WI Non-resident Deer Licenses Too Cheap!
 

What about WI Non-resident deer licenses? The Wisconsin Legislatures 2004 NR $25 fee increase to $160 was a insult to Wisconsin residents.

5 Years ago Iowa raised its NR deer license required fees to $308, and will increase to $328 for 2005, and add the ability to purchase an extra doe tag for $100 in 2005. That is $428 for a non-resident to shoot two deer in Iowa in 2005.

4 Years ago Illinois raised its non-resident required deer license fees to $285. There is a proposal in the Illinois legislature right now to increase the required NR deer fees to over $400 for 2005.

Wisconsin is still the #1 Pope and Young deer state in the country by a wide margin. Gun and Bow combined WI sells about 900,000 deer licenses .... only about 40,000 are to non-residents. 40,000 x an extra $200 is an extra $8 million the govenor/legislature would not have to suck out of WI residents.

RE: WI Non-resident Deer Licenses Too Cheap!
 

Give me a break!

RE: WI Non-resident Deer Licenses Too Cheap!
 

If the State would give the DNR the money from licence fee's instead of putting it in the general fund and then giving the DNR a "BUDGET", we as sportsman in this State would be alot better off. [:'(]

Rangerlab,
Give you a break for what? Explain !!!!!!!!

RE: WI Non-resident Deer Licenses Too Cheap!
 

I used to hunt in WI with both gun and bow. When WI hiked up the license fees to 135.00 I quit going up there for bow season. $135.00 on it's own isn't so bad, but my husband and I usually hunt together... so now that's 270.00 for tags, not to mention all the gas and food and lodging we had to pay for.

We still went up for rifle season for a while.

Last year I quit going for rifle season too.

It's just too much money to drive all the way up there and chase around a bunch of small bucks in the Northwoods. Last time I hunted up there I counted 31 deer pass within 50 yards of my stand and only 5 were bucks and every buck was 1.5 years old. (sure I know there are some big bucks in WI, but they are rare compared to the zillions of dinks running around)

If WI raises it's prices too much more, you will see a dramatic drop in NR hunters. (which you might like, but it's not going to increase your revenue any.. and it won't help you get rid of the earn-a-buck or T-seasons)

Don't use Illinois as an example of how to run your DNR... that's for sure. [:@]

RE: WI Non-resident Deer Licenses Too Cheap!
 

IMO They should set recipricating agreements with the surrounding states so NR licenses cost what they cost in those surrounding states.

Konk, Where did you get the assumption that licensing fees go into general fund revenues? I am a financial manager for a county agency and we use fund accounting just like the state. Generally speaking revenues generated in a particular fund , such as the DNR, stay in that fund. It makes no sense to put those revenues in the general fund.

RE: WI Non-resident Deer Licenses Too Cheap!
 

Yup, And I used to bow hunt a reletives farm in IL ... til my son turned 12. Then I could not see spending $570 in just license fees for the two of us to hunt down there, it would have been/ will be almost $900 in 2005. It is cheaper to hunt and home in Wisconsin, and there is more deer.

RE: WI Non-resident Deer Licenses Too Cheap!
 

1sagittarius, the Illinois NR deer license fees are certainly rediculous.

I know some Illinoisians think that by jacking up the cost, we'll lose some of the leasing and outfitting... but in my opinion.. the only NR's who can afford to hunt in IL now are those can also afford to lease land or hire an outifitter.

I did hear that there might be a 25.00 NR doe only tag offered this year. I hope they go ahead with it. I have some East Coast and West Coast friends who've never killed a deer with a bow, and they'd jump at the opportunity to hunt our big, fat does.

RE: WI Non-resident Deer Licenses Too Cheap!
 

I tell ya who gets insulted, its the small business owners who don't sell the gas, lodging, food, and other stuff anymore to us NR's who don't come anymore due to the high cost. Also lost is the tax revenue from all those expenditures. Higher hunting fees help to accelerate even more the problem of hunting becoming for the rich only. So with the lost fees from hunters who chose not to go, and loss of tax revenues from sales and usage taxes, I wonder if there really is any overall net revenue gain from charging the remaining NR's higher fees?

RE: WI Non-resident Deer Licenses Too Cheap!
 

I think this is the worst type of thinking for our sport of hunting. Jack-up rates and fees for fellow hunter? I don't know about the rest of you but, someday I would like my son and daughter to experience hunting in other places; a New Mexico elk hunt, a Alaskan bear hunt, or a Wyoming antelope hunt. Can the average guy do this? Not if states keep going up with hunting license fees. Raising fees does not seem like a way to encourage nonhunter to give it a try. Money is lost by small town USA with businesses that depend on the tourism during an otherwise slow season.
I think we all should check with our state gov. to find out where the license fees go. I can tell you a large percentage goes to non-game animal causes and to other non-hunting/fishing causes. You should be applauding Wisconsin for not soaking fellow Americans to participate in our God given right of hunting.
I'm gettin off my soap box now:)

RE: WI Non-resident Deer Licenses Too Cheap!
 

Enjoy your woods 1sagittarius ,
as your NR prices spiral ever upward you'll surely have fewer NRs to contend with .

RE: WI Non-resident Deer Licenses Too Cheap!
 

I get the CP license anyway which is $140, which includes pretty much everything except for like bear! From my understanding the DRN has no control over how much they get in their budget so I don't get it. If the increased $ were going into the DNR budget I would be all for it but sadly its not so I say leave it alone. They jack up the rates and cut the wardens and fish stocking. f'n politicians! [:@]

RE: WI Non-resident Deer Licenses Too Cheap!
 

I understand sags point. But I don't agree with simply raising the fees just because states like IL have. I think at some point the higher NR fees do keep people away, and we end up being dime smart and dollar dumb. If people do stay away, then we have lower revenues for businesses, lower gas tax revenues, etc. All of that to take in some additional fees? Not sure the math adds up in our favor when looking at all of the ramifications.

RE: WI Non-resident Deer Licenses Too Cheap!
 

I agree that reciprocation is the best solution.

RE: WI Non-resident Deer Licenses Too Cheap!
 

and less NR IL, and MN traffic too?

RE: WI Non-resident Deer Licenses Too Cheap!
 

I think that all NR tags are out of hand we should be able to share the woods with fellow outdoorsmen, not just only based on their income........i mean there is always gonna be too many hunters out in the woods at hunting time...but never enough when a voting year comes around.....i mean come on how many really hunt outside their home state???

RE: WI Non-resident Deer Licenses Too Cheap!
 

This whole deal sucks A$$. Ya cant Afford Gas...Or Licenses...Then no less BILLS and etc.
This State is becoming Sh*t Thanks Alot DILDO DOYLE

RE: WI Non-resident Deer Licenses Too Cheap!
 

I think that you could safely assume that .

If your prices get high enough you may not have to worry about NRs ever again . Illinois has already priced me out of their archery season , as though lack of access hadn't already . It won't be too much longer before the only place that I'll be able to afford to hunt is my own backyard . Before you start to think that's a good thing , go back to the post where guy told you about how the small business owners will thank you for robbing them of revenue , it's a fact . On average , a NR spends twice as much on lodging , food , gas , and other incidental expenses as he does on licences and tags , and far more than a res does or ever will . The deep pockets city boy hunters usually stay at a lodge where their owner/guide makes all the money that would otherwise have been pumped into the local economy .

That's what you're wishing for , and you'll get it .

RE: WI Non-resident Deer Licenses Too Cheap!
 

The problem Kev is that the basic principles of supply and demand are in effect here. Illinois can charge what it charges and not loose a single hunter because of it at this time. I don't know what the MAX they can charge is but as long as they are selling out their NR permits the local business owners really aren't being hurt all that bad, at least not the gas stations and places like that. Now, if outfitters become more the norm than they already are than you will see all the money funnelled through them but the amount of taxes in the area will remain roughly the same.

I am sure there is a point that they can hit, say $1000 a tag or something crazy like that, that would make it impossible to sell out all of their out of state permits but until they hit that point the state will see no loss of income.

As far as Illinois is concerend the proposal for $25 tags for NR's to shoot does during archery season is probably going to pass. That is downright affordable but I doubt many NR's will take advantage of it since not many would want to make the trip to "just" harvest a doe.

RE: WI Non-resident Deer Licenses Too Cheap!
 

I have since been corrected about how the revenues from the sale of licences is used. My mistake. [&:]

RE: WI Non-resident Deer Licenses Too Cheap!
 

The problem with your theory IL Rancher is your outfitter community .
Sooner or later they will grease their way into getting blocks of NR tags , assuming that they haven't already , and that's less tags to be had . As goes supply so goes demand . The prices will continue to spiral upward until the rank and file NR won't be able to afford tags there , then the outfitters and leasing agents will descend on the remaining tags as well until there are none except theirs .

I truly hope that you or your family has land to hunt where you are , it isn't just NRs that will be affected . Look at what's been going on out West if you don't believe me . It will only get worse .

RE: WI Non-resident Deer Licenses Too Cheap!
 

I have plenty of land to hunt in Illinois but my land is my livelyhood so I know I am in a unique situation. I am not in the Southern triangle hotspot for deer. Also, my family has plenty of land in Iowa for me to hunt if I ever wanted to go that route. Haven't even looked into it to be honest but I have seen the land and it is pretty good bottom ground with water and oak trees.

I am not a big fan of outfitters at all. I do not like their influence on the management schemes in the state as I feel that 10,000 clients should not influence what the other 100,000 bowhunters in the state are able to hunt. Lets look at what the outiftters wanted. They wanted NR's to not be allowed to hunt on public land. Hmmm, why is this? So they would be forced to go through the outfitters of course. They complain about "an out of control deer herd that needs to be culled. Therefore we need to have more permits for NR's to come in and kill the deer". Than, are not satisfied when the doe only tags are proposed when, removal of does will have a far greater impact on the "exploding" deer herd. We all know that it is about putting money in the pockets of the outfitters. Part of the proposal this year was a block of permits resereved for outiftters clients with the rest of the permits being put into a lottery. Part of me doesn't mind this but I think what they should do is ding the outiftters for more money if they are going to guarentee them permits and leave the "lottery" tags at a more reasonable price.

Absolutely the nightmare would be for all NR's being forced to go through outfitters by either 1) Only the wealthy can afford to hunt and they will use outfitters 2) Permit blocks 3) The most likely is the continued leasing of ground by outfiiters forcing people to use outfitters in order ot gain access to the land to hunt. This is not a good thing. The state of Illinois hasn't made it any better with a few of their rullings in court on liability issues but that might be fixed. Unfortunatly right now I face less chances of being sued if I lease out my ground to some outfitter than I do if I hold onto it myself, post no tresspassing and let 1 person on to hunt. As soon as I let one I am liable for everyone. Great.

I lived in Montana for several years and got to watch "pay" hunts gaining in strenght while I was out there. Nothing like seeing what was going on at Turners Ranch near Big Sky...

RE: WI Non-resident Deer Licenses Too Cheap!
 

So for the NR who "ONLY" wants to shoot does ..... With application fee, habitat stamp, and season long hunting license, that adds up to about $95 for the first doe, and $25 for each additional doe? Or, about $73 for the first doe if you only hunt 5 consecutive days or less.

Wisconsin is $160 for your first two deer (buck and doe), and $20 for each additional doe. No habitat stamp, no application fee, no addional hunting license, over the counter .... out the door. Again, still too cheap.

RE: WI Non-resident Deer Licenses Too Cheap!
 

Why is it so easy for some to see. The bigger and better the deer hunting ie QDM the more unaffordable hunting will become and the less those who rely on hunters for their living will benefit.

It was once the job of the government to empower the people. It seems that the government has become one of the peoples biggest competitors. All paid for by the people. Ohio has been investing in rare coins, a huge amount. I ask myself, Why do they have more than they should. It's the peoples business to invest in coins not the state. The county I live in is gobbling up real-estate. Why do they have the money to do it? That's the peoples business. At the end of 30 years I will have paid more in real-estate tax than I did for my house. I think I'll go lay down for a while.

RE: WI Non-resident Deer Licenses Too Cheap!
 

Iowa's current NR deer license requires a application fee, habitat stamp, hunting license, and deer tag purchase for a total of $308. The new total would equal about $428 in required fees for a NR just to hunt deer in Iowa.

Iowa Senate Approves New Deer Bill

DES MOINES, IA--The Iowa Senate approved a bill last week that aims to reduce the state's white-tailed deer population by as many as 135,000 animals next year. Sen. Dennis Black's (D-IA) Senate Bill 206 seeks to reduce Iowa's burgeoning deer population primarily by increasing the number of free deer hunting licenses for resident landowners and tenants. However, other provisions of the bill include: Increasing the state's general nonresident hunting license fee from $80 to $100. In addition, a nonresident hunter who buys an any-sex deer license would also be required to purchase an additional antlerless deer license for $100. Creating a $1 deer hunting license surcharge. The additional money, expected to total $355,000 a year, would be used to expand a program in which meat processors are paid to process donated venison for prisons and food pantries. The bill would not increase the number of nonresident deer permits Iowa makes available. It would, however, remove the state's cap on antlerless tags.

RE: WI Non-resident Deer Licenses Too Cheap!
 

CHECK OUT www.census.gov for factual information go to "W" for wildlife surveys then Wisconsin for info. their are 86 pages of information regaeding hunting, fishing and wildlife. Try this site www.wildoutdoorsman.com it may be updating it's services, but try anyway, good information.

RE: WI Non-resident Deer Licenses Too Cheap!
 

Reciprocal is what I say.;)

RE: WI Non-resident Deer Licenses Too Cheap!
 

I've always thought as Spatrat mentioned...there should be reciprocation. We charge $136 for non residents to hunt deer which is in line with WI but Iowa?? I know it's a great state to hunt but I think it's a clear case of raking the non residents and it's only going to spread a price bumping war. As we said, the business owners will see the affects. MN and WI DNR are probably looking at Iowa and saying "If they can get that price why don't we". This does nothing to help the average hunter and everything to help the man who says money is no object.

RE: WI Non-resident Deer Licenses Too Cheap!
 

I am a resident of Wisconsin and hunt both here and Minnesota every year. Minnesota last year adopted a great policy on their bow hunting tags, whatever your state charges MN residents to buy a non-resident tag is what you get charged. What a great idea if more states were to adopt this resdents of the state would start complaing about what they have to pay when hunting out off state if their own state was charging to much for people to come and hunt. Non-residents complaing about tag prices wont get anthing done but if residents start complaining because you have to pay $300.00 to hunt out of state casue thats what you state charges non residents then local law makers will pay attention!

RE: WI Non-resident Deer Licenses Too Cheap!
 

Iowa is working on $428 in 2006.

Illinois passing $504.25 in 2005.

Wisconsin NR's pay $160 in 2004?

Minnesota = $135 minimum reciprocal for 2004

RE: WI Non-resident Deer Licenses Too Cheap!
 

The way these states are charging for NR licences it's as if they don't want people to hunt there anymore. Once the NR stop showing up they have to start charging the residents more to make up for the loss of revenue and then it gets too much for the residents to hunt.