Hunting season is fast approaching and with it, the time to purchase or renew licenses. However, residents may be shocked when they arrive at town hall with checkbooks in hand and discover that prices are increasing by a minimum of $10 in every license category. On Aug. 17 licenses for the 2009-2010 season will go on sale and the new prices will go into effect.
The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, or DEC, which issues all state sporting licenses, is initiating the first fee raise since 2002 in order to generate more revenue for the Conservation Fund. For the past two years, revenue generated from sporting license sales has been insufficient to maintain the fish and wildlife management and law enforcement that the Conservation Fund requires.
In order to avoid the raise this year and any future hikes, residents can purchase lifetime packages prior to Oct. 1. A lifetime license includes small/big game, turkey, fishing and a waived application fee for Deer Management Permits. Another change facing hunters involves Deer Management Permits, which in the past were free with the purchase of either a sportsman or super sportsman license. Starting with the 2009-2010 season, all Deer Management Permits will cost $10, regardless of what license you’ve purchased and whether or not you win your lottery pick – except with regard to a lifetime license.
The lifetime license fees increase as well on Oct. 1, but any lifetime license purchased prior to that date would be charged the current fee. The new fees for lifetime sportsman’s are as follows: ages up to four, $380; ages five to eleven, $535; ages 12 to 69, $765; and age 70 and older, $65. Though those prices may seem steep, they offer considerable savings when compared to annual fees of $88 for a sportsman license per year.
Also important to note is that the criteria for senior citizens is also changing; New York State is adding five years to the age bracket for seniors – so those under 70 are no longer eligible for the discounted rate. Town Clerk Jill Hageman-Clark wants to make sure that Clay seniors are aware that there’s still time to avoid the raise by taking advantage of a loophole.
“Up until now, seniors were considered to be anyone over the age of 65 and always paid $5 for an annual license. But starting this year, a fishing license for example, will cost anyone under the age of 70 $29. Which is quite a difference!” Hageman-Clark explained. So her solution is to tell those falling within the newly created gap of 65 to 69 years of age, to purchase a lifetime senior sportsman license for $50 by Oct. 1. After Oct. 1 of this year they will no longer qualify for a senior license and will then have to pay a regular license fee of $47 a year until they turn 70.
Hageman-Clark, along with deputy town clerks Gloria Wetmore and Patty Coates, are anticipating confusion and even a little sticker-shock when the new licenses are being purchased and wallets are being strained.
“We just want them to be aware of it. There’s not much we can do…but we do sympathize with the hunters,” said Wetmore.
For further information or if you have questions, please contact the clerks at 652-3800.
Jul
24
Hunting Fees on the Rise
Melissa Renahan 07/24/09
CATEGORY: General Society