First of all, I think the fishing license (I don't hunt) fees are high enough and already act as a deterent to casual fishing. I live here and have a boat and a canoe so it's worth it for me to spend $35 for the year. But when I have friends come up from Mass. They really don't want to $35 for a 7 day license just to throw a line out for a few hours, so we don't fish.
Well I just did some research and it looks like the state already figured this out. Now there are one day and three day out-of-state licences and a one day in state license. Combined with online purchase, there's no reason not to fish.
I think sportsman are proud of the fact that they support there own department. We should pay our own way for stocking, wildlife managment and other tasks directly related to hunting and fishing. But since the mission of the fish and game is broader, the general public should contribute to the broader tasks that benefit all. Perhaps there should be a fee for canoeists and hikers who gain the benefits of their efforts for free.
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