Out-of-staters could pay more to hunt in Iowa

February 22, 2009 at 04:31 PM

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is pushing a plan to raise $1 million by raising hunting and fishing licenses in the state, but only for out-of-staters.

The agency recently scrapped a proposal to up the fees that Iowans pay by 34 percent this year after Gov. Chet Culver said to hold off because of the weak economy.

Many hunting and fishing fees haven’t been raised in six years or more. Department Director Richard Leopold says that has left the state trust fund that finances habitat renewal work and fish stocking insolvent. The governor wants $4 million from the Legislature to cover the current shortfalls.

Besides higher hunting and fishing fees for out-of-staters, the agency also wants lawmakers to allow the department to issue 12,000 deer licenses to nonresident hunters. That’s double the current number.

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This sounds all too familiar, doesn’t it. Next comes doubling down on the n/r permits to raise another $1.0 million. Next comes unlimited outfitter hunting and leasing. And finally, displacement of the last resident hunter. Oh well, for $462.50 he can come to Illinois and hunt whitetails on public ground. Join the crowd!

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 02/23 at 11:05 PM

Hey BigD…
How you been? Looks like the outfitter associations have done a good job at sweet talking Iowa politicos. Iowa sportsman have no clue about what’s going to hit them. Outfitters have whored out Illinois…time to move west! Good riddance.

Maybe the N/R’s will wake up and head west with the outfitters and the Illinois residents can have their state back.

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 07/21 at 06:14 AM