Out Of State Licenses

[bfishn]

The second site (MAP) is pretty easy to use. Don't worry about clicking the wrong thing, it won't break. Lots of trivia there, like the annual salaries for Dept of Corrections employees is more than 6 times Conservation.

In looking around for your Colorado info I came across a pertinent news article;

http://www.denverpost.com/outdoors/ci_24593944/call-colorado-hunting-boycott-misses-mark

Whoa... $38M in NR licenses a year...

Colorado's trends seem to mirror Missouri's in that increased NR fees were followed by increased NR usage. To me that says the market is bearing it just fine. Bottom line, there are some activities that only an increasing few can afford. You can add a Colorado elk hunt to that list (at least for me).

[Walcrabass]

Bfishn,

Thank you very much. I was able to go to the site you provided with the salaries/wages. I did not find anything concerning bonuses. It was VERY INTERESTING READING!!!!! I was particularly drawn to the fact that the Biologists were paid considerably less than the "Business" or "Finance" or maybe "IT" guys. It would seem to me that they would be of MORE IMPORTANCE than the "Bean Counter" kind of people to a Conservation Department. I would suggest that everyone go to this site to see the money that these people receive. It will give you a better perspective in the grand scenario of things.

While I was browsing I also looked at salaries for Professors, Deans, Maintenance personnel, etc for the College and University people. Zarra Spook, I now have absolutely no problem understanding why they try to collect 2 or 3 times the money from students that come from out of state. When you consider their retirement it REALLY comes into focus. I am now having a hard time understanding why we have condemned people like........ the Auto Workers?????

So....Bfishn....unless I am incorrect (maybe blind) we all need to get jobs with these people. THEN THE OUT OF STATE LICENSES WOULDN'T SEEM SO BAD!!!!! It brings to mind.....You just don't know until you have walked a mile ( or are permanently stuck in ) the other guys shoes.

All I know is......the vast majority of us are underpaid/under provided for in retirement. I hope none of the people that were getting what I consider to be VERY GOOD PAY in this documentation are against Minimum Wage. That would be insulting to the human thought processes.

Just Ole Walcrabass

[Walcrabass]

Bfishn,

Just ONE more thing in regard to the "increasing few" being able to afford the Hunting/ Fishing licenses. I was under the impression that the Conservation Departments were devoted to ALL citizens enjoying our wildlife. I am not referring to seeing them along the roadways....I mean being able to Hunt them etc. With the "increasing few" being able to afford to go I had another thought. I guess ALL the people of the state will be charged through sales tax to pay for aiding our wildlife efforts but only an "increasing few" will actually get to enjoy it to the fullest. I am terribly against making our hunting/fishing so expensive that the majority of Americans cannot participate in the practices of their ancestors. Maybe I am all wrong....maybe it is O.K. for only a few to be able to afford to go.......then those that are wealthy would have even better hunting and fishing because there would not be other Peons harvesting THEIR game!!!!

Obviously I am NOT happy about this " Out of State" thing. Not for licenses.....not for colleges either. The water that flows through Missouri is the same water that flows through other states. Maybe we should start charging out of state people for breathing "Our Air" while they are in our state. Sorry..... I am just trying to point out how wrong all this stuff is to people who belong to the same country and pay the same Federal taxes. We as a people have got to start being a lot more fair.

That is all,

I won't say anymore,

Walcrabass

[bfishn]

You're welcome Walcrabass, glad you're enjoying it. There's all kinds of interesting stuff there. Like the slow year Joe Machens Ford had with only $1.7M of state sales.

Think I'll keep my day job though, the equivalent job for the state of Mo. only pays about 60%.

[MOPanfisher]

Just for fun I'll play a little devils advocate on the out of state fees. Missouri is different from most state in that it has that dedicated sales tax to help pay for conservation, most states have to live on whatever the state legislature gives them plus sales of permits. So if a state is getting cut by their legislature, the only thing they have left is the permit fees, and if the information is correct that the fees for out of state licenses has gone up and so has the out of state usage it seems like they are doing well. Missouri has relatively low resident fees and gets a pretty good influx of out of state hunters as a result who hve to buy gas, groceries, go out to eat, stay at a motel etc. etc. which is good for the economy in the state. As for Missouri Department of Conservation being dedicated to the citizens being able to "hunt" wildlife that is not always the case, they are dedicated to wildlife, fisheries, forests, grasslands, enforcement, watershed development and many other things. Forgive me if it seems that you are upset at other states high fees and taking it out on Missouri's Conservation Department. I personally would love to go to Colorado/Wyoming/Montana etc. and hunt Elk/mule Deer/ Antelope but I know that I simply can't affort to at this point.

[Feathers and Fins]

There is a solution to this problem, one that is already proven to generate revenue for states recirpicle licenses! Works pretty dam well on the White River.

If Mo and Ar were to do a license like this say maybe charge 20 bucks for hunting and 20 bucks for fishing as an example how much more money could be generated?

Each state gets half of the permit fee and both make money if a person buys that license then they can buy deer/turkey etc tags for a reduced fee. Lowering the cost of anything will always sell more of the product. I am a lifetime license holder in MO but will not buy the deer or turkey tags anymore because of the high cost. If they dropped the fee to something more reasonable I WOULD buy them right now Mo is loosing money buy the price they put on it.

[fishbait3]

I think MO has an alright program with wildlife, I dont mind paying for the permits i use/ or dont use(ex:Trout license). i dont fish to many areas for trout besides Bennett Springs or on the Niangua river but planning on trying taney and bull shoals more for which the Stamp would be needed.

I dont catch boat loads of fish but enough to keep me active in the sport of eating or C&R.

I enjoy the outdoors so i buy a deer tag or turkey tag but havent ever killed either one yet. People say its a waste of money but i just like sitting and enjoying the nature, eventually one of these days ill kill something.

[Walcrabass]

Mopanfisher,

You have hit the nail right on the head. You would love to go to Colorado or elsewhere to hunt but just can't afford to go. I know there are other expenses involved but the Out of State tags play a big part. My point is that if it continues you might not be able to go here either. I still am standing behind the fact that the same air, same water etc flows through many states. Also that the Federal lands belong to each and every American EQUALLY !!! This is NOT about Missouri or any other state by itself. It is about a trend from all of them. Us older guys remember when this problem did not exist. You know why???? Because people in years past would not have put up with this kind of practice.

Write to them guys !!! Let them know how you feel. It just isn't right !!!!!

Walcrabass