Michigan License Fees
 

I don't know if you fellows have read the other forums, but license fees are being tossed around.

I have been doing some research and have noticed that Michigan's prices are marginally higher than those of neighboring states.

In Michigan, we can pay $30 for two buck licenses that may be used as a doe tag with use of a bow. Now, I read that in other states you can get all species licenses for around like $35-$40. This includes: deer hunting, turkey hunting, fishing, small game, etc. This is an outragously good deal compared to Michigan. We have seperate license sales for everything.

I have also heard serious talk by the state to raise the price of licenses. I have heard that they will merely double. Single license = 15 to 30 dollars now. A combo is going to be 70 instead of 30 dollars.

How come we need to do this if we have so many hunters already coming out and paying more than the other state fees?

RE: Michigan License Fees
 

where did you get the info on the $15 to $30 raise? That is outrageous!!

RE: Michigan License Fees
 

I read where the committee formed to study the license fee issue is suggesting this increase because of the decline in hunters over the past several years and they propose this will make up the gap. Would seem to me that if you are loosing hunters, but want to increase the numbers again, you probably ought to be thinking about lowering the license fees instead of increasing them. Increased fees can only lead to a continued decline of hunters. I just can't imagine how this move to increase fees will encourage more hunters into the field and a temporary increase in total revenue will be followed by a serious decline in the future. However, as far as I am concerned, a couple of hundred thousand people less in the field would be a welcome relief!!!

RE: Michigan License Fees
 

I agree it doesnt make any sense whatsoever to raise them if they are trying to attract more hunters. If anything its going to counter affect the lowering of the hunting ages this year, but who knows. But your absoluty right, an absence of hunters would make me very happy!! :D

RE: Michigan License Fees
 

Sorry to break it to you but Indiana's fees are higher $24 per license one deer per license 2nd and after bonus antlerless=$15 per deer
its
archery=$24
firearms=$24
muzzy=$24 got to buy a bonus
everybonus$24 shoot a doe during firearms
total $96

RE: Michigan License Fees
 

I never understand MI... [&:]

RE: Michigan License Fees
 

You left out late archery . ;)

If the state of Michigan wants to increase the number of hunters then they need to either advertise how low their fees are , reduce the fees to attract more hunters , or both . Raising rates always stifles growth , especially dramatic increases .

RE: Michigan License Fees
 

Maybe there will be a drastic change in number of huntersin the woods... :D

RE: Michigan License Fees
 

archery licences are go in early and late seasons

RE: Michigan License Fees
 

where are you finding out this information? do you have a link to a site? This kind of stuff boils my blood, not to many hunters this year lets raise the fees and loose some more. I'm lucky, I have a job where I can afford to buy them at a higher price it's the lower income hunters I worry about. The total in fees could take a weeks pay for some people and this isn't right. I remember where I came from, I rememeber how hard it was so that's why I care.

If this goes through I think we should fight it and take it to the state.

RE: Michigan License Fees
 

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.

RE: Michigan License Fees
 

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.

RE: Michigan License Fees
 

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.

RE: Michigan License Fees
 

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.

RE: Michigan License Fees
 

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.

RE: Michigan License Fees
 

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.

RE: Michigan License Fees
 

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.

RE: Michigan License Fees
 

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.

RE: Michigan License Fees
 

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.

RE: Michigan License Fees
 

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!

RE: Michigan License Fees
 

Yep they knew it. They will most likely not double it. It is the game that's played. Start high, come down to what they already had planned and everyones happy. Pathetic! (not you for going, the way things are)

RE: Michigan License Fees
 

Thanks for that information, that is what I was looking for. I will still be going out as well. I just think this is going to promote more poaching.

RE: Michigan License Fees
 

First time here. I enjoyed reading the responses. I agree it will lead to more poaching, if the license increase goes through. The DNR has never made much sense to me in things they do. If we could all not buy any licenses for one year we would show them who should really be in charge of our hunting rights. Of courseI know this is a very big dream but it would make them realize just how important we are to the conservation of this great state. They say they are facing a huge defecit but they drive brand new 4 wheel drive loaded pickups, they fly planes to keep a "Big Brother" eye on us. I heard the other day on the radio where they wanted to purchase a large chunk of land on the Lake Michigan shoreline. Seems like a bad time to do that, but like I said before they never have made much sense to me. I think there are other options to cut there budget then to raise hunting fees causing fewer to be purchased. And making hunting out of reach for some people, who use the game harvested to supply food for there families. Thanks for the time and any comments

RE: Michigan License Fees
 

es1, thank you for much for posting. I agree with you and your comments are appreciated. Welcome to the forums!

RE: Michigan License Fees
 

This is my first visit to the Midwest forum and figured I might find this topic. My good friend works for the Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC)and I asked her what the deal was. She offers some opinion and info that I'm not sure is 100% accurate (e.g. statement that MI fees are some of the lowest in the nation, I'm not sure where we rank) but she is a knowledgeable and trusted source of info. The MUCC is pro-hunting and lobbies in support of hunters. The skinny of it is the DNR does not get money from the general fund anymore, so moneyneeds to come from somewhere. Here is the email she sent me:

"You’re right in saying that the license fee increase is a hot topic. The reasoning behind the increase is that the DNR no longer receives any money from the general fund. All of their dollars come from license fees, user fees, forestry profits, etc. Each year the amount of money they got from the general fund got cut until the current point where they no longer receive any dollars from that source. The sources of money they do have to run the department and programs are currently projected to fall far short of the amount they actually need, hence the fee increases.

In my opinion, they do need a fee increase (MI’s hunting and fishing fees are some of the lowest in the nation and haven’t been raised in years), however, the amounts given in the report are the amounts needed for the OPTIMAL budget. They are higher that the DNR actually needs to keep in business. Also, it’s important to note that all of these fees have to go through the legislative process. It would take a divine intervention for the recommended fees to pass through the legislature untouched. There is going to be a hefty negotiation process and what will probably come out will be a moderate increase to some of the licenses.

Our board actually voted to support the fee increases as is because they really think that what the DNR does is important and they want those services to continue. In my opinion (you’re getting a lot of my opinion today), the licenses fees are necessary to an extent- they do need a small increase, but the DNR should be looking to collect money from all the other (hikers, bikers, mushroom pickers, etc) who use state land and don’t pay a thing, to even things out.

Also, I’ll let you know that there is a much broader discussion going on to find long-term funding sources for almost all the departments in the state, but the DNR and DEQ are the ones we are following. Long term funding sources meaning like a percentage of the sales tax, a penny surcharge on certain purchases, etc. Basically they are in the brainstorming phase of this and the license fee increase is to tide them over while a reasonable and feasible solution is reached.

Here’s the link to the DNR’s report : http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153--157566--,00.html

Let me know if you need more info/ further explanation. The bill that will authorize the fee increases probably won’t be introduced until the beginning of 2007 and who knows how long it will take to pass it once that happens. I’m guessing quite a while."

RE: Michigan License Fees
 

Seems to be the same rhetoric as always. I posted earlier they have raised fees in regard to duck stamps and antlerless permits. Lets just have an annual sticker for $10.00 each for each and every person that uses State Land, this sticker would allow you to park on or along side State land and use that land for your recreation purposes. I have tried hunting a piece of State land that has mountain bike trails all through it, just a great feeling to be all set up before sunrise and have 3 or mountain bikers come whooping on through or maybe some horseback riders. They are brainstorming, give me a break they are going after the easiest money. If they were truly brainstorming they wouldn't put an additional burden on the hunting population. Right now they are disposing of tracts of land that are not connected to major State Land holdings, you know the type, that little 40 acre parcel down the road from you that you hunt. The one not many people know about, and you hunt in peace and quiet. Well they want to sell that to a developer so he can build homes in this booming economy of ours. Our maybe sell it to a township or city (if they can afford market value for the property, sounds like an asset to me)that will make a nice park out of it with trails and swings and no hunting. I am a member of MUCC and was a district rep for MUCC many years ago. They do many good things for hunters but they are not the be all end all for us.

RE: Michigan License Fees
 

I, as well, think there are other places the DNR could get money.

RE: Michigan License Fees
 

I never said they were. I'm simply a messenger offering more info to the topic, that is all.

I don't know that I would be all that upset (or surprised) if I was hunting on state land near a mtn. bike trail and mountain bikes rodepast. That's like buying a house next to the highway then being angry about the traffic noise, or buying a beach house on L. Michigan and getting p*ssed about people walking across your property along the water's edge. The law says they can be there, so you get what you set yourself up for. I'm a biker/adventure racerbutdon't ride during deer season as I am a hunter as welland don't want to ruin someone else's hunt, and there are too many peoplewho may shoot first then identify their target later. Closing the trails during general firearm may be a way for everyone to play nice but you'll have the horseback stables/riders, bikers, hikers, runners, photographers, bird watchers, dog owners, XC skiers, adventure racers, etc. screaming about their access being denied!

The $10 sticker for everyone mentioned above isn't a bad idea, but most people I know who seek out state land for recreation generally have the DNR annual pass ($24) anyway. Increasing thatand the day pass to be spread across allstate land users would probably be a good strategy, as an annual user will almost always get their money's worth.