If you open your eyes and look around at all aspects of state Government they are looking for ways to increase revenue in the short term. This includes selling state owned land, properties and other things, cutting departments down past a level best described as bare bones and raising fees for a number of things from sin taxes, to tolls to hunting permits.. most of these hikes are directed towards groups that either don't have a huge political influence in the state (Out of state hunters, drivers et all) or that people have little sympathy for (The proposed larger tax on tobacco products). Those in charge are too afraid to raise taxes to pay for all of the programs that they are to afraid to cut into because of the fear of getting a black eye on NBC 5's news at 6 in Chicago. the problem is where is the state going to get the revnue 3 years from now? Or, that doesn't matter as the next election cycle will be past already.

It has been this way for YEARS but with an increasing erosion in manufacturing tax revenues and other bread and butter money producers for the state there just is NO money to pay for the escalating costs. It is a shame. And than you get your special projects. There is a brand new Prison or 3 in this State just sitting there empty because no one will fund the Department of corrections to open the Prisons. Guess what? Every year more money is pased to build NEW prisons that won't be openend.

I am not sure how much money is being funneled away from DNR from sales of permits and the like. More likely funds that used to be given to the DNR out of the General fund are now being directed in other directions. This will continue untill (If this hasn't happened already) the DNR has no money from the general fund and than the money will be directed towards Chicago and Springfield area parks to manage them instead of purchasing land so the average person can have a place to hunt. With this influx of NR's coming in the near future where are we going to end up? Its not a pretty picture.

I hunt private land and we have been aproached about selling rights out to an outfitter. It isn't going to happen anytime soon as I don't think the outfitters have my or the deer herds best interest at heart. I don't plan on it changing anytime sonn. I do worry about stories of some "outfitters" dropping people off at land they do not have permision to hunt as we do have tresspassing issues in this area and I fear that it will only get worse with more hunters in the woodlots around here. Only time will tell.

I have sympathy for the NR's not being able to afford to hunt in Illinois but if they go unlimted in permits and don't raise prices than the deer population will crash and this will result in decreased demand for out of state permits which will in turn drive the prices back down to earth. For those that choose to not pay the money you should be aware that there will be 4-5 guys lined up behind you to pay that bill. There is a reason these permits have sold out in 30 minutes or whatever it is. Sometimes I wish they would switch over to a lottery system just to #@%#$ with the outfitters.

Anthony

PS Where are you located Don? I grew up in Kane County..