How much do you pay for a Hunting License in Your State?

J

Jamie Young

New member
I'm starting to get tired of all the Licensing and this stamp and that stamp thing here in PA. I'm curious to find out how much it costs for Hunting License's in your Home State? I spend about $75 a year on Hunting and Fishing License's and it keeps going up.
 
Illinois- I think my combo hunt/fish license with habitat stamp was about $25. Haven't picked up the migratory bird/waterfowl stamps yet.
 
$15 dollars for the basic hunting license+$15 for the big game stamp. Of course there is a turkey stamp a muzzleloader license a state duck stamp, a federal duck stamp etc. Last year there was a big increase that I still don't think was called for, lots of other folks did not either. Next election I will remember those that voted for the increases by kinda "forgetting" to vote for them.
 
Texas has a "Grand Slam" deal for all hunting except migratory birds, plus freshwater and saltwater fishing for around $50, mas o menos.

I don't mind, because the Legislature has reduced the amount of General Fund monies for the Parks & Wildlife Commission. So, license fees are about all that go to support Game Wardens, wildlife biologists, etc. (Plus Pittman/Robinson & Dingell/Johnson funds, of course.)

It was only some $15, thirty years ago. But thirty years ago, gasoline was around 28 cents a gallon. And I was griping about a cup of coffee at two bits. In terms of buying power, or the old "constant dollars", licenses are cheaper now than in the "Good Old Daze".

By and large, the various programs of Texas' wildlife folks has been definitely worthwhile. The overall agency attitude is pro-hunting, and they're not all eat up with PC.

As always, TANSTAAFL.

:), Art
 
Yes, your license is cheaper in real dollars.
Sadly, the trend is fewer people buying them.
The tradition of hunting is in danger but the cost of the license is not a significant factor.
 
I don't mind funding wildlife programs and habitat improvement. The number of hunters in PA keeps dropping ever year here. We apparently have over 1,000,000 hunters in PA. I think thats pretty funny because thats bigger than the Iraqi army.
 
ny charges around 32 bucks for combo fishing, small game, big game (one deer and one bear)$11 or $12 for bow stamp same for front stuffer permit I believe we have the best deal east of the mississippi, but I may be wrong. I'm not sure exactly about the prices but I'm close
 
Mississippi - $32 for a sportsmans license. That covers freshwater fishing, bow season, black powder season, and everything other than duck stamps. I get to hunt from september through the end of January, March if I quail hunted. I have to get out of state licenses for TN and AR. Those are fairly pricey.
 
Most deer hunting in Texas is on leased ranches, and the cost for any quality hunting keeps going up. While the State is working with the paper companies for permit-hunting on their lands, and has a lottery system for state lands, there is still not enough relatively low-cost hunting for most folks' billfolds to deal with.

IMO, this is a major factor in the decline in numbers of hunters.

An irony in all this is that folks will have a $1,000 rifle/scope, $1,000 worth of various hunting/camping gear, a hunting vehicle and go to a $2,500 lease: Complaining about the cost of a license.

:), Art
 
This is from last years book. New ones haven't come out yet.
Arizona
Licesnse fee information.
Resident Non-resident.
Class G general hunting $18.00 $85.00
Class F combination hunting and fishing $34.00 $100.00
As they raised the prices last year, I guess they'll stay the same this year, but I'm not holding my breath.
Notice, how reasonable the non-resident prices are. Watchout for the big game tags. That's where they nail you. Then you have to draw. Definitely, do not hold your breath. Blue may not be your color.
Paul B.
 
The other thing that pisses me off here in PA is the fact that they had a major screw up with raising Trout. Two years ago they raised trout in an old Electric Power Plant pool and all the fish they released had traces of PCB's. What am I paying for? Cancer?
 
SodaPop, apparently--and I stress "apparently"--the pcb problem is somewhat overblown. For pcbs to hurt you, you'd have to pretty much live solely on those trout for decades. Mercury is obviously a different matter.

I'm no fan of polluted waters, or polluted critters, but a lot of the "Oh! Cancer!" stuff is often more scare than reality.

Lots of "I'm so scared!" conclusions from a lot of junk science, out there, but it's not easy to tell which is what...

Art
 
In TN,

$100 for an all inclusive Sportsman's License. Includes some special quota hunts.

Got my boy a lifetime all-inclusive license for only $200 (must be bought before the first birthday) so now he'll not have to worry about it as long as he resides in TN.
 
Every year, I get a PA hunting license (regular license plus duck stamp, migratory bird, bear and archery), Maryland hunting & fishing license plus a PA fishing license and trout stamp. Since I hunt & fish for recreational purposes, I really don't mind paying the costs. How much an enjoyable walk through our great outdoors, breathing the fresh air plus possibly having venison for the winter worth? How much is it worth to wade through miles of beautiful trout streams during the prettiest time of the year?

Yes I believe the prices are getting very high. Those that have extremely low incomes are the ones obviously hit the hardest. As sportsmen, we have the responsibility of nurturing our natural resources. Could you imagine the outcry from the fair weather folks if their taxes were raised to support the wardens, biologists, etc? I don’t know nor will I pretend to know of an alternative answer to keeping the costs down. All I know is the fact I love Pennsylvania’s beautiful woods, streams and lakes.

If my $$$ goes towards preserving our wildlife, then I’m all for it. Heck, I don’t even hunt bear anymore but still buy the stamp just for supporting our resources.

YMMV
 
ArmySon, I try to get my non-hunting acquaintances to buy licenses. I point out that it is the only source of money for wildlife.

Just as the hunters are the only ones to spend major money on habitat enhancement for wildlife, state wildlife agencies are among the very few which either protect or add to the store of knowledge about wildlife.

Dingell/Johnson & Pittman/Robinson funds are pro-rated among the states as a function of the numbers of licenses sold. More licenses = more money from the taxes on sporting goods.

By and large, then, the birders get a free ride on US. (Not to mention that we are the only ones to kill feral housecats, the major enemy of songbirds.)

$0.02, Art
 
I got a lifetime hunting license for college graduation. I am going to upgrade to the lifetime combo for $400.

This excludes me for all state stamps.
 
Idaho-2001. Combo Hunting & Fishing = $30.50

Hunting = $11.50
Fishing = $23.50

Deer Tag = $18.00
Elk Tag = $28.50
Bear Tag = $10.50
Lion Tag = $10.50
Turkey = $18.00 (two turkey limit)
Antelope = $28.50

J.B.
 
Wisconsin Resident Conservation Patron license $110

Includes all but Federal Migratory waterfowl stamp and bear kill permit.

Cheap? Well, comparitively.

(It also includes subscription to a magazine, and Access to all Wisconsin parks)
 
Yeah I can feel your pain SodaPop because I live in PA too...there's so many darn tags and stamps that you need to keep you in woods its insane! I didn't even know about that trout thing either!
 
ArmySon-
I completely understand where my Money is going and how it helps out PA wildlife. But I think just like the Government with Moneythat when we have surpluses its time to cut taxes. In PA right now the Deer Herd and Turkey population are higher than they ever have been. And other than monitoring population all the Game commision does is pick up road kills and fine you for putting more than 3 shotgun shells in your shotgun. From what I've read and heard Recently Pheasant stocking is almost being abandoned because of all of the habitat problems. Bear Populations are way up from before. Actually all the Bear Catching they've done in the state in the last 3yrs is probable where there spending all the Game Commision money :D

When you throw money at (any) institution they start finding ways to spend the money. I think we need habitat improvement and a Few game commission employees but I think in the end the Licenses are getting too high.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top