Hey Virginians....

Did you guys see the VDGIF website and the meeting theyhad yesterday (4/25)??? There is talk of increasingfees by $5 bucks (all across the board)....
AND STILL NO TALK OF SUNDAY HUNTING!!!! [:@]

$12.50 (hunting)-------------$17.50
$12.50 (big game)-----------$17.50
$12.50 (muzzleloader)--------$17.50
$12.50 (archery)-------------$17.50
$12.50 (fishing)--------------$17.50
$12.50 (trapping)------------$17.50
========================
$75.00 for all--------------$105.00 for all

To me, this is absolute highway robbery!!!![:@][&:][:'(][>:][&o] I heard from a guy on another site and he posted the following on the reasons why (he was at the VDGIF meeting):

* First increase since 1988
* Past 2 of 4 years expense has exceeded reveue
* Fees only account for 36% of revenues, but are the only one they can count on...(Fed funds subject to reveue matching...HB38 funds subject to General Assembly withholding)
* VDGIF is responsible for 34 of the 68 dams in Va. that were Federally Mandated to have safety up grades..but the Feds provided no funding.
* The proposed "New Williamsburg Regional ofc" qoutes came in much higher than expected
* State Central Services charges are going up (even though VDGIF doesn't charge State for jobs done for them)
* 4yr note (Debt Repayment) on land tract purchase
* They have been tasked by Col. Massengill to prepare an interim report on reducing expenses and expenditures. (ie redundant services, better use of resources etc)Due Aug 06

I don't know about you guys, but I am raising holy h&ll.... This is an absolute outrage!!!! [:@]

...Article from today's Richmond Times-Dispatch.....

http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_BasicArti cle&%09s=1045855935449&c=MGArticle&cid =1137835591386&path=%21sports%21outdoors

...Article from today's Roanoke Times....

http://www.roanoke.com/outdoors/wb/62490

I looked at afew other states, and some are less, and some are more expensive. But,I don't mind paying extra for the license. Almost everything has risen in price in the last 18 years, so it's about time to ante up! If you want the services of the DGIF someone has to pay for them. Without them the poachers and people who don't care will ruin our resources. I do agree with the Sunday issue, it would be a great trade-off!

That is some bull****t though. Have they been talking about Sunday hunting at all. I don't see what the big deal would be to allow it.

I knew it had been a long time since the last license increase so I figured it was coming. What do you think the chances are that the board will NOT approve the price increases? LOL, better not try to hold your breath on that!

Well, I recon I'll support the increase; I would more than gladly support it if Sunday Hunting was included ! Can you say time for some much needed leverage, at least the VDGIF's support for Sunday Hunting ??

On the upside, it's been quite a long while since 1988 ... I'v gotten a few raises since then and bought quite a bit of hunting gear.

On the downside:
Like the rest of us, it looks like they got the "dam shaft" from the Feds !
Should they be buying land when the budgetwas so close tobegin with ?

However, operating a combined Game and Fish Department with ~475 folks and on a $46mil budget ain't none too shabby in my book !!
And NO, I don't work for the VDGIF !!

An extra 5.00 to me is not a big deal, as long as it's used to maintain, and potentially expand, our public hunting land here in VA, and add Sunday huntng. THAT would be money well spent, IMHO.

I agree... They have GOT TO seriously,SERIOUSLY look into allowing Sunday hunting if they want to keep sportsmen happy.

I know $5.00 ain't really that big a deal, but when you total it up,multiply it, then divide it out upon however many days you actuallyhunt, who ends up getting the shaft?!?! [:@]

I am seriously looking at Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, and my old home state of New York. I just might consider going out of state to hunt instead of hunting in Virginia....

I lived in WV for 5 years when I was in school, and the hunting there was pretty damned sweet. Always happened up on something. Maybe I'll pay the nut and drive 3 hours or so, or else hunt strictly GW Forest areas until DGIF can help us improve the public lands here in VA. So far I'm not impressed, but maybe I haven't looked far and wide enough yet.

Not to throw gas on the fire but you have at least to June before a rate increase. Resident lifetime license for hunting is 250.00 till then.I bought the lifetime hunting and fishing before I moved to N.C. to keep from having to pay for out of state license.Still have to pay for the archery and muzzloading but it is still better than paying for the whole bit.