ORIGINAL: uwpce
I thought that the plan was to raise the resident fees, but not the NR fees? At least for this year.
Being a NR hunter, I hope they don't raise the fees. For the few days I get to hunt during the season, it's getting extremely expensive. I own land near the U.P., and even though I am 5 minutes south of the WI border (no I'm not a Bears fan), the gas for that trip can cost me around $200, plus the food, plus the processing fees, plus the license, plus equipment, plus my taxes, electrical, gas....
Why should I have to pay $300-$500 for my license, when the majority of my money for my hunting trip goes to the state of WI to begin with. Want to talk about tax dollars? I pay taxes on my property. A lot more than the resident fees for the hunting license.
I don't understand why there has to be a difference anyway. NR comming into the state spend money. NR who will no longer come into the state due to excessive license fees will spend their money elsewhere.
uwpce, you are preaching to the choir. 3,4,5, years ago I argued with IL residents on the same issue when IL raised the combined fees on a deer license to $285.00. When my son turned 12, there was no way I was going to afford buying licenses for both of us to hunt the family farm in Pike county IL. Do you really think it is fair for Wisconsin residents to pay $285 to deer hunt in Illinois when Illinois residents only pay $160 in Wisconsin!?!?!? AND the Illinois Legislature is currently considering raising NR Deer license fees to between $400 and $500.