Deer License Prices

[mom45]

Sounds like Jasper County

Starke

 

[bwframe]

I know an awful lot of guys who hunt, who do not have a lot of financial resources. The cost to hunt is far lower than the cost of a great many other recreational pastimes. You can spend as much as you want on gear and accessories, or as little as you want.

Whether kids prefer screen time over time out hunting has nothing to do with the cost of a license.

Everyone`s perspective on hunting can be different. If your must-have from hunting is that you can put meat in the freezer more plentifully and cheaper than the grocery store, then hunting may not be for you. But once you`ve already bought all your hunting gear, the cost of the hunting licenses shouldn`t be prohibitive.

We all decide what`s important to us and spend our monies appropriately. It costs the state money to provide wildlife biologists and Conservation Officers. Game populations have to kept to a size that the habitat can provide for. The DNR has a difficult job, trying to keep hunters happy, while balancing the interests of farmers and insurance companies. It`s not an enviable position.

I think it would be a shame if you dropped out of hunting, but it sounds as though you`re very disgruntled and fed up with what actually is a pretty good system. The deer belong to the state, but we are co-managers with the DNR. Pittman-Robertson fees, along with hunting license fees fund the work that has to be done to keep the herds healthy and huntable, in spite of EHD, and anything else that may impact deer herd numbers.

The fact is that license fees are taxes.

There are lots of justifications. Obviously the state government have a lot of folks convinced that their arguably top heavy workforce is necessary. A lot of the top heavy part of the DNR is selling themselves to "their customer."

The same state DNR workforce arbitrarily closed the bonus antlerless season this last year, a year that locally we have seen record numbers of deer in the field. It will be interesting to see reports of road kill deer this year compared to years past.

The DNR lost a lot of us our high opinion of their decision making when they sold huge numbers of us lifetime licenses, then a year later took a buck away from us. I won't even get into the private ground vs public ground rifle regulations.

 

[gregr]

The fact is that license fees are taxes.

There are lots of justifications. Obviously the state government have a lot of folks convinced that their arguably top heavy workforce is necessary. A lot of the top heavy part of the DNR is selling themselves to "their customer."

The same state DNR workforce that arbitrarily closed the bonus antlerless season this last year, a year that locally we have seen record numbers of deer in the field. It will be interesting to see reports of road kill deer this year compared to years past.

It`s pretty well know that the herd has been hit hard multiple years with EHD. And while it`s true that EHD can hit in pockets and not necessarily evenly across the state, the DNR still has a responsibility to protect the herd so we can hunt them for decades to come.

You`re obviously very unhappy with the state of the deer herd and the DNR, and that`s a shame. Good luck with whatever you decide to do buddy. Take care.

 

[phylodog]

I wish we were seeing record numbers but EHD smoked our area three years ago now and it's not coming back terribly quickly. I've resigned myself to likely not killing a mature buck off of our place for at least another couple of years, not a big deal but not what I'd prefer obviously.

 

[phylodog]

I should also say that we've put in a one acre pond, about 40 acres of food plots and cover and we'll plant probably 3 acres of corn and 2 acres of beans for them this year.

"If you build it, they will come" - Man I hope that is true!

 

[gregr]

I should also say that we've put in a one acre pond, about 40 acres of food plots and cover and we'll plant probably 3 acres of corn and 2 acres of beans for them this year.

"If you build it, they will come" - Man I hope that is true!

I don`t doubt the food plots and all that help draw deer and perhaps increase rack size and all that silly stuff. The pond will be a water source for the deer, as well as a fantastic little fishery. Good on you. Hopefully the EHD calms down and the state-wide deer herd can get back on track.

 

[two70]

The fact is that license fees are taxes.

There are lots of justifications. Obviously the state government have a lot of folks convinced that their arguably top heavy workforce is necessary. A lot of the top heavy part of the DNR is selling themselves to "their customer."

The same state DNR workforce arbitrarily closed the bonus antlerless season this last year, a year that locally we have seen record numbers of deer in the field. It will be interesting to see reports of road kill deer this year compared to years past.

The DNR lost a lot of us our high opinion of their decision making when they sold huge numbers of us lifetime licenses, then a year later took a buck away from us. I won't even get into the private ground vs public ground rifle regulations.

Basically you're blaming the DNR for listening to hunters. The DNR closed the bonus antlerless season because hunters whined and pitched a fit about not seeing enough deer. The one buck rule was a scheme that had wide support from bowhunters with delusions of big bucks behind every tree and firearms only hunters who had absolutely nothing to lose by reducing the competition for bucks.

 

[gregr]

Basically you're blaming the DNR for listening to hunters. The DNR closed the bonus antlerless season because hunters whined and pitched a fit about not seeing enough deer. The one buck rule was a scheme that had wide support from bowhunters with delusions of big bucks behind every tree and firearms only hunters who had absolutely nothing to lose by reducing the competition for bucks.

Scheme is one word for the OBR. I have other words, but, not suitable for print.