# Ouch! Just bought my duck stamp....



## toasty (May 15, 2008)

Forgot they had raised the price to $25. Luckily, I only have to get myself a stamp this year, but will have to start buying them for my kids next year. I don't know if I will be willing to spend $25 for them to hunt 1-2 times. I'm thinking they can pay for it, but doubt they will want to spend their hard earned money on that. 

I have at least 1 buddy that will probably not hunt this year due to the cost. He struggles to make ends meet and rations his shells each year to the point he will only take shots that are 20 yards. The higher the cost, the more it prevents people from hunting. I'm thinking next year, the increased cost will take one buddy and my son out of the hunting pool. It will probably not affect another 5 guys I hunt with.


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## rjefre (Sep 8, 2007)

Dang, in the world of waterfowling, a $10 increase is almost negligible. I hope this doesn't come across a too harsh, but if $10 dollars over the course of a 3 month season is enough to cause a guy to stop hunting, then he may not be able to afford the sport at all. It costs 10 bucks to drive to a hunting spot and back. Please don't take this as being mean or cruel...I just really believe that $3.33 per month for three months shouldn't be the straw that breaks the financial back of the camel.
R


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

i got to spend 75 bucks this year on just stamps and then turn around and buy three case of shells for the season. it going to get pricey. I have a feeling it going to end many people hunting waterfowl.


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

rjefre said:


> Dang, in the world of waterfowling, a $10 increase is almost negligible. I hope this doesn't come across a too harsh, but if $10 dollars over the course of a 3 month season is enough to cause a guy to stop hunting, then he may not be able to afford the sport at all. It costs 10 bucks to drive to a hunting spot and back. Please don't take this as being mean or cruel...I just really believe that $3.33 per month for three months shouldn't be the straw that breaks the financial back of the camel.
> R


It is not going to affect the "hard core" hunters. I would pay $100 for a stamp if I had to, but I go out 30+ times a year. I think it is going to affect the guys that go out 1 or 2 times a year, it will be harder to justify the extra cost in their eyes. It will result in fewer people trying the sport and reduce the #s of casual hunters IMO.


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## Dunkem (May 8, 2012)

Im still going:!:-8/-


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

It isn't the $10 increase. It is seeing $25 rather than $15. I don't know if that makes sense, but it is a mental thing. I have extended family with plenty of means, but they won't buy one to go out a time or two.

My 16yo said he'd have to think about it because his Dad doesn't take him out enough and he isn't sure if $25 is worth it for 3-5 trips. Kid has to buy gas, insurance, shells, licenses, dates, etc.... Another $25 means more to him than some. 

It won't stop me from buying one if I want to go. It will give me a little pause if I end up buying one for each son and myself in a couple years.....


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## willfish4food (Jul 14, 2009)

Packout said:


> It isn't the $10 increase. It is seeing $25 rather than $15. I don't know if that makes sense, but it is a mental thing. I have extended family with plenty of means, but they won't buy one to go out a time or two.


Or you could say a stamp costs 166% of what it cost last year. That sounds way worse. 

I'm brand new to ducks and hope to get out this fall. I've never known any better so 25 doesn't bother me. It's cheap compared to everything else.

I look at it as a donation to conservation I'd make anyway that happens to give me the ability to get out and hunt.


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## Joh Fredersen (Sep 24, 2013)

When did the duck stamp increase to $15? Do you even remember?
1991.
How much was gas in 1991? $1.10/gal.
A movie ticket cost $4. 
The conservation buying power of the duck stamp hasn't been keeping up with the cost of land, construction, materials, water, etc.
Yes, a $10 jump was a big increase over $15, but still a small cost overall in waterfowl hunting.
Crap, a 1 lb. bag of beef jerky is $15-20!!! Skip a bag of jerky. 
Or, buy 4 duck stamps, and sit at Farmington Bay at 4AM on the opener and sell 3 of them for $30 each BAM- you're $5 ahead.
Work an hour of overtime. Come mow my lawn. 
Better yet, have your 16 year old come mow my lawn. I'm serious. I'll give him a duck stamp for an hours work.
I bought 3 Duck Stamps (so far) this year. One for me, one for my son (11 years old) and one to have in the truck when somebody tells me they forgot theirs. Because you're not hunting with me without one. 
Stop duck hunting because of $10? Then the terrorists have already won.


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

Well when you have incremental increases in all facets of the hunting world, it definitely starts to add up. It's the same thing with any other sort of fee increase, republicans are great at disguising taxes as fees by the way! Just had to get that in there


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## hamernhonkers (Sep 28, 2007)

Wow are you really winning about a lousy $10?

You want To wine? Try this, every final crimp is costing me $1.38.



That's $140 just for 100 rounds so I can shoot a goose and save some habitat. The bad part, these are only my 50 yard goose shells. The next batch which is my 100 yard depleted uranium loads, will cost me $5 every final crimp.

Wow just wow!


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

utahgolf said:


> Well when you have incremental increases in all facets of the hunting world, it definitely starts to add up. It's the same thing with any other sort of fee increase, republicans are great at disguising taxes as fees by the way! Just had to get that in there


I agree, it starts to add up. I will have conversation like this later this year. "Hey non hunting brother/nephew, do you want to try out duck hunting with me?" He says "Sure, what do I need?" I say "I will provide the waders, decoys, truck and gas to get to the spot, all you have to get is a license." "How much is the license" I reply, "It is only $59, you need a $34 hunting license and a $25 duck stamp." He says "I'll pass."

I don't blame them, my brothers and nephews have gone a time or two as a tag along and hunted a couple times, but they can see a lot better uses for their $59. If it was $10-15 a day, I feel like I have a better shot recruiting some of my family members.

Like I said before, this isn't an issue for the avid waterfowl hunter, however, I think it may be an issue for some of the guys that like to got 1 or 2 times a year.


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

$25 or $100 don't matter to me, i'm still gonna stack them greenheads up!8)


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

hamernhonkers said:


> Wow are you really winning about a lousy $10?
> 
> You want To wine? Try this, every final crimp is costing me $1.38.
> 
> ...


I bought some classic doubles non tox for my .410 that I intend on using this year and that was pretty pricey. I think I will shed a tear for each missed duck :grin:


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

utahgolf said:


> I bought some classic doubles non tox for my .410 that I intend on using this year and that was pretty pricey. I think I will shed a tear for each missed duck :grin:


I went on a goose hunt with a guy who almost got that upset when he missed with his Hevi-Shot coyote shells. $5 a round, according to him.

Geese would possibly be worth the $5 each to me if I never missed. For now, I'll stick to my 3 1/2" steel.


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## duckilla (Nov 20, 2014)

The way I look at it duck hunting has never really been a cheap mans sport so this is no surprise to me the cost of everything to hunt is going up and for those that don't want to pay it I say that's fine that's just less people I have to deal with and i would rather spend 25 dollars for my boy to go then spend that on video games or whatever else that would not get them out in the outdoors 25 dollars is a small fee to pay for the memories that are made IMO


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

duckilla said:


> The way I look at it duck hunting has never really been a cheap mans sport so this is no surprise to me the cost of everything to hunt is going up and for those that don't want to pay it I say that's fine that's just less people I have to deal with and i would rather spend 25 dollars for my boy to go then spend that on video games or whatever else that would not get them out in the outdoors 25 dollars is a small fee to pay for the memories that are made IMO


That's kind of how I looks at it (though I don't have kids of my own). And if your kids really enjoy waterfowling, that may motivate them to work hard and get a high-paying career so they can afford the boats, decoys, trips, etc. that a waterfowl addiction brings.


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## Jedidiah (Oct 10, 2014)

Some people earn $10 for an hour and a half of work, then pool it with the earnings of someone earning a similar wage and try to support kids with it. I'm not saying we should all commiserate about the increase but maybe just lay off a little at this point. It used to be that hunting was a way to offset costs and now we seem to be poised at the point at which it is going to become purely a sport and I don't see how that's a good thing.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

I don't think that hunting has been a way to offset cost for the last 100 or so years. By the time that you put gas in your vehicle purchase ammo and the rest of the doodads to hunt what ever you are hunting you might as well as just go to the store and buy some hamburger, you will come out money ahead. I don't think that you would ever say that you saved money by going duck or goose hunting unless it is right in your backyard.


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## hamernhonkers (Sep 28, 2007)

utahgolf said:


> I bought some classic doubles non tox for my .410 that I intend on using this year and that was pretty pricey. I think I will shed a tear for each missed duck :grin:


Just block out the cost with how much fun your having thumping ducks with the pea shooter and you'll be fine.


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## hamernhonkers (Sep 28, 2007)

Critter said:


> I don't think that hunting has been a way to offset cost for the last 100 or so years. By the time that you put gas in your vehicle purchase ammo and the rest of the doodads to hunt what ever you are hunting you might as well as just go to the store and buy some hamburger, you will come out money ahead. I don't think that you would ever say that you saved money by going duck or goose hunting unless it is right in your backyard.


I figure the cost of a goose I shoot comes out to about $10 a lb on average a season which I can justify very easily but imagine if I went to the store and that was the price on a turkey, oh my.

Another interesting way to look at it is, 107 day season and $25 for a stamp. That works out to .23 cents a day for the season to hunt. If I really want to hunt I can cut my soda pop intake by 25 sodas a year and pay for it. We just have to decide what's most important to ourselves.


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## Dunkem (May 8, 2012)

Critter said:


> I don't think that hunting has been a way to offset cost for the last 100 or so years. By the time that you put gas in your vehicle purchase ammo and the rest of the doodads to hunt what ever you are hunting you might as well as just go to the store and buy some hamburger, you will come out money ahead. I don't think that you would ever say that you saved money by going duck or goose hunting unless it is right in your backyard.


I think my dad and his brothers spent more on beer than the benefit of getting a deer would ever cover:mrgreenRIP pa,still miss ya):grin:


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

So let me get this straight someone is having an issue with $10 increase in duck stamp costs? That equates to a whole 83 cents per month. Heck if you skip one meal per month then you will pay for this in roughly about 2 months. I am sure he spends more in gas to go on his hunting than he will for the extra 83 cents per month.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

It's not so much the stamp increase that bothers me, but everything sporting goods (hunting/fishing) has increased substantially. There's no two ways about it, hunting is expensive.
I thought a percentage of all sporting goods sales goes to the state/feds for conservation, or it's supposed to anyway.:?
I think the $10 boat fee increase for quagga muscles is a joke, especially for duck boats that never see anything but the marsh.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Dunkem said:


> I think my dad and his brothers spent more on beer than the benefit of getting a deer would ever cover:mrgreenRIP pa,still miss ya):grin:


I always thought that you really couldn't figure in the beer and food since if you were sitting at home you would be drinking beer and eating food. But the gas, ammo, decoys, and a few other things add up.

But I guess you could let your kids play with the decoys instead of toys so they could be written off that way.

Hunting for me has always been a means just to get away from people and the hustle of the job, and that to me is priceless even if I do spend more money than I should.


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## JuniorPre 360 (Feb 22, 2012)

If a $10 increase for a good cause stops a hunter from hunting for a year, then he must not like the sport much. Mow someone's lawn for a day or sell 2 decoys on KSL if it's that bad. My wife and I are broke flatter than a piss ant on a platter. You just have to cut corners to afford things. I kept an eye on wal mart's shells I ended up getting at $8 a box during the summer. I bought a little camo at garage sales for $1-$5 a piece. I don't mean to sound so heartless, but here in America, there's a lot of opportunity to earn an extra $10 a year. Maybe since this year gas is cheaper, that $10 will come quicker than you think.


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

Fowlmouth said:


> It's not so much the stamp increase that bothers me, but everything sporting goods (hunting/fishing) has increased substantially.


This is where my mind went when I started reading this. I have been getting into the marsh the last few years. Black Friday is usually my best bud for all things hunting. But once you get a decent shotgun, we will exclude that from the overall cost, you need to get waders, jacket, gloves, shells, calls(60+ for a good one), and if you want a decent shot, decoys never hurt.

It took me a long time to get the waterfowl camo I have. Apparently, that pattern costs more than money to print! Recruiting folks for waterfowl isn't cheap. Don't go giving me the "They can stand on the dike" statement, because those of you that say it also complain about that very practice. After awhile I couldn't blame some of them. To step into the water can cost you at least 1,000.


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

I once tried to figure out how much a pound of duck/goose meat cost - - I added up the hunting equipment (decoys, calls, boat, waders, clothes, shells, gun, etc.) and it was startling!! I am pretty sure that I could buy a freezer full of filet mignon for the same amount, but hunting ducks/geese is a lot more fun than going to the store and buying meat!


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

It it not about $10. The point is the high prices will hurt new hunter recruitment. Let me just knock my head on a wall now as I am sure this will blow right past everybody again.


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## Dunkem (May 8, 2012)

toasty said:


> it it not about $10. The point is the high prices will hurt new hunter recruitment. Let me just knock my head on a wall now as i am sure this will blow right past everybody again.[/quO|*O|*
> 
> there ya go toastyand I agree.


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

Fowlmouth said:


> I think the $10 boat fee increase for quagga muscles is a joke, especially for duck boats that never see anything but the marsh.


completely agree....Do the mining trucks that dump there water tanks have any increase to fight quaggas or any other invasive thing? I fear the 10 dollar boat increase is just another coffer that will be raided by our greedy legislature..... I hear the duck stamp though is pretty much all towards habitat, I hope that is still on the up and up.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

toasty said:


> It it not about $10. The point is the high prices will hurt new hunter recruitment. Let me just knock my head on a wall now as I am sure this will blow right past everybody again.


I don't know about that. But then when I was kid I went out and earned the money for my licenses and duck stamps and I didn't have my dad purchase them for me other than giving him the money for the stamp and the stamp was $7.50 if I remember right.

But then I got $1.00 for mowing lawns. It didn't matter if the lawn was 100 sq feet or a acre I got a buck. Now the neighbor kid wants $40.00 to mow my lawn and if I want it bagged I have to supply the bags. When I asked him if he would mow it twice a week it went up to $80.00 with no discount. Perhaps that is why I still mow my own lawn.

If a kid wants to hunt he will find a way to hunt and it is my belief that as long as mom and pop foots the bill they may hunt but as soon as they have to come up with the money themselves then they are out of the game. They rather spend that money elsewhere.

I take back the cost of $7.50. I just dug out my old stamps and they were $5.00 and then went up to $7.50 in 79


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## willfish4food (Jul 14, 2009)

I wonder how much impact the additional $10 will have on recruitment. I had never looked in to the price of a duck stamp before this year. So to me $25 is just the cost to do business. Taking into account the license and stamp, while $49 does sound better than $59 ($35 vs $45 for youth), how many new hunters are we really talking about that would say, "I'd hunt if it cost $10 less, but now I'm not going to try it." 

Personally, I think it hurts hunter recruitment more when we complain and focus about how good things used to be and how the future is only going to get worse. My brother and I are taking his son on his first hunt this year. While we've been careful to let him know that the reality of hunting is that sometimes you come home empty handed, we've also done a LOT of talking up every positive aspect we can think of.


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

i wish you guys would say you would pay 100 bucks for a duck stamp. We all know nobody will pay that.


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

I typically get out 1-5 times during duck season is all. But even then, I'd still do it if the stamp went to $100, and I'm a grad student with a young family. It is all about priorities.


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## Truelife (Feb 6, 2009)

Joh Fredersen said:


> I bought 3 Duck Stamps (so far) this year. One for me, one for my son (11 years old) and one to have in the truck when somebody tells me they forgot theirs. Because you're not hunting with me without one.


Did they also change the age requirement? Didn't need a duck stamp until the age of 16 last I knew.


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## wileywapati (Sep 9, 2007)

Mike if you get the itch to get out more often give me a shout.


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

Truelife said:


> Did they also change the age requirement? Didn't need a duck stamp until the age of 16 last I knew.


Still 16 according to the FWS website.


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

If a $10 increase to sustain the waterfowl you hunt, which is one of the funniest things to hunt, then the stamps weren't going to be bought in the near future anyway. $25 is very low for 3 months of waterfowl hunting. I don't go more than a ew times a year now but the $10 increase was warranted and welcomed by me. I understand where the increase can be a problem, but if you aren't interested in paying $25 for it, you weren't going to be in a few years from now anyway. I pay more than that for a month of Siriusxm, and 3 times that for Directv every month. $25 is a bargain of a deal in the grand scheme of things, and so is $38 for a combination. If we paid for those opportunities the rate we pay for comforts in our life we would all be broke.


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## Joh Fredersen (Sep 24, 2013)

Truelife said:


> Did they also change the age requirement? Didn't need a duck stamp until the age of 16 last I knew.


Still 16, but I'm trying to teach him the importance of conservation.
He earns the money, too.

The offer still stands, by the way.
*****Any youngster that wants to spend an hour mowing my lawn will get a duck stamp.*****


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## Dunkem (May 8, 2012)

Joh Fredersen said:


> Still 16, but I'm trying to teach him the importance of conservation.
> He earns the money, too.
> 
> The offer still stands, by the way.
> *****Any youngster that wants to spend an hour mowing my lawn will get a duck stamp.*****


Pretty cool offer!!


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

As I sit here getting ready for the upcoming archery hunt I had a thought.................$25 a shot is pretty expensive!:shock:


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## 1BandMan (Nov 2, 2007)

The cheapest part of waterfowl hunting is that small chunk that goes back to the ducks.

$100 duck stamp??? Ya, well, its more crazy to hear anyone say or tell of any scenarios of a $25 duck stamp changing someones mind of whether they hunt ducks and geese or not. 
$25 DVD's of dorks hunting birds, $1000 a dozen goose dekes, $50 black hoodies, $1000 trips to Idaho, $2500 trips to Canada $2000 shotguns, $400 waders, $15000 mud boat set up, etc., etc. etc.
Are you really serious?


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

Joh Fredersen said:


> Still 16, but I'm trying to teach him the importance of conservation.
> He earns the money, too.
> 
> The offer still stands, by the way.
> *****Any youngster that wants to spend an hour mowing my lawn will get a duck stamp.*****


Amazing offer, it's a great way to contribute, thanks for your commitment to helping our youth.


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

That is a kind offer of you Joh. If you live in Northern Utah County I'll send him over. haha The kid has funds, he just has to decide what is most important to him to spend them on or guilt his old man into buying it the day before I want to take him. 16 year olds are good that way. I shouldn't have used my own son as an example on the net, but that was his first reaction. 

WW- that is a kind offer. Just make sure to bring a patch piece of aluminum, some silicone, a drill, and the riveter just in case. I'll bring my calls too, some 15 year old Flambeaus, and I have a 2 year old lab that has never retrieved a duck in the field, but I bet she'd be just fine in the boat! hahaha I once loved duck hunting more than anything. Spent 2-5 days a week on the water and left my bride at home as a duck hunter's widow. Now I spend 2-3 days a year and am shooting shells from the cases I bought 13 years ago. Sad....

I still think the Duck Stamp and refuge program is the best conservation program I know of. I'll spend the $25-- don't get ya'all's wallet out to buy me one just yet.


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## hotspot (Jan 12, 2009)

Go buy some cheese. It's better to have that with your whine! Of all things to whine about, a $10 increase for the ducks. Just wow!


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

hotspot said:


> Go buy some cheese. It's better to have that with your whine! Of all things to whine about, a $10 increase for the ducks. Just wow!


And we have a winner (not whiner). This post is why I can barely stand to be on this forum. Think I'll leave it to the smart guys to discuss the issues.


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## 1BandMan (Nov 2, 2007)

toasty said:


> And we have a winner (not whiner). This post is why I can barely stand to be on this forum. Think I'll leave it to the smart guys to discuss the issues.


A $10 increase in a duck stamp damaging to hunters?

Commercialization and encroachment are your enemies, not giving another $10 to conservation.

Conservation and giving back to ducks and geese ARE GOOD THINGS. What's with the confusion and your dislike with an increase in something that will likely help the birds and the sport down the road?


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## hotspot (Jan 12, 2009)

The Bear River Watershed project was funded by duck stamp money. It was developed to protect the watershed that supplies the bear which in turn supplies the GSL. 60% of the water that goes into the GSL comes from the Bear. Skip on the hamburger and coke just once in the year and you are supporting the ducks! It's that simple. Or you can get on an Internet forum and whine about it. The choice is yours. 

Hunted with many individuals who hunt waterfowl one time a year with me and never had them think twice about a duck stamp. Your logic most likely is flawed that "new" or "infrequent" hunters will drop out. Statistically the increase will raise more $$ then those who stop because of $10. Bandman1, your last comment is spot on!


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## stick&string89 (Jun 21, 2012)

If my son was no longer going to be interested in hunting over $10.00 I would gladly pay the additional cost to have my kids with me.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

toasty, I understand where you are coming from man. I have a couple of kids that will probably only go a few times this season. I'm looking at $100 in stamps this year compared to $60. It will be $125 next year when the youngest turns 16. So when guys say $10 is no big deal, it's not when they are only paying for themselves, but for guys that have multiple hunters in their family it starts to add up quickly. I won't quit hunting and don't expect my wife and kids to either, we will just suck it up and go with the flow. 
Hunting/Fishing is expensive for sure. 
Here's the breakdown for me this year. 
3 Combo Licenses @$38 = $114
2 Combo Licenses @$20 = $40
4 Duck Stamps @ $25 = $100
2 Deer Permits $40 + $20 application fees = $100
1 Elk Permit $50 
over $400 and then there's Swan application fees/permits on top of that. So yes it is relatively expensive to have fun. I know there are guys paying a lot more than me, but I just want to give some of these guys an idea of what it costs a "typical family" to participate.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Do away with the duck stamp altogether. Why should I pay $25 for 14 ducks when Billy Bob shoots 387 ducks for the same money?

Check all harvested waterfowl in like we do for swans. 
Charge $1.00 per duck, 10¢ per goose harvested.
Non residents: $10 per duck 10¢ for geese.

Coots and spoonies will be free.

.


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## OKEE (Jan 3, 2008)

When that flock of mallards circle your decoys this year you won't be thinking of the money you have spent. Also when your new dog (that you spent a load of money on) Retrieves your first drake mallard of the year. IT WILL ALL BE WORTH IT.


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## rjefre (Sep 8, 2007)

WYOGOOB doesn't appear to have a very high opinion of geese (10 cents). :mrgreen:
R


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

wyogoob said:


> Do away with the duck stamp altogether. Why should I pay $25 for 14 ducks when Billy Bob shoots 387 ducks for the same money?
> 
> Check all harvested waterfowl in like we do for swans.
> Charge $1.00 per duck, 10¢ per goose harvested.
> ...


I like this idea. I am not good at hunting so the whole season might only cost $3.80 for me :grin:


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

wyogoob said:


> Do away with the duck stamp altogether. Why should I pay $25 for 14 ducks when Billy Bob shoots 387 ducks for the same money?
> 
> Check all harvested waterfowl in like we do for swans.
> Charge $1.00 per duck, 10¢ per goose harvested.
> ...


What about all the ducks that are stomped into the mud? That should be $100 per duck if you are caught doing it.

I can understand the 10 cents for geese. They are starting to turn into a pest in all the areas that you can't hunt them in. They know where it is safe.


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## 1BandMan (Nov 2, 2007)

Critter said:


> What about all the ducks that are stomped into the mud? That should be $100 per duck if you are caught doing it.
> 
> I can understand the 10 cents for geese. They are starting to turn into a pest in all the areas that you can't hunt them in. They know where it is safe.


The fine for stomping a migratory bird is way more than $100, but.........it's rarely enforced and too bad it isn't.


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## 1BandMan (Nov 2, 2007)

wyogoob said:


> Do away with the duck stamp altogether. Why should I pay $25 for 14 ducks when Billy Bob shoots 387 ducks for the same money?
> 
> Check all harvested waterfowl in like we do for swans.
> Charge $1.00 per duck, 10¢ per goose harvested.
> ...


I 1000% agree that those that take more than others should give back more than others. The concept is definitely sound. I wish there was a way to implement and/or enforce it.


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

grebes would still be free right?


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## 1BandMan (Nov 2, 2007)

Fowlmouth said:


> toasty, I understand where you are coming from man. I have a couple of kids that will probably only go a few times this season. I'm looking at $100 in stamps this year compared to $60. It will be $125 next year when the youngest turns 16. So when guys say $10 is no big deal, it's not when they are only paying for themselves, but for guys that have multiple hunters in their family it starts to add up quickly. I won't quit hunting and don't expect my wife and kids to either, we will just suck it up and go with the flow.
> Hunting/Fishing is expensive for sure.
> Here's the breakdown for me this year.
> 3 Combo Licenses @$38 = $114
> ...


 Hunting *IS* an expensive hobby. I think it's funny when folks think it's still a way to cheaply fill the freezer with their "winter meat." Those days are loooong gone. If you figure the overall costs to harvest game, I'll bet the meat comes in at about $25 a pound or more.

Its an expensive recreation, sport, hobby, or whatever you want to call it, but it's definitely not "food gathering" as it once was for our ancient ancestors.

It's unfortunate that a tradition that has expansed many years has gone this way, but it is a pay to play ritual.

Eitherway, were not *entitled* to take whatever, whenever, however we choose. It's a *good thing * for those who care about it enough to participate in such an opportunity to pitch in as much and as often as you can to help and conserve a *limited* natural resource.


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## High Desert (Sep 25, 2007)

Hunting can be economical but most of us choose to make it expensive. 
At Whole Foods, an organic goose costs $75. For most hunters, a limit of geese won't set them back $200-$300. Of course, maybe not if you buy new full body decoys every year that travel in a special trailer, have special fabric socks to protect their fully flocked heads so you can admire them from your $400 layout blind where you are hiding in your $400 hunting coat and $200 long johns and your dog is in a $200 ground blind and your decoy spread has more electronics than the animatronic exhibit at the Epcot Center and you shoot the latest precious metal amalgam shot shells out of your $2,000 autoloader. 
I am not sure what the per pound cost of grass fed, free range steak is but I suspect well over $20/pound. If you are economical on a cow elk hunt, your per pound cost is well under that and even lower that standard beef, particularly if you cut it up yourself. It's one hunt that truly is a thrifty way to fill the freezer. But, on the other hand, if you buy a new truck, have it lifted, and put on mud terrain tires, all so you can trailer your fleet of a UTV and two support ATV's for 300 miles . . .


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## 1BandMan (Nov 2, 2007)

I'd be impressed to know anyone who could put wild game in the freezer for less than what they pay for beef at the store let alone a half or whole beef. I can buy Ribeye for $8 a lb. right now and freeze it for some great eats in January or February.

I guess it could maybe get done, but who now actually does is the real question and reality of the situation. 
My neighbors say they do. They load up 5 or 6 ATV's. Go gas up all of them with 5 or 6 extra 5 gallon cans and their two trucks, load their equipment with 2 or $300 plus dollars of food supply for the week, 50 to $100 worth of rifle shells a piece, new hunting clothes, tents, trailer sometimes, gps, range finders etc. etc. etc. and that doesn't count the endless hours and costs they spend scouting before the hunt begins. Again, it's rarely done anymore. I'd like to know the folks that ACTUALLY do. 

Economically, who'd pay $75 for a goose to feed the family if feeding the family is the goal? Feeding the family is the goal right? 
Personally for $75 I'd rather go to a restaurant or fast food joint. I like wild game, but I think even a Big Mac tastes better than goose for the most part too.


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## High Desert (Sep 25, 2007)

I or one of my children hunt a CWMU on a public tag cow elk hunt an hour from home. One (hopefully just one) round trip truck ride ($30), no ATV, same rifle I've used for years, no new gear, one box of shells ($40), license ($50), misc. supplies (
<$50) = $2.00/pound or so. I could amortize the cost of the truck, my clothes, my rifle etc. but I don't do that for trips to the grocery store either. I don't hunt because it's cheap or because the price per pound beats Dick's Market. I hunt because I enjoy the experience. I enjoy the process involved in getting my meat that way. I enjoy knowing that getting food this way is good for the environment and that this food came from nature, lived free, ate natural vegetation and will be good for my family. That is priceless. All of my other hunting is definitely not cost effective if you compare it to the price per pound of frozen bargain burritos but that isn't the point either. The example of the $75 organic goose at Whole Paycheck is because a wild duck is not an "apples to apples" comparison with a factory farmed chicken. The more appropriate comparison is the fully organic, free range meat, which makes the price discrepancy not so dramatic.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

wyogoob said:


> Do away with the duck stamp altogether. Why should I pay $25 for 14 ducks when Billy Bob shoots 387 ducks for the same money?
> 
> Check all harvested waterfowl in like we do for swans.
> Charge $1.00 per duck, 10¢ per goose harvested.
> ...


I'm not joking and I've posted this proposal here before and I have been lobbying for this in the Pacific Flyway in Wyoming for a number of years.

.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

rjefre said:


> WYOGOOB doesn't appear to have a very high opinion of geese (10 cents). :mrgreen:
> R


No, I love geese and gawd, anything that tastes like liver is fine with me.

There's just way too many of them.

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