Why are hunting license so expensive?

[GWHunter]

What a biologist reccomends for a land owner is just that...a reccomendation. In the end, it is up to the land owner to decide what is shot and what is not...

[Fishndude]

My question really is who pays the tpwd biologist? Does the state pay for all these biologist that are in charge of MLD land. Yet the biologist does not require owner to do any management activities and still give out level 3 permits. When the rules say you have to several things. Owner hasnt done one thing for mgmt in years and still gets permits. Say they are going to do something but dont. That is a bunch of $#!+. These govt programs are all alike. I may have to start looking for another place that actual cares about mgmt or just go to shooting deer and forget about mgmt.

Price is cheap but I just want to see to money used for good things and not corrupt programs.

Are you upset with your landowner or the state? I'm still confused!

[southTXhunter]

Since when is $69 to kill 5 whitetails, 2 muledeer, 4 turkeys and all the fish and game birds you want EXPENSIVE? That sounds dirt cheap to me! Hell, they could charge me $300 and I'd still pay it!

Dont give them any ideas hahah I would pay it too but dont want it to get there....

[Codie]

FOLKS, FOLKS, it is obvious what the ? is here. Why make it so complicated?

BEAR82 pays $70 for a super combo (don't know the actual price because I don't buy the SC)

He wants to know if the money he is paying for his license is used to pay the STATE Biologist that take care of getting ranches on the MLD program. IF SO, then he feels he is wasting his money because they are not doing their job correctly. AND HE IS RIGHT, to an extent. I know 2 different ranchers off the top of my head that had surverys done the first year for numbers and then were given permits out the whazzoo and have been given permits every year since then without ever having to meet a single other requirement (not even another deer survey). They just call the Biologist at the beginning of every summer and he/she makes sure they get their permits. Not as many as they gave them the first year, but the number they are giving them is PURE SPECULATION and uneducated. Just a random number of permits to use for the ranch for the year. If you ask me, that is NOT doing your job. They should be requiring landowners to meet the requirements of a few different habitat improvement programs and doing deer surveys EVERY year in order to make sure that the # of permits they are giving out is the correct amount for that particular deer herd

NOW, the cost of your license DOES go to many other things other than the State Wildlife Biologist if that makes you feel any better.

[ezypikns]

I'm gonna go way out on a limb here.........

Does a TPWD biologist not get paid by the state and fees we pay.

And bet that a State Biologist doesn't make just a WHOLE BUNCH of money.

[Bear82]

Codie, you know exactly what I am talking about. And I know that it is proabbly just a few biologist that make others look bad. I know the license goes for other things and thats okay.

Landowner really doesnt care what is shot, just wants permits, but that is why we control the permits to other hunters and dont shoot more than half of what they recommend.

I actually have a lifetime and in 5 years it will be paid for. I dont have to worry about price increases. I was lucky enough to have the money and saw the prices keep climbing and thought it was a good time to buy one.

I am equally upset with both. Since we are not allowed to talk with the biologist of the ranch, I will talk to the owner later to clearify more of the management program rules. If I am not satified I will just have to get off. Landowners like this will never learn, all they care about is the money. When he has trouble finding hunters every year he may figure things out. I have been there 10 years and I see other hunters come and go every 2 years or so. We have helped the owner a lot by fixing the palce up. I know I can either complain or just get off which I should do.

[Hot4huntin]

From TPWD:

Did you know that 100% of your hunting and fishing license fees go to conservation?

It's true,100% of your hunting and fishing license fees go to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for on-the-ground conservation efforts that help make Texas one of the best places in the country to hunt and fish. Fish stocking, wildlife management, habitat restoration, land conservation, and Texas Game Wardens are just some of the initiatives funded in part by your license fees. Thank you for your investment in Texas' natural resources. For more information on the types of licenses available, where you can purchase a license, hunting and fishing rules and regulations, and much more, explore the links on the left.

[lrich]

I just paid 327.00 to hunt in texas from out of state and worth every bit. One day I will pay instate till then I will keep paying

[Jason Slocum]

I work for TPWD, and if you are that upset I'll mail you the biologists cut off your license fee. Its going to be less than a dollar, less than a quarter probably less than 10 cents... if you still want a refund I mail you a quarter to pay for this year and next year. You can go around the owner and speak directly with the biologist. You can email him @ his.name@tpwd.state.tx.us

Jason Slocum

[tookeymonster]

It was definitely worth it when it was $1000 last year.

Is it worth it...do the math. 68$/year X number of years you hope you are able to hunt/fish. Or 1800/68=26.4 years to break even.


https://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/busines...es/index.phtml

Actually the price of the License will go up somewhere around 5% every year for the next 4-6 years, if i remember correctly. They wanted to go up 25-35% they year the recession hit, but they decided to do it over the next few years. If forget the #'s but I think i'm somewhere close.

I think they have seen a large drop in the # of lifetime licenses sold and will continue to do so. They will have to lower it to a more reasonable #. If it would drop down to $1300 i would get one for my son. Im still kicking my self in the *** about not buying it when it was $1000 for my son.

Texas is still one of the cheeper states to buy a license, yes I know it is cheaper in some other states but we are still among the most affordable.

[tookeymonster]

Since when is $69 to kill 5 whitetails, 2 muledeer, 4 turkeys and all the fish and game birds you want EXPENSIVE? That sounds dirt cheap to me! Hell, they could charge me $300 and I'd still pay it!

It cost me $560 for 1 either sex elk tag in CO this year.

I think it was $300+ for 1 one Mule deer Buck tag in CO.

[snakejake]

It was definitely worth it when it was $1000 last year.

Is it worth it...do the math. 68$/year X number of years you hope you are able to hunt/fish. Or 1800/68=26.4 years to break even.


https://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/busines...es/index.phtml

This math is assuming that the price doesn't increase in those next 26 years which it'll never do

And they will mail you your tags if you want

[Landrover]

LA is a lot cheaper for their residents, but they put it to non-residents, LA non-resident licenses are about 25% higher than TX non-resident licenses. Thank God they have the LA Native licenses, that's the only way I could afford it.

I need to do that this year also as I spend alot of time back home with the cousins!!!

[tvc184]

Out of all the taxes and fees that I have to pay to the government in its many fashions, I think my hunting/fishing license is the best deal going.

I don't care what they do with it. I get the Super Combo and get to fish both fresh and saltwater and hunt for less than $5 a month. It is well worth it in my opinion. I only wish I got that much return on the other several thousands of dollars that I send to the various governments every year.

[BoneDigger]

Sounds to me like your beef is more with the landowner not doing what is recommended by the biologist than with the cost of licenses?

Your license fees go toward considerably more than paying biologists. State Parks, trailways, fish hatcheries, restocking programs, game wardens, youth programs, hunter education..... I could go on.

Trailboss

Not exactly...

State Parks funding comes from Fund 64. Wildlife Division funding comes from Fund 9. License revenue is allocated to Fund 9 ONLY. State Parks cannot, by law, use hunting and fishing license fees.

Todd