I hear the same rant every couple of years. Bottom line is the price on everything has gone up. Most game depts use license fees to fund them. If the cost of doing business for everything goes up then license fees also have to go up.
When I started driving at 16 years old a gallon of unleaded was 48 cents. Today I paid $2.28 for unleaded. Costs for everything else have gone up as well. In 1985 I bought a new Ford F-150 XLT Lariat 4x4 for $10,250. Today that truck would cost at least $40,000. Game depts have to buy vehicles, fuel, radios, airplanes, office supplies, lab eqpt etc... and it all cost more today than it did 5 years ago. Expecting license fees to stay the same isn't logical.
Nobody makes you or I buy a tag. I hunt because I want to and I don't care what it costs, I'll pony up the cash for the tag. I'd rather pay than not play. But to each his/her own. I have had hunters cry about tag fees to me when they go out and buy a new pickup every year. Or have the latest and newest technological gizmo. Or blow a grand or two a year at the dog races. or burn up a bunch of cash by buying booze and tobacco. Yet they cry about some $$$ to hunt. I drive old trucks that are paid off. I have a computer that is 6 years old. I don't own a smartphone. I don't gamble or smoke and I rarely drink. But I do hunt. Priorities my man, priorities.