MDC income

[porter57]

food for thought

what would things be like if there was no such entity?

sure there have been a few mistakes but there have been many successes

and they do more than stock fish. turkeys for instance,were restablished by them,as well as otters(mistake).

thier management has produced record numbers of deer,as well as increasing the size of crappie available in many lakes.

the list goes on and on.not all good but not all bad.

[jcoberley]

I don't want to buy a catfish, Bluegill, Crappie, Smallie, Large mouth, Carp, Gar stamp. Do don't give them any more ideas. Hell we will be staping our rod, line and hooks.

[brownieman]

food for thought

what would things be like if there was no such entity?

sure there have been a few mistakes but there have been many successes

and they do more than stock fish. turkeys for instance,were restablished by them,as well as otters(mistake).

thier management has produced record numbers of deer,as well as increasing the size of crappie available in many lakes.

the list goes on and on.not all good but not all bad.

increasing the size of crappie...do you mean dumping forage, cover, etc. in lakes?...please explain.

there have been good things accomplished...but many mistakes (hidden from the public) and some successes. Believe me...the public knows all of the good and little of the bad...on a scale it's going to be way out of balance if the truth were known.

As far as reestablishing deer populations, yes they did. They bought 13,000 acres of land, planted some deer, posted and enforced NO HUNTING signs and let nature take it's course. Most of the major accomplishments by them was before the 1/8 cents sales tax existed.

Talk with any retired or long time employee...the sales tax has been the demise of the MDC in many ways...the influx of revenue created so much money they had to start finding ways to spend it.

At this time the MDC as it used to be (a team effort to improve, protect and establish better hunting and fishing opportunities) in the state changed. Now the MDC is several divisions...Forestry, Fisheries, Design and Development, Protection, Private Land Services, Operations, etc...there is no teamwork left for fear of one division stepping on another divisions toes.

Good example...not sure on these figures but you'll get the idea. Years ago the hatcheries section employeed aprox. 100 to 120 employees who worked in the hatcheries, and there were about 10 biologists that were responsible for certain sections of the state,they delegated what was to be reared and where it was to be stocked.

Now (I think) there are over 100 biologists to perform the same job that 10 did in the past. What does this trend tell you?

I agree...there are good and bad aspects of the MDC...but which out weighs which, most will never know.

[gonefishin]

I think the MDC was a fine organization but as brownieman says "since the got the 1/8 cent sales tax...." they have gone downhill. I agree with him in that statement. They quit being a working organization and became a revenue earner for the state plain and simple. Think about it, with all the billions they have, they cut trout limits by 20% and reduced the numbers stocked to work on the hatchery at Taney. They have earned millions or more like billions from sales tax earnings, license fees ect but when it came time to do some maintenance and improvements they would not do it unless the public was going to pay extra for it. They were unwilling to put any money back into the infrastructure that supports their org. Doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Bottom line, they have became exceedingly greedy.

[Al Agnew]

It never ceases to amaze me how people can run down MDC..."they've gone downhill since the sales tax"????? Come on, people, do you think that there would be a tenth of the public land (outside the national forests) that there is in this state were it not for the sales tax? Geez, go to ANY other state and see how THEIR fish and game department operates. I guarantee you, you won't be nearly as happy with it as you are with MDC. Why? Because MDC actually has money to do things with, and relatively little political interference compared to other states. And bitching about the price of licenses and unwillingness to pay for stamps? C'mon, a few dollars for a trout stamp, and a fishing license that is what, less than 20 bucks? For being able to fish a whole year? If you can't afford that, you oughta be on welfare.

Yep, MDC has made some mistakes. I happen to know about some of them that didn't get a lot of publicity. And I'm the first to complain when I think they are doing something wrong. I'd like to see them spend more money to hire more agents, especially to police the Ozark streams. I'd like to see them change some things in the fishing regs. I'd like to see a FEW less chiefs and a few more Indians. I'd like to see them spend a little more on infrastructure.

But like I said, compare them to other state fish and game agencies. I know quite a few people in other states that have given me stories about their agencies. MDC is the envy of most of them. Not that they can't improve, and not that they should be sitting on their laurels. But we have it pretty good in this state compared to most.

[gonefishin]

I am not griping about what we have here in MO and I am not griping about what the MDC has done in the past. What I am griping about is the fact that they (MDC) act like they have no money for normal update and maintenance on the infrastructure. I don't think the licenses are too high but, with all the other income they have coming in they should not need to cut limits and increase license fees at the same time to pay for an upgrade they already had the money to do. The fact that they cut the trout limit to 4 is no big deal to me but, think about what a 20% decrease in production does tho their bottom line. So what do they have? A 20% reduction and when the upgrades are done the ability to produce at least twice as many fish. They do not have any plans to stock more fish that I know of so what are they going to do with all those extra fish, sell them?

I have no complaints with what the MDC accomplished in the past but I do think since they got the big increase in the inflow of cash they have became exceedingly greedy and need an attitude adjustment.

People who cant afford the licence should be on welfare you said. Well what about all the single mothers out there looking for something they and their children can do? What about the handicapped people living on fixed incomes or what about the people trying to get by on $600 or $800 social security retirement checks? $20 may not be high to you and it may not be high to people working decent jobs but to people on fixed incomes an extra $20 here and there is a big deal. I do think it is strange that with all the money that the MDC has they cant even find it in their hearts to offer a break to handicapped people. Kinda sad IMO

[Brian Sloss]

I know not everyone on retirement ss is 65, but a fishing license is not reguired for those over 65 or those under 16 for the single mother wanting to take her kids fishing.

[gonefishin]

I know not everyone on retirement ss is 65, but a fishing license is not reguired for those over 65 or those under 16 for the single mother wanting to take her kids fishing.

Right. Not everyone on SS is 65 some were hurt in wars and some were in accidents and some were just born with serious problems.

True single mothers don't have to buy licenses for kids under 16 but what about when they have kids 16 and older?

Like I said I agree the cost of a license isn't all that bad for most people but it can't be justified when one looks at the huge sums of money MDC has gotten from the everyday tax payers.

I don't think it wrong that MDC has money I just think they need to take a reality check and realize where the money comes from and maybe as they have it so good riding on the backs of the tax payers they could show a little compassion for the less fortunate.

And they should quit looking for creative ways to milk more money from the public when it comes time for upgrades or repairs and maintenance. They should spend at least a miserly portion of those big free tax bucks on infrastructure.

In short I think they should quit acting like a spoiled child of the ultra rich. Paris Hilton comes to mind.

JMO

[Danoinark]

Al said: "But like I said, compare them to other state fish and game agencies. I know quite a few people in other states that have given me stories about their agencies. MDC is the envy of most of them. Not that they can't improve, and not that they should be sitting on their laurels. But we have it pretty good in this state compared to most."

I agree with Al here. Arkansas G and F has always been under the political dole along with many of its commissioners, being political appointees. Nothing wrong with that, but expect what you pay for.

As to license fees, there are not many hobbies that you pay as little and get so much when buying hunting and fishing licenses. I mean look at the cost of playing a round of golf, paying a monthly fee to a gym, going to NASCAR races or just about any leisure activity expect to pay more.

Dano

[jcoberley]

HELLO!!!!!! You Want to price fishing like golf..... Ok I am for that if thay would build,and maintain more. Just how old are our Parks, buildngs and access points. And I am INPRESSED with their LACK of mowing and maintaining grounds. Come on you cant even start to compaire fishing with golf. Look I hate people that cant think beond their own income. I am on disability taking in 833.00 per month. raising 2 children. Now do you think I have enough money to pay higher prices plus higher gas... And for what...... 4 little baby trout!!!!! Get off that kick. Fact is they have a lot of money and can't even start to manage it for the future. Just tell me what they have did for inprovments with their incress.... Ummmmm Wellll ohhhh thats just what I thought. Nothing!!!! They could update their handicap access and even build more and just maybe a few more restrooms and shelter houses would be in order. There is a lot they could do with the money. You said it your self 1/8 cent sales tax... Can you grip just how much money that is? And ok just compair them to other states.....like Ky, Il, Tn, Co, come on they dont have the 1/8 tax. just go and look at there state parks.....JMO