I know its not a huge increase to whine about, however there is a great point brought up - why are the resident prices seeing the same increase?
Nonresidents to be charged more to bird hunt
BOB MERCER American News Correspondent
11:55 p.m. CDT, November 1, 2012
MADISON — Hunters from outside South Dakota will be charged more for licenses to pursue pheasants, other small game and waterfowl in 2013 under a plan that received approval Thursday by the state Game, Fish and Parks Commission.
But several commissioners also called for prices for resident licenses to be increased in the near future.
The vote was 7-1, with Jim Spies of Watertown voting against the increases.
Prices for a 10-day license for small game and a 10-day license for waterfowl would increase to $120 from the current $110. The price for a three-day waterfowl license would rise to $85 from the present $75.
Licenses for nonresidents to hunt at shooting preserves also would go up. The annual nonresident license would increase to $120 from the present $85. The one-day license would change to $45 from $35, and the five-day license would rise to $75 from $65.
Based on past license sales, the state Wildlife Division estimated the adjustments would generate an additional $1.1 million in 2013.
License prices last were increased in 2005 and there's been an 18 percent increase in inflation since then, state Wildlife Division director Tony Leif said.
“I fully agree with the need for an increase in fees,” commission member Barry Jensen of White River said. But, Jensen asked Leif, what do most preserve operators feel?
Leif said many compromises were made through the years in setting regulations for preserves, including the fees. He said he believes the fee should be the same for nonresidents whether they are hunting on the preserve or using a general small-game license.
In the 28 years that Will Stone of Gary said he has operated a preserve, however, Stone said license prices increased by more than 900 percent. He said there were a half-dozen preserves in 1985 and now there are more than 200 preserves.
He said hunters frequently are surprised to learn they need to buy a state license in addition to what they pay to hunt at the preserve.
“It is our land. It is our habitat. Basically in eastern South Dakota, it is our birds,” Stone said.
Stone said his preserve has public shooting areas around it. He said there wouldn't be birds in the public areas without the birds he raises. He asked what preserves receive from the Game, Fish and Parks Department in return.
Stone suggested a $15 daily license or a three-day $45 license. “If we stop our hunters coming in at the border, everybody loses. The motel loses. The restaurant loses,” he said. “Every state around us is less than $45, and that's an annual fee.”
Commission member John Cooper of Pierre said he's been asked by South Dakota people in tourism and preserve businesses why the nonresidents are the only ones facing higher fees while residents don't have to pay more, but still receive services funded by the nonresident revenue.
Cooper wondered whether an analysis could be performed that would look at resident and nonresident licenses and prices.
Leif said trying to project two or three years ahead is like forecasting weather a month away. He said one possibility is establishing a schedule for possible fee increases and making decisions as those dates are reached.
Cooper said the Wildlife Division could estimate its increased expenses for future years. Cooper said the prices for licenses are a bargain. “My issue here is, can we do something different, and do we have to do this now?” Cooper said.
Leif said delaying a decision would be disruptive to the annual budgeting and regulatory processes. He noted that commission members didn't show interest in raising resident license prices last month when the nonresident increases were proposed.
Spies agreed with the points raised by Cooper. Spies said the Wildlife Division budget is “lean and mean” but doesn't think it's appropriate that nonresident hunters pick up “90 percent of the tab.”
“I know it didn't fly last month, but I just want to say, I don't think this is right,” Spies said. “I think we have to look at the residents' license fee real soon. It's got to be adjusted. We're already eight years out. How far are we going to go?”
“I don't like the route we're getting the money. I know we have to have the money,” Spies concluded.
Leif said “better than one-third” of the division's nearly $30 million in license revenues will come from nonresident pheasant hunters. He put the amount from nonresident pheasant hunters at roughly $12 million.
South Dakota attracted 95,077 nonresident pheasant hunters in 2011 and 100,189 in 2010. They took an average of 9.6 pheasants apiece in 2011 and 10.3 pheasants in 2010.
The 2011 fees for nonresident hunters in neighboring states were Montana $130; North Dakota $100; Minnesota $92; Iowa $125; Nebraska $101; and Wyoming $84.50.
North Dakota had the most nonresident pheasant hunters in 2011 with 24,500. They took an average of 8.3 birds per hunter. Nebraska reported 8,800 nonresidents last year. They took an average of 6.3 birds.
Iowa reported 6,460 nonresident hunters who took an average of 5.1 pheasants last year. Montana had 5,082 nonresident hunters with an average harvest of 5.2 birds.
Minnesota had 1,780 nonresidents who took 2.7 birds apiece. Wyoming had 1,738 nonresidents who took an average 3.6 birds.
Nonresidents to be charged more to bird hunt
BOB MERCER American News Correspondent
11:55 p.m. CDT, November 1, 2012
MADISON — Hunters from outside South Dakota will be charged more for licenses to pursue pheasants, other small game and waterfowl in 2013 under a plan that received approval Thursday by the state Game, Fish and Parks Commission.
But several commissioners also called for prices for resident licenses to be increased in the near future.
The vote was 7-1, with Jim Spies of Watertown voting against the increases.
Prices for a 10-day license for small game and a 10-day license for waterfowl would increase to $120 from the current $110. The price for a three-day waterfowl license would rise to $85 from the present $75.
Licenses for nonresidents to hunt at shooting preserves also would go up. The annual nonresident license would increase to $120 from the present $85. The one-day license would change to $45 from $35, and the five-day license would rise to $75 from $65.
Based on past license sales, the state Wildlife Division estimated the adjustments would generate an additional $1.1 million in 2013.
License prices last were increased in 2005 and there's been an 18 percent increase in inflation since then, state Wildlife Division director Tony Leif said.
“I fully agree with the need for an increase in fees,” commission member Barry Jensen of White River said. But, Jensen asked Leif, what do most preserve operators feel?
Leif said many compromises were made through the years in setting regulations for preserves, including the fees. He said he believes the fee should be the same for nonresidents whether they are hunting on the preserve or using a general small-game license.
In the 28 years that Will Stone of Gary said he has operated a preserve, however, Stone said license prices increased by more than 900 percent. He said there were a half-dozen preserves in 1985 and now there are more than 200 preserves.
He said hunters frequently are surprised to learn they need to buy a state license in addition to what they pay to hunt at the preserve.
“It is our land. It is our habitat. Basically in eastern South Dakota, it is our birds,” Stone said.
Stone said his preserve has public shooting areas around it. He said there wouldn't be birds in the public areas without the birds he raises. He asked what preserves receive from the Game, Fish and Parks Department in return.
Stone suggested a $15 daily license or a three-day $45 license. “If we stop our hunters coming in at the border, everybody loses. The motel loses. The restaurant loses,” he said. “Every state around us is less than $45, and that's an annual fee.”
Commission member John Cooper of Pierre said he's been asked by South Dakota people in tourism and preserve businesses why the nonresidents are the only ones facing higher fees while residents don't have to pay more, but still receive services funded by the nonresident revenue.
Cooper wondered whether an analysis could be performed that would look at resident and nonresident licenses and prices.
Leif said trying to project two or three years ahead is like forecasting weather a month away. He said one possibility is establishing a schedule for possible fee increases and making decisions as those dates are reached.
Cooper said the Wildlife Division could estimate its increased expenses for future years. Cooper said the prices for licenses are a bargain. “My issue here is, can we do something different, and do we have to do this now?” Cooper said.
Leif said delaying a decision would be disruptive to the annual budgeting and regulatory processes. He noted that commission members didn't show interest in raising resident license prices last month when the nonresident increases were proposed.
Spies agreed with the points raised by Cooper. Spies said the Wildlife Division budget is “lean and mean” but doesn't think it's appropriate that nonresident hunters pick up “90 percent of the tab.”
“I know it didn't fly last month, but I just want to say, I don't think this is right,” Spies said. “I think we have to look at the residents' license fee real soon. It's got to be adjusted. We're already eight years out. How far are we going to go?”
“I don't like the route we're getting the money. I know we have to have the money,” Spies concluded.
Leif said “better than one-third” of the division's nearly $30 million in license revenues will come from nonresident pheasant hunters. He put the amount from nonresident pheasant hunters at roughly $12 million.
South Dakota attracted 95,077 nonresident pheasant hunters in 2011 and 100,189 in 2010. They took an average of 9.6 pheasants apiece in 2011 and 10.3 pheasants in 2010.
The 2011 fees for nonresident hunters in neighboring states were Montana $130; North Dakota $100; Minnesota $92; Iowa $125; Nebraska $101; and Wyoming $84.50.
North Dakota had the most nonresident pheasant hunters in 2011 with 24,500. They took an average of 8.3 birds per hunter. Nebraska reported 8,800 nonresidents last year. They took an average of 6.3 birds.
Iowa reported 6,460 nonresident hunters who took an average of 5.1 pheasants last year. Montana had 5,082 nonresident hunters with an average harvest of 5.2 birds.
Minnesota had 1,780 nonresidents who took 2.7 birds apiece. Wyoming had 1,738 nonresidents who took an average 3.6 birds.
