buckhunter14

memphis, I don't have any links but I have been told by many other hunters. I don't know where they are getting it from but it seems more than just a little internet lie. I hope not, I will research it more this evening though.

rcgerchow

This proposal or committee recommendation has been in all the Michigan sporting magazines and appeared in newspaper articles. Today in "The Oakland Press" is an article saying that lawmakers are leery of doubling the recommended firearm and archery tags. DNR said it is having a hard time budget wise and they have to be able to manage game and the state lands and parks and need the finances to do it. Hmm why not raise hiker fees, birdwatcher fees or x-country skier fees. Oh thats right they don't pay any fees nor do they pay excise taxes on sporting goods that help to fund State Lands.

hldeerhunter

As a fellow Michigan Hunter I have been keeping track of all the talk regarding this issue. The deer tag prices will double. Instead of paying $30 for both combo tags you will be paying at least $60. Doe tag prices will also double. In addition, every license is slated to increase. I believe that all will double in price. I for one will no longer buy a fishing license, turkey, bear, small game, etc if the prices double. The only license I will buy will be deer.

buckhunter14

So my next question will be:

[ul][*]Will these prices truly help anything?[/ul]
I know this is a retorical question that none of can answer. Many of the people neighboring me will not be buying hunting licenses.

DONT think they won't be hunting though. I think this will just open a while new door to poaching and illegal activity.

rcgerchow

That is all I have purchased this year is deer tags. There are so few opportunities to duck and small game hunt I kind of given up on them.
It's amazing to me since license fee have slowly been creeping up, even though they say they haven't had any increases in years. How about State duck stamp that went from $5.00 to $15.00 the last time I bought one and then you can pay $4.00 for the Antlerless drawing and then you pay $10.00 if you get drawn for a total of $14.00. Over the counter antlerlesstags went from what $7.00 to $10.00 each. Seems to me they have been increasing fees for a number of years and we ain't getting much back for those increases. Less CO'S on patrol (had someone steal stand off private land), selling off of State land that was marginally huntable and State Land that just disappears and a subdivisions appear (Commerce Twp.). Even though their budget is our money we have very little say in what goes on, you would have to spend everyday watching what they are doing to be fully aware.

buckhunter14

Yes, it seems that we feed them our money to help us. But when they do very little for us, people are just going to contiue to be frusterated.

hldeerhunter

The fact of the matter is this, Michigan is hurting for money. No matter what they do the funds never seem to get where they are suppose to go. It's a fact of life. I for one don't like it and will not tollerate it. If that means not hunting in Michigan so be it.

memphis

Now if I remember right the DNR will not controll the state parks next year so the park fee will not be going to them. (please correct me if I'm wrong on this) So here is more money lost for the DNR.

And what will jacking up the fees do? I for one would see a fall in hunters so how would they fix that jack up the fees the following year too?

I for one fly fish on top of deer hunting. If they do this I'll only buy my deer tags next year and only worry about fishing while I'm in Colorado. I will not buy any other tags.

Now lets think about something else, you raise the fees like they are talking about, what do you think the outcome will be? I can think of a few and the one that bugs me the most would be an increase in poaching. So the DNR is under funded and they have to downsize. Now we have less DNR officers to crack down on the poaching.

I have an idea, I say they tax the casinos, there's another thing where the money doesn't go where they say it is and the mayor of Detroit can throw another party and buy another caddy.

9th tine

I had read a artical in the new's paper i think about it was going be dicussed then sent to the house for voting on.
I'm thinking it would have to go to a vote of the general public,I thought we passed a vote on the issue that any increases would have to be put to a vote,I think it was something like two year's ago.(Maybe I'm wrong)
The artical i read said
It basically would be doubled in price of hunting and fishing fee's.

JustRace

I don't post much but here is some more information. It is not just a mith its a fact that this could happen.

Here are two links directly from the MDNR website.
The first is just mentioning the increases and the second actually describes how everything will play out.
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153--157566--,00.html
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/final_report_177934_7.pdf

This will do more damage than before. The deer population is higher than it has been in decades and hunters going out and purchasing licenses is the lowest that it has been since the 70's.

This will work out both ways if it passes. 1. I believe a lot of people that just go out for opening day of gun season will say screw it. 2. Hunters that will still go out and take animals may say I'm not spending 30 dollars to shoot a small doe,and then have to pay to have it processedif they don't do it themselves,or 75 (combo)to take a small buck

Another thing that doesn't make sence is that they have told farmers that can't afford the licenses they can just get more permits for crop damage. On our family farm we typically take around 30+ deer a year and we all buy licenses to do this. So the people that have their names on a farm could just say hay i'm not paying the money just sign me up for crop damage.

No matter what i'm still going out!