The cost of hunting.

[elkoholic]

I don't know about the cost in other states for a resident hunter but here in Montana it is somewhat pricey.  I purchased a Sportsmans without bear for $35 (half price because I'm an old fart) which includes tags for elk and deer (one of each), upland bird hunting and fishing.  In order to buy that you must also buy a base hunting license, $10, and and aquatic invasive species prevention pass, $2.  Next I added a bear tag, $19, (it is cheaper than adding it to the Sportsman license) and a turkey tag $6.50.  To hunt with a bow I needed a bow and arrow permit, $10 and to top it all of I added $25 in Super Tag chances on moose (5 chances).  To all this I added a $10 donation for Hunters against Hunger.  I bought it on-line so there was a small convenience fee that brought the total to $121.77.  Even without the Super Tag chances and the donation it would have been $86.77.

Now, if you throw in a new bow and/or rifle with all the accessories, arrows and/or cartridges plus any other hunting paraphernalia you might think you need and it is no wonder that the number of hunters is declining.  Not to mention the huge number of baby boomers who are getting too old to hunt and are now living on a reduced income and find it hard to even justify the reduced fee (if even applicable) for tags.

Nonresident licenses are beyond comprehension, especially here in the west when hunting on National Forest Service land.  I certainly hope it does not get any worse, but the reality does not look so good.

[wtnhunt]

Lifetime sportsman hunting and fishing for under 3 year old was $200, bought my youngest son his, wish I had bought them for all the kids.  He will never have to pay a thing to hunt in in this state other than for special hunts or waterfowl if he would chose to take that up.  For me, so long as I hunt my own property it is nothing hunting with the landowner exemption, BUT I do pay my taxes on my property, so costs are really probably higher than what I would pay for a license to hunt elsewhere.  We are looking at buying another farm in the future, if I hunt it I may have to pay.  For TN resident last time I bought mine it was $28 for annual hunting fishing and then $28 additional for each weapon type license, so $56 for big game gun with hunting fishing, another $28 for muzzleloader,  and another $28 for archery.  Or you could buy your annual sportsman which includes all.  Prices from what I understand have gone up quite a bit here

 

[Ultradog]

Here it was $31 for resident deer license. Doesn't matter if firearm.  archery  or ML License and supposed to go up this year. I think it is $15 each if you have a deer licence but want to add ML or Archery to it.

You can still only take ONE deer per year except some areas in southern MN they can take bonus deer.

Bonus deer are 1/2 price of normal license but we never get those where we hunt - not enough deer. Usually it's bucks only except by lottery.

Bear, small game, trapping, fishing and wild rice are all seperate licences plus state and Federal stamps for waterfowl.

About all I do is deer hunt - rifle only.

Add the price of land payments, taxes, a tractor or two plus implements, fuel for plowing/discing plots, seed, and fuel going up north and  a guy could eat Tbones all year for the price of a measly doe but that wouldn't be the same.

[Ravin R10 man]

I get the Patron and Im done;  $165.00

One purchase gives you nearly everything you need.

Conserve our natural resources

Know that your license purchase supports all of Wisconsin’s fish and wildlife programs, including habitat management and research.

Wisconsin residents and non-residents receive the following in their Conservation Patron License

• Annual Fishing License
• Great Lakes Trout & Salmon Stamp
• Inland Trout Stamp
• Sturgeon Hook & Line Inland
• Sturgeon Hook & Line WI-MI
• Small Game License
• Pheasant Stamp
• Gun Deer Hunting License
• Archery License
• Crossbow License

• Trapping License
• Otter Application
• Fisher Application
• Spring Turkey Application
• Spring Turkey License (permit required)
• Turkey Stamp
• Fall Turkey Application
• Fall Turkey License (permit required)
• Early Goose Permit (upon request)

• Exterior or Horicon Goose Permit (upon request)
• Waterfowl Stamp
• Annual Park Sticker*
• Annual State Parks Trail Pass*
• Admission to Heritage Hill State Park*
• Subscription to Wisconsin Natural Resources Magazine*

 

[Adjam5]

I feel lucky that my planning worked out. Because there are NO bargains in NY.  I have been blessed with family land to hunt, fish and trap on.

Bought myself and my 3 sons($250 at birth) lifetime licenses. Have mine over 25 years. I have a Lifetime Sportsman(paid $500), which covers, deer, bear, turkey, small game, fishing and doe tag fee. A few years after, I got into bowhunting, I bought the $180 lifetime archery endorsement and also added the $180 Lifetime Muzzleloader endorsement. The only NY license I buy annually is Trapping. I am ahead of the game if I had to buy a annual license that supports all I do. I do donate $ for venison donation and buy a Conservation stamp. Non residents in NYS actually had their hunting license fee reduced a few years ago by King Cuomo. Just over $100 for deer. Not bad.

Texas charges non residents $48 to hunt exotics and non native species(Hogs and Axis ect) for 5 days. Now to hunt whitetail in Texas; the license costs just about $400.

For me hunting is not expensive as long as I stay in NYS or hunt only hogs and Axis in Texas. I hunt private land in Texas with no fee.

 

[Dawg]

It can get pricey if you want it too in Texas.  For me it's pretty straight forward.......hunting license with HIP certification, freshwater fishing combo.

Edited February 28, 2018 by Dawg

[Shaun_300]

Ontario Canada - Resident

Moose - $56.63

Deer - $49.56

Elk - $54.52 (+$16.95 to apply)

Wolf/Coyote for WMU's where bag limits are in place - $11.36

Black Bear - $49.56

Turkey - $29.75

Small Game - $25.72

Non Resident:

Moose - $494.78

Deer - $247.76

Bear - $247.76

Wolves/Coyote - $275.23

Turkey - $29.75

Small Game - $123.76

 

 

[stevebeilgard]

As an old fart in Alaska, we have it easy. First, after we get 60 free hunting and fishing for anything.Tags are free for all animals, like my 5 deer limit.  My daily halibut quota is 20, shrimp unlimited, crab 20, vehicles are $25.00 dollars for life. No state, local taxes on anything, even real estate. And, each October every resident gets $$$$ from a grand to $2500., per person. So, a family of 5 gets 5 times.  The oil pipleine in 1970 paid for it all. Pretty cool.

[elkoholic]

From what I'm seeing here, only Steve in Alaska has it good and that's only because of being an old fart like me.  Of course the cost of everything else in Alaska might make up for it.  The lifetime licenses offered in some states are also a bargain.  Other than that, it looks like the costs for licenses/tags to hunt are getting to be ridiculously high.  I am aware of people here in Montana who are living pay check to pay check that simply can not afford to hunt.  Many are working 2 or 3 jobs just to pay the rent/mortgage and living off Ramen  noodles they bought on sale, and if they can get the time off to hunt would find it hard to justify the final cost of the meat they hope to put in the freezer.  That is if they can afford the freezer to begin with.

Hopefully, the death spiral has not begun, but as the number of hunters decline, it is a given that license prices will go up to make up for the decrease in funds.  Although that is not the only reason for the decline in the number of hunters, there is a point where many will say that it just is not worth it anymore.  The other two driving factors in the decline in hunters is access to land (not a problem in some areas, unless the selloff of public land begins) and aging baby-boomers who can no longer physically hunt.

I, along with most hunters, put more value on the hunt than the cost per pound of meat that goes in the freezer, but that intrinsic value means nothing if I can no longer afford the license/tag fees.  While one can enjoy the outdoors without "hunting", there is something about the anticipation, the whole process, that has immeasurable value.

[Dawg]

Texas hasn't seen an increase on basic licenses since 2010 and no noticeable decline in sales.

Here's an article Realtree published about increased license sales albeit the data is going on 4 years old:  https://business.realtree.com/business-blog/hunting-license-numbers-increased-2016

 

The sky isn't falling.

[JamieMackie]

On 06.03.2018 at 8:31 PM, Dawg said:

Here's an article Realtree published about increased license sales albeit the data is going on 4 years old:  https://business.realtree.com/business-blog/hunting-license-numbers-increased-2016

Thanks for the link!

[Rhino]

Here in Mississippi I buy a sportsman's license. I won't break it all down but I include the state duck stamp, freshwater and saltwater fishing, and all big game hunting in my license.  That cost me in MS is a little over $78 each year. 

Now in Missouri, we get hosed pretty good.  I buy a gun season deer license (includes 1 any deer tag) and an archery season deer license (includes 2 any deer tags and 2 turkey tags) each year...total cost for those is $450.  Then add in a couple of doe tags at $25 each and it's an even $500 each deer season.  Then comes spring turkey season...another $225 for that and we get 2 turkey tags.  That's just the license part.  I won't even go into how much I spend going back and forth to Missouri along with the expense of all the things we have to do to maintain our property.

[Adjam5]

Jeez Rhino...y'all do get hosed real good. Wow!