tagging stations are a must to keep control of harvested game. sportsman will notmind an extra buck to register their prize

John Martin should know about the phone service in the woods . HIs million dollar gaystation is located there.

We will see where that money really goes. It better keep people employed.

IFW is regarded as a "General Fund" Agency even though it is actually funded almost completely by user fees in the form of Licenses, registrations, and federal funds allocated based on formulas the feds use to disperse funds collected via taxes on the sales of hunting and fishing equipment. The "general fund" designation was applied years ago so that IFW would be solvent during portions of the year when funds trickle in slowly. Which is manged in the private sector by seasonal business but I guess that was too much to ask a Commissioner to manage? Once in that Gen Fund designation any funds they have can be manipulated or fall victim to whatever pleases the keeper of the purse strings in power at the time. IFW manages the resources that bring 2.4 billion in economic impact to Maine. A 30 million budget invested to generate and stimulate 2.4 billion in revenue is a shameful joke!The non-consumptives need to "invest" as well and soon before our treasure of a natural resource is toast.

Well now. I think that 70 plus yr olds get free licenses. Many of these people are not low income and can well afford to pay. Perhaps it can be income based? We so often hear that 60 is the new 40....so is 70 the new 50? If the 70 year olds make it to 90, God Bless them and also bake them a cake and give them a free license too THEN. As for decals on kayaks....and a fee for that. What would I be catching while out in that? And it an option to get a hiking permit? I "walk in the park" all the time. The only thing I am planning on paying is for is a shoe or a boot. Fees might be raised on out of staters. If they can afford to come here to hunt and vacation...aka play. Let THEM "pay to play". That phrase is more appropriate to gambling anyow. Slam that tax on the casion people!

Buy a life time license.

Non-hunters benefit from DIF&W as well as hunters and fishermen. When you hit a deer on the highway who responds to your call and makes a report so you can collect your insurance? If there is a stray animal on your property who comes? How about a hunter trespassing? A rabid fox? A lost child or old person or hiker? What if a beaver floods your road or property? Sportsmen and women carry all of you with fees and taxes. I don't hunt anymore and seldom fish but still buy licences every year. Maybe some of you who enjoy the outdoors and can afford to should do the same weather you hunt or hike.

It's time for non-consumptive users to start helping with the bill. They get lost, hurt, and need help just like a sportsperson except they don't help support the system with license fees and such.

I'm glad I bought my son that $250 lifetime license.

The lifetime license is the way to go if you're in the right age bracket. I wish they would make them available to people of all ages. I agree that the fees should be increased on non-resident licenses. I've seen folks from away getting flown into lakes with their $500 waders and $1000 fly fishing setups. I think they'd be willing to pay more than $52 for the license. There also doesn't seem to be any shortage of non-resident applicants for the moose lottery. Maybe the $477 license fee is too low considering that the auctioned permits went for $8,500 - $12,650 last year.

Nobody likes to pay more for anything, but on a typical one day ice fishing trip, I will buy a dozen smelts for around $7, spend $10 on gas for the sled, $20 for the truck, $10 for beer and another $10 for some misc. chips, cheese and onions to go with the deer meat. Add it up and the price of the license sounds pretty good. And remember, the license lasts all year! Pretty good deal, but it is about time that the so called non-consumptive users start paying their fair share. They consume a wardens time looking for them when they're lost. They also consume a biologists time when the biologist reviews environmental permit applications to protect natural resources enjoyed by all. This is a set-up by the Governor to ensure that IF&W comes up short so he can justify his slimy consolidation scheme. He has been the worst Governor ever as far as hunting and fishing are concerned! After all, he ordered Danny Martin to testify AGAINST a license fee increase last year. And of course Martin, ever the political boot licker, obliged. Pitiful!

penobscotman, I hear ya. I've done the math and I figure I pay at least $200-300 per pound for the brookies I keep. Although I hate to admit it, the state can count on me buying the combo license plus other permits every year regardless of cost. Good luck fishing for the rest of the season!

WOW, UP THE LICENSE FEES BY $2.50. THAT SHOULD PAY FOR ALL THE GAS A FEW WARDENS IN OUR TOWN WASTE GAS BY LETTING THIER STATE PICK-UP TRUCKS RUN FOR HOURS WHILE WARDENS ARE IN THE STORE TRYING TO GET INFORMATION ON PEOPLE. NOT TO MENTION FLURTING WITH THE STORE OWNERS WIFE WICH COST ONE WARDEN HIS MARRIAGE. THEY CALLED IT PUBLIC RELATIONS. I REMEMBER ONE WINTER MORNING GOING TO FORT KENT AND WHEN I RETURNED FOUR AND HALF HOURS THE SAME LICENSE PLATE WARDEN TRUCK WAS SITTING THERE IN FRONT OF THE STORE IN THE SAME PLACE WITH EXHAUST FUMES COMEING OUT OF THE TAIL PIPE. THAT IS ALOT OF PUBLIC RELATIONS. DANNY MARTIN, GET RID OF SOME OF THE STAFF THAT ARE HARASSING 4 WHEELERS AND SNOW SLEDDERS YOU DON'T NEED. ONE WARDEN CHUCK RICHARDS TOOK CARE OF HIS DISTRICT FOR MANY YEARS AND NOW IT IS TAKEING TWO WARDENS TO TAKE CARE OF SAME DISTRICT. ANOTHER THING, YEARS AGO YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONSERVING OUR NATURAL RESOURCES BY STOPPED THE TREE HARVESTING IN THE DEER YARDS UP HERE AND THERE WOULD BE MORE DEER AND MORE RESIDENT AND NONRESIDENT HUNTERS WOULD BE BUYING LICENSES TO HUNT WICH BRINGS IN MONEY TO THE STATE OF MAINE.

An extra couple bucks for a fishing license? I don't like it, but I'll still be buying a license. Seriously though, kayaks and canoes? I would be willing to wager that most people who own kayaks and canoes are like me and already "pay to play". I have been enjoying the Maine outdoors all my life, I love it, I can't get enough of it. Every year I buy a fishing license, I register a snowmobile, a trailer, a four wheeler, a boat. Boy do I pay to play. Now I might have to pay to register my two kayaks, and a canoe I plan on buying in the spring? What's next? Am I gonna have to register my mountain bike, my snowshoes, buy a year long hiking pass? This crap HAS TO STOP? Is it even remotely possible for the Maine government to stop thinking about new ways to charge more and start thinking about how to spend less?

The way I understand it, anyone who already buys either a hunting or fishing license would get their canoe/kayak license for FREE! Only those folks that presently do not buy any licenses and pay NOTHING would be charged a fee for their non-motorized watercraft license. Works for me. My 3 kayaks and 2 canoes would essentialy be covered buy my combination license.

penobscotman, thank you for the info, I hadn't heard anything like that. Sounds too sensible for the collective brain power in our great capitol, but perhaps there is hope yet.

I think if they want to raise the fee than you need to give the hunters Sunday hunting also.