I Just found this forum, and am glad of it!
I am OUTRAGED by the callous disregard for we the NY sportsmen and women by the DEC's Peter Grannis. While a fee increase from time to time is expected, this is nothing short of RAPE and highway robbery. Can I pay it? Yes, I can pay it. Will I? Will you??
The cost of a single item license (ie: small game hunting; fishing; etc) was increased by a factor of OVER 50% That can not stand. The cost of an upper echelon license (ie: Supersportsman)factoring in doe permit fees and the new license for Marine fishing approaches a factor of 70%. I think we should scream bloody murder and call for the head of Commissioner Grannis. We must live within our means. So must the DEC. So must ALL governmental agencies. An end to the never ending upward spiral of fees, taxes and surcharges must be demanded!
We have the power to do this. I see that many here have made statements by their refusal to purchase doe permits. That's good. I am willing to go a little farther by calling for a BOYCOTT of sporting licenses until DEC backs down, and they will, quickly, as soon as they see that their attempt to raise their income by raping NY sportsmen has BACKFIRED in their faces. We don't need to hunt or fish. We do it because we want to. DEC on the other hand does need us. We are the hand that feeds them, and they are biting us HARD! Raise your voices and close your wallets!
In the interest of full disclosure, I want to state that I have, up till now, been a regular annual purchaser of a Conservation Legacy license. This year, I will not be buying that. I do, however, want to put venison in my freezer, so it is likely that, despite my call for total boycott, I will at minimum purchase a big game tag with doe permit. I am also considering a lifetime sportsman license prior to Oct 1 as this will place my money into the conservation fund which is untouchable save for it's garnered interest and provide me without increased charge my recreational licenses (optional to me for bow and muzz) and no charge doe permits for life, thus undermining Commissar Grannis' attempted extortion.