Tired of getting beat-up every time you go to the grocery store and the gas pump? During the summer of 2008 gas prices hit $4.00 a gallon and that drove the cost of groceries through the roof, or so the media proclaimed. But while gas prices eventually have leveled off at somewhere under $3.00 a gallon there has been no similar drop in the cost of meat, milk, bread, beer and everything else. I think it’s called gouging.

It seems there is a mentality out there, despite all the government lip service, that the consumer can continually be milked and bilked. Unfortunately, the reality of this situation is no more evident than in the increases in hunting license prices that sportsmen are being forced to swallow. From one end of the country to the other, resident and non-resident alike have had to feed state coffers in order to pursue their sport. While in the past it was generally promoted that the revenue generated from license sales stayed under the control of state agencies involved in fish & wildlife management, more and more these departments also regulate environmental and natural resource programs. This may seem like simply a change in nomenclature but what is really happening is that government’s expanding the realm of these agencies means hunting and fishing license money is now used to fund scores of programs that have nothing to do with outdoor recreational sports. In fact today, there is hardly even an effort to disguise the fact that increasing license prices is tied to balancing financially strapped state budgets, period.

Since virtually all states have increased hunting and fishing license fees the list of examples is nearly endless. But in places like Connecticut the rip-off is so significant it bears mentioning. In a press release from the state Department of Environmental Protection it was explained that the increases would follow a sliding scale; Fees that were previously less than $150 were doubled; Fees from $150 to $1000 would increase by 25% and Fees over $1000 would increase $250. Steve Davis from Ashland, Massachusetts is fortunate to have landowner permission to hunt several parcels of prime land in Connecticut. For the last 20 years he has spent more time hunting across the border than in his home state.

“We started hunting Connecticut because there were lots of deer and a non-resident archery license was around $40 and you were eligible to take up to four deer of either sex. This past season cost me $200 for the same bow tag and when you add in the firearms permit and turkey licenses, the whole thing cost over $700 – double what I paid in 2008.”

Think the situation is better in the Midwest?  Think again. In Illinois, where you have to draw an archery license, the privilege to hunt those monster bucks back in 2005 cost you $309.50 that same tag today is $469.71, a 51% increase!

The numbers get even crazier the further west you go and you can’t convince me that the increased popularity of hunting western game has not played a role. In Wyoming the cost of a non-resident elk license has increased 20% in the last 4 years and is now $1071. The state requires you to send in this entire amount with your draw application, they cash your check, collect millions in interest over a 30-60 day period depending on when you apply, and then refund you your money less the cost of a preference point if you don’t draw.

The situation is worse in Montana where both outfitters and consumers suffer under the state’s system for exploiting license sales revenue. First, if you are booked to hunt with a registered Montana outfitter, the state will guarantee your ability to draw a non-resident tag. They bundle deer and elk tags together and set a premium if you were to purchase them separately. Naturally, the bulk of applications are for the combination license which has gone from $977 in 2005 to $1500 today. Outfitters within the state are hog-tied trying to compete for customers with neighboring states that have lower license costs. Colorado, for example, charges only $529 for an elk license and in many zones they are available over the counter. While operating costs have steadily increased – food and fuel being major contributing factors, Montana outfitters have not been able to proportionately increase their rates because inflated license costs make them uncompetitive. Consumers will simply hunt in a neighboring state where the total cost, including license fees is less.

Is there any good news for the sportsman? Actually, there is. While state legislators continue to target hunting and fishing enthusiasts, particularly non-residents, coupled with a weak national economy, not surprisingly the result has been a sharp decline in license sales. In turn, those states that employ a draw system to regulate harvest quotas are now experiencing a lack of participation. States that have typically sold-out their total allocations of licenses now have left over tags. Last year in Illinois, where even archery licenses are restricted to successful draw applicants, you could buy left over tags right up until the end of the season. Kansas had leftover gun tags this past year and Wyoming has consistently had excess deer and antelope tags available in the eastern part of the state. Maybe the best news is that as state’s watch their revenue from license sales decline they will be forced to realize that enticing hunters with incentives stands to provide greater dividends in the long haul than penalizing them with a disproportionate financial burden. The latter can only encourage them to look elsewhere in pursuit of their sport.