Saturday, July 1, 2017

ADDED ODNR/Non-residents to feel the bite of increased Ohio hunt and fish license fee


The Ohio General Assembly and the Kasich Administration are passing the buck to the next class of legislators and a new governor to determine whether the state’s resident hunters and anglers will pay more for their respective licenses and permits.

For now the current crop of politicians made it their duty to increase a number of fees charged to non-resident hunters and anglers. Included in this constituency segment – intentionally or otherwise – are non-resident youth hunters.

Under the just passed two-year General Operating Budget, non-resident anglers will pay more to catch Lake Erie walleye while non-resident hunters will pay more to hunt deer, turkeys and everything else. These fee increases will begin to tangle with non-resident wallets beginning in 2018 as this year’s fees are all ready established.

Spelled out in the just-approved budget is that a non-resident hunter will pay $124 this year for the basic general hunting license, $140.50 in 2018, $157 in 2019, and $174 beginning in 2020. All of these figures do not include the requisite issuing fee.

For a single deer tag a non-resident will pay $24 this year and rising to $74 by 2020.

In order to hunt wild turkeys a non-resident now pays $23 for either a spring or a fall permit. Beginning in 2018 that charge will rise to $29. Again, minus the obligatory issuing fees that are tacked on to each issued permit.

Noteworthy is the elimination of the popular non-resident youth hunting licenses and any associated reduced-cost deer and turkey tags. These less expensive permits were available for youths age 17 and under but beginning in 2018 non-resident kid hunters will have to begin paying what their elders are required to fork over, the new law reads. Ohio sells about 3,100 licenses.

However, in a bow to military service personnel, the new law does permit an individual who is either on leave or furlough – and as long as that individual is likewise on active duty – to buy a deer or turkey hunting permit at the Ohio resident rate. This will be true whether that individual is a resident or not of Ohio.

As for anglers the bite out of the purse will not be quite so severe. For a seasonal license a non-resident now pays $39 (excluding issuing fee); a charge that will climb to $49 by 2020; again, incrementally.

“That’s still a bargain,” said Rob Sexton, spokesman for the Columbus-based Sportsman’s Alliance.

The Alliance was the spear point for the efforts in Ohio to increase license fees charged to both residents as well as non-residents.

In a pitched political battle with leaders of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the Alliance and a confederation of some 41 state and national sportsmen and conservation groups intensely lobbied for the fee increases. The matter began in the Ohio House and rolled over to the state Senate where each side on the issue voiced reservations regarding their opponent’s arguments.

Especially bitter in the eyes of the Alliance was the Natural Resources Department’s heel-digging resistance to resident fee increases. And the pro-increase forces had to shepherd their prospective and proposed fee recommendations against some politicians who wanted even greater increases to non-resident fees.

Meanwhile, some other elected officials went so far as to try and exempt land-owning non-residents from even needing to buy licenses if pursuing game on their own property.

“We greatly improved on the state Senate version, which in some cases was seeking increases that were way too high, and the Ohio House version which included fees that were way too low,” Sexton said. “We basically got everything we wanted.”

Everything, that is, except for the brass ring in the form of license fee increases charged to resident hunters and to a lesser degree, resident anglers.

Under the new arrangement the Ohio Division of Wildlife’s Wildlife Fund should see an influx of $40 million to $50 million in additional revenue over the next 10 years. However, that range is still a fraction of what is necessary in order to keep the Wildlife Division solvent, or about $220 million over the same period, says Sexton.


Keeping a close eye on how the increases will impact sales of non-resident license products is likewise the goal of the Natural Resources Department, says agency spokesman, Matt Eiselstein
“We supported adjusting non-resident fees in order to bring them in line with other states,” said Eiselstein. “(While) we didn't work directly on this amendment, but we are happy to review it and monitor its impact on non-resident participation.”

Asked also how many non-resident hunters likely will avoid Ohio when the rate increases fully hit home, Sexton said that an economist the Alliance hired to research the question estimated that figure to be about five percent.

“But there’s no real way to say for certain,” Sexton said. “The thing is, Ohio will now be in the ‘sweet spot’ as far as what other top-producing deer-hunting states charge non-residents. It is still a reasonable figure.”

As for the future, Sexton said the Alliance has begun the groundwork of preparing for seeking resident hunting and fishing license fee increases in 2019. That is when the state will take up the next two-year Operating Budget – and Ohio will have a new governor and a new state legislature make up.

After all, says Sexton, with an expected 10-year shortfall approaching $220 million no way can such a deficit “be laid solely on the backs of non-residents, particularly non-resident hunters.”

“There will be a discussion with the next governor, and we’ll shortly begin a dialogue with the various gubernatorial candidates from both parties,” Sexton said. “We’ll also be talking about a whole range of other issues, too, like the status of AEP land; so, yes, a lot of work remains for us to do over the next couple of years.”

Even so, says Sexton, he “feels pretty good” about the accomplishments the Alliance and its cohorts were able to achieve.

“Yes, especially considering that the Natural Resources director originally said that the Wildlife Division didn’t even need any additional money,” Sexton said.

 - Jeffrey L. Frischkorn

10 comments:

  1. I am a nonresident hunter from Florida and have been hunting since 1999 in Ohio I understand that on occasion there should be some increase for buying licenses for hunting and fishing for the purpose of increased revenue and being competitive with other states and I've checked prices for licenses in other states and thought they were just a little too high for myself and probably a lot of other Hunters but Ohio has been very fair with their licensing prices and tags if Ohio does get so competitive that it meets the same prices as the other states do the revenue that you have been getting through the non-resident Hunters from buying groceries equipment all goods and services in a particular area of the state may see a decrease in non-resident hunters in the future due to the fact that the prices have gotten so high they can't afford it anymore. I agree with staying competitive but don't be so competitive that it drives us away to pursue other dreams.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I was born and raised in Ohio but had to move due to a job. I have returned to Ohio for the last 35 years and hunted as a non resident. Years ago when I hunted I had no trouble filling my tags. Now I see less than I ever did and feel its because so many tags are given out. I also hunt Georgia and even tho their license is a little more I'm allowed 2 buck and 10 does. It is closer for me to drive (7 hrs vs 23 hrs).You can still hunt in Penn. for a license $101.00 and $26.00 for for doe tag if you submit at the right time. And Penn. Has more state game lands then Ohio too. I usually come 2 to 3 times every year and my wife comes with me at least once. We live in Florida and it is a tourist state. If you raise the license fees like you want. I won't be able to come any more because I'm just a working stiff. When I come I stay in a hotel,buy groceries and eat in restaurants just like every other out of state hunter. When you proposed this impact on non residents only, did you consider the businesses that will be effected to? If Florida raised their rates we would not be able to live if our out of stater's didn't come. Our businesses would dry up and die. You need to reconsider raising the rates across the board for residents and non residents alike. Keep your economy booming!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Alittle increase would be ok not that much sorry going to loss a lot of hunters, the youth is what's going to hurt remember you need the youth buying license, hope it works

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am totally done bringing my children to hunt as well as myself to hunt in Ohio it's totally ridiculous the amount of increase, I live in wv where my friend comes to hunt bear with me and it's only 140 for him as a nonresident from Ohio ,I literally live across the river which is where i will stay and hunt and spend my money.

    ReplyDelete
  5. As an ohio hunter I hate to the youth increase so hi I have couple buddies in pa. And 1 in wv. That have children that I've taught to hunt and as adults no still hunt in there own states I think the nonresident youth in crease will hurt youth participation .

    ReplyDelete
  6. I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post. Backcountry hunting

    ReplyDelete
  7. As a Ohio property owner I pay over $2500 each year in property taxes, yet the fine state of Ohio now wants me to pay a additional $257 on top of that to hunt on my own property. A increase of 73% over the $149 it was prior to 2018. I have been a non resident license holder for 9 years, but have had enough. I will just hunt in my home state of Pa where the hunting in my opinion is better anyway. A Ohio non resident can hunt in Pa for $101 which includes a antlered tag, if a antlerless tag is desired on can be purchased for a additional $26. Not hard to figure out what is the better deal

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am very disappointed in the cost increase of the nonresident hunting license. My husband and son love hunting in Ohio, but with the long travel, it is just a one week trip. Paying $180.96 for the initial license and $76.96 for the dear tag is unrealistic for a one week hunt. When you add travel to the cost of hunting, it doesn't make sense. Unfortunately this will hurt the local economy. Chalk it up to Government greed.

    ReplyDelete
  9. although I wasn't able to hunt this year in Ohio I feel your pain I'm hoping that this doesn't get out of control with the cost increase so that Ohio can be competitive with the ridiculous prices across the nation for buying hunting licenses and tags. Ohio has so many small towns that are almost impoverished but has excellent deer hunting keeping the non-resident Hunters able to hunt in Ohio keeps the economy going in those areas of the mom and pop places to buy goods and services for the non-resident hunters and Resident Hunters alike. Dear ODNR please slow your price increases down so that we can adjust to them as time passes rather than being hit in the face with a hammer which is what it feels like when you see how you have increased prices so drastically over the last 2 years. How can a either sex tag go from $24 to $76 in just two seasons that's almost a 200% price increase that's outrageous. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources is really trying to hit our pockets hard almost as if they don't want non-residents there to hunt anymore. Please try to see this from our vantage point most of us are just your average everyday hard worker who loves to hunt and still be able to afford it. At this rate we will no longer be able to hunt in Ohio due to the extreme cost. Hopefully you well grant us Grace periods before raising the prices again thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  10. As a resident in Ohio im disgusted with what they did too non resident as well as the residents.It is cheaper for me to go to West Virginia to hunt deer and turkey than it is in mine own state as a resident. Ohio should be ashamed of this and you set back and wonder why the numbers are dropping every year for hunters in this state. They need to set back and take a look how they are ruining it for people to hunt here. Also look at how they hurt the small towns in southern ohio that rely on hunters for income.

    ReplyDelete