Be Heard On Regulation Changes

[bigredbirdfan]

Landowners upset about proposed hunting permit change

The Associated Press • November 2, 2008

Kansas City -- Some of the more than 75,000 Missourians who own small parcels of state land are upset with a proposal by the state to begin charging them for hunting permits that previously had been free.

It's a change from a practice that has been in place since the mid-1980s, allowing residents who owned 5 acres of land or more to have free firearms and archery deer and turkey tags.

But the Missouri Department of Conservation has proposed sweeping changes in its fee structure for hunting and fishing licenses, including raising the minimum requirement for the free permits from 5 to 80 acres.

The change would affect more than 75,000 landowners and their families. One of those landowners is Brain Andrews, who has about 30 acres in the Ozarks and has received free permits for eight years.

"If this goes through, I might not ever hunt deer in Missouri again," said Andrews, 33, a network consultant from Cook Station. "I might even move to another state.

"It's not so much the cost that I'm upset about. It's that we're getting one of our freedoms taken away," he said. "Small landowners like us are the ones who take care of the wildlife. We provide the habitat and the food, and we manage the land."

The decision isn't final. There will be a 30-day comment period during which landowners can contact the conservation department and elected state officials. Members of the Missouri Conservation Commission will review the responses. If the measure passes that review, it would take effect sometime next year.

Although the Department of Conservation has a $160 million budget -- one of the largest conservation agency budgets in the Midwest -- it's beginning to feel the pinch from the current economic downturn, officials said.

Maintaining game and fish programs costs more and it is difficult to find ways to increase revenue, they said.

"We're not saying that these smaller landowners don't matter," said Eric Kurzejeski, chief of outreach programs for the department. "Some have written or e-mailed and said they feel like we're slapping them in the face. That's not the message we want to convey.

"We value what they contribute. It's just that we felt it was time for some changes."

Changing the minimum required acreage from five to 80 acres would return to the original intent of the law, he said.

"When we set this up in the 1940s, the purpose was to reward those who were involved in agriculture for their contributions," he said. "We felt that we were getting away from that original intent."

But the increased revenue was also important. The conservation department gets federal funding only for those who pay for hunting and fishing licenses. In 2007, for example, the state received $17 for each person who bought a hunting permit.

Antlerless Resident Permit- $10

Spring Turkey Resident Permit-$20

Fall Turkey Residnt Permit-$15

Grand Total for Landowner (under 80 acres)=$45

Number of Landowners Getting Srewed 75,000 X $45 = $3,375,000

Even more than previously discussed. Follow the money people.

So what will happen

1) Some will bow down and pay the increase

2) Not everyone will buy a tag and blow the hell out of em anyway.

3) Less wildlife harvested.

The BS line is the trend is more people are buying small plots of land. Has anyone priced 80 + acres latley? Not too cheap.

They are in it for the money.

[Guest]

deleted

[Trevor K]

I would be pretty surprised if the new price of a landowner tag causes any significant decrease in the number of deer harvested. I guess we won't know until after the season is over though.

[jdmidwest]

It won't be until the 2009 season anyway!

[bigredbirdfan]

Brian Andrews seemed happy didn't he siusaluki? He aint the only one.

[trout fanatic]

I think that crisis perhaps may be too strong a word. I have hit 7 deer since 1997 but I still don't think our population is in crisis (yet). On the other hand, my insurance agent strongly disagrees with me. I just hope we don't have to see a starving deer population before we are willing to admit that there is a crisis. I do feel that our herd has too many does. The antler restrictions and unlimited doe tags hopefully will resolve some of this. In the meantime, carry on gentlemen.

[bobw]

I would like to hunt somewhere there are too many deer. I don't own property, but I hunt on my dads place in Lawrence County. He has 175 acres that he has some cows on. But we put out food plots and do all we can to keep deer around his property. This has been the best year we have ever had bow hunting there. We have taken 4 deer. 3 doe and 1 buck. But we hunt hard to do it. There are days that go by we set in a stand and don't see a single deer. I'm sure some of you remember back in the late 60's and early 70's when there wen't many deer in SW Missouri. Then it was buck only, you couldn't shoot a doe in the section we hunted. Then a few years later you had to put in for a doe tag and get drawn for one. Not to many years after that you could buy all the doe tags you wanted. The deer have made a come back, but they are not thick every where. I think we (in Missouri) have plenty of deer in most places to hunt. The Conservation Department has done a wonderful job of bringing the deer and turkey back to populations that evryone can take advantage of. I guees this is off of the subject a bit. But I just can't see how $20 is going to keep anyone from hunting or cause a boom in hte deer population because land owners won't pay for a tag. I support the Conservation Department all the way.

[tadman]

Oh boy redbird you really showed me. I say to hell with Brian Andrews. Sounds like a big ol' crybaby to me. Moving outta state over a deer permit. What is he, your brother? You both sound a like.

What freedom is he having taken away? If he and his cronies wouldn't have abused the system, none of this may have happened. I'd like to know how many permits were issued for his property. He ain't no more of an outdoorsman than you are.

Sure don't sound to me like bobw and his father are mad at this. I raise a toast to you and your father bobw. Keep up the fine work and good luck hunting.

[Chief Grey Bear]

".......Number of Landowners Getting Srewed 75,000 X $45 = $3,375,000

Even more than previously discussed. Follow the money people........"

Since you are the resident math wizard and since deer don't live on every acre in this state, then why do you continue to claim all 75,000 land owners are hunters? And why do you claim that every one them is going to use all three of those permits?

The only BS in this thread is coming from you. Like always.

[jdmidwest]

How about that Obama guy, by this time next year we will be hunting with sticks and stones! Who will care if there are any licenses.