago raised the fishing license from $1.00 then last year they passed a bill where all vehicle registrations are automatically opted into a state parks pass, you have to opt out not to get it. From what I heard and read it is around 1/2 the cost of what it is now at $60 for a senior with other price ranges depending on if you have a disability or not. The standard price is $80.00 a year or $8.00 a day.


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

DWR has never been good with "salesmanship". Probably a government thing.

It would be ridiculous to think they would not be effected like everybody else. But just like every other taxing agency what other options do they have?


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## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

Exactly. The wording wasn't ideal and it was obvious what they were saying. Keeping or recruiting quality fisheries and wildlife biologist takes more money than it did in 2019.

And project costs had to have gone through the roof.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

So, when inflation decreases after FJB is gone, the cost of permits will decrease? NEVER!


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

What's the % of license fee sales that goes directly back into the DWR? Or do these fees go into the General Budget? I would think that if 100% of tag sales did go back into the DWR account, there would be plenty to apply to fish/game management.


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

"License and permit fees fund most of the daily operations of the DWR. The DWR is currently 92% self-funded and receives only limited funding from the state's General Fund, which is appropriated for specific issues that impact all Utahns. (These issues include managing aquatic invasive species and preventing species from becoming endangered.)"


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## Brookie (Oct 26, 2008)

Imagine if all the money went back to dwr from hunt expo and other auctions of the tags


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## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

Fowlmouth said:


> So, when inflation decreases after FJB is gone, the cost of permits will decrease? NEVER!


Nope. But it will be cheaper getting to where your going


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

Vanilla said:


> I get why they want to do it. That said, the messaging is terrible.
> 
> “To keep up with inflation, we’re going to raise your prices!”


Cost of free deer on public lands and swan in the air has gone up.


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

Brookie said:


> Imagine if all the money went back to dwr from hunt expo and other auctions of the tags


Watch them raise those for inflation lmao


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

I actually am a bit surprised it wasn't a larger increase. The price to gas up the CO's and biologists trucks have gone up just as much as for the rest of us. 

Considering the costs of other hobbies folks have, a fishing and hunting license is still a relative bargain IMO.



RandomElk16 said:


> Watch them raise those for inflation lmao


Of course! The cost of gas to drive the permits to that guys basement where the drawing takes place is exorbitant.


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## MrShane (Jul 21, 2019)

I’m torn.
I do like the thought of a price increase to encourage hunters that are ‘on the fence’ about going hunting to maybe reconsider their priorities.
They put in for a Swan or Deer tag ‘just in case’ and a lot of the times it doesn’t get used.
That is an opportunity my kids and I could have possibly used instead of scoring another point for the year.
I don’t like the thought of my wallet getting thinner though.


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

I like the increases, but I thought they'd be more as well!


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

Brookie said:


> Imagine if all the money went back to dwr from hunt expo and other auctions of the tags


*BINGO!!! *We have a winner. 

Maybe they should do that FIRST, instead of pushing the burden onto the residents that are just out for some family fishing and hunting. Really doesn't matter to me now anyway I guess. I'm planning to hang up the fire sticks after this year. This action of increased fees has cemented my thoughts about continuing.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

MrShane said:


> I’m torn.
> I do like the thought of a price increase to encourage hunters that are ‘on the fence’ about going hunting to maybe reconsider their priorities.
> They put in for a Swan or Deer tag ‘just in case’ and a lot of the times it doesn’t get used.
> That is an opportunity my kids and I could have possibly used instead of scoring another point for the year.
> I don’t like the thought of my wallet getting thinner though.


A lot of hunters miss the chance at getting into the swamp to fill a Swan tag because MM and his Buds are targeting the Trumpeters and closing the season earlier.  With the new regs in place now, those "sportsman" wont exist in the swamp for 5 years now. Love that!!


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## Gordon (Sep 11, 2007)

It sucks but in an inflationary environment the last guy in line pays the increase.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

Maybe the price increase will eliminate hunters and relieve the pressure of the point creep.


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

taxidermist said:


> Maybe the price increase will eliminate hunters and relieve the pressure of the point creep.


Doubt it.

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## maverick9465 (Nov 21, 2016)

It sucks, but I get it. I can see how people might question this. Did deer and elk just get more expensive? But when I started thinking about it, I thought about all the logistics involved in game management: fuel, purchasing/maintaining equipment, etc.


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