Most outdoors folks that I have spoken with realize a license, tag, or permit fee increase is warranted. After all, they haven’t been raised in 25 years. With inflation up nearly 67% since 1996, declining license sales, increased agency responsibilities, and steadily increasing state-mandated costs such as payroll taxes and health insurance, revenue has not been meeting expenses for several years. Some interested sportsmen attended the Zoom listening sessions put on by MassWildlife and understood the plight that they face with its income shortfall to cover expenses and even expressed support for a fee increase. There was no mention in those Zoom meetings as to the size of the fee increase to be proposed, but most sportsmen presumed that they would be reasonable.
During some of those meetings, some hunters expressed disappointment at the thought of increasing the hunting fees without addressing one very important issue – Sunday hunting. After all, surrounding states allow Sunday hunting but not Massachusetts. People who are required to work a 6-day week never get a chance to hunt in their own state and have to travel to VT, NY or CT. (I’m retired now and don’t have those concerns anymore, but let me tell you, when I was working, few things agitated me more).
Other Zoom attendees posed the question as to why the licensed outdoor sportsmen have to foot the entire bill for the purchase and maintenance of properties that the general public can use, such as the Wildlife Management Areas. How come the bird watchers, hikers, snow shoe enthusiasts, etc. don’t share the cost? How come they aren’t required to buy a tag or permit to use these lands?
Other issues were raised during those Zoom meetings, such as the stalled Crossbow Bill. Why is it that all surrounding states can use crossbows for hunting, but not in Massachusetts? Only bowhunters with certain disabilities are allowed to use a crossbow in our state?
In all fairness to MassWildlife, the regulations dealing with Sunday hunting and crossbow use rests with the Massachusetts Legislators. Sportsmen for years have been lobbying for them and their pleas and petitions appear to be falling on deaf ears. In spite of legislative support for the crossbow bill each year, it always dies in one committee or the other. As often stated by outdoor sportsmen, we don’t have anyone (or not enough) support in the Legislature – no one fighting for our causes. (I honestly believe we have Massachusetts legislators who would do away with hunting altogether in our state if given the opportunity. Just take a look at some of the proposed bills regarding firearms and hunting.)
Well, after of two years of study the MassWildlife recently announced its proposed new fee schedule, and many hunters went ballistic. (See attached proposed fee schedule). Hunters who paid $80.00 this year for their sporting licenses along with permits for archery hunting, waterfowl, primitive firearms, antlerless deer, bear, turkey and land stamp will now have to pay $220.00. That is a 275% increase. In my case, as a senior, my sporting license is free, but the permit fees will go from $20 to $80, an increase of $60 or 300% jump. C’mon! Most likely, I’ll be dropping some forms of hunting such as waterfowl and turkey hunting next year, as I only get out to enjoy those sports once or twice a year anyway.
The proposed fishing license fee increases appear to be more acceptable.
One person who contacted me wrote the following, “For my senior dad who simply hunts large game and occasionally pheasants, his free license with added stamps, permits and land stamp will increase from $20 to $100. That is a five-times increase for a senior that deserves a free license. This is an outrageous and unreasonable charge. A five times increase burden on these seniors is the highest percentage increase in the real cost of a license that I have calculated. How can the DFW propose to excessively burden this group of elderly sportsmen to this extent?”
A lot of sportsmen have contacted me since the proposed fee increases have been announced. More than a few of them have said that they will no longer hunt in Massachusetts, but rather in neighboring states. The displeasure of not being able to hunt in Massachusetts on Sundays, its restrictive gun laws, the expensive FID cards and now the dramatic fee increases seemed to have provided the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back.
Some people who have contacted me want to know my opinion of the increases. Well, I am a numbers person (spent 35 years of my life as a bank internal auditor). One thing I have learned is that an enterprise must have revenues that exceed expenses in order to survive. It cannot survive sustained losses year after year. That is what is projected to happen to MassWildlife within the next 5 years if a fee increase is not implemented. In fiscal year 2021, they project outflows (expenses over revenue) of $1.5 million, in 2022 it will be $2.1 M, in 2023, it will be 2.7 M, in 2024 $3.4M and in 2025 it will be $4.1 M. The Inland Fish and Game Fund balance in 2021 was a positive balance of $9.5M, but by the end of 2025, if there is not a change, it will stand at a minus $2.8M. Hey folks, something has to be done, and pronto.
The Massachusetts Fisheries and Wildlife Board has gone on record as being “committed to working with the Baker Administration, sporting constituents, outdoor recreation partners, and environmental stakeholders to explore a long-term, more diversified and sustainable funding model that is supported by the public at large. In the short term, the proposed license fee increases are critical to maintain current operations, programs, and services that MassWildlife’s constituents have come to expect. The proposed increase is projected to sustain the solvency of the Inland Fish and Game Fund for 8–10 years”.
MassWildlife anticipates scheduling and holding formal public hearings in the spring which will be advertised well in advance. In the meantime, you can provide feedback about the license fee proposal by using a convenient feedback form which can be downloaded from the MassWildlife web site or by mail to: MassWildlife Re: License Fee, 1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, MA 01581.
It is a bitter pill that we sportsmen have to swallow. I don’t know about you, but I would rather take that pill than to go with reduced services and lose some of the excellent programs that MassWildlife offers.
Spring trout stocking
MassWildlife informs us that approximately 450,000 brook, brown, rainbow, and tiger trout will be stocked this spring from MassWildlife’s five hatcheries located in Sandwich, Palmer, Belchertown, Sunderland, and Montague. These fish, coupled with the more than 60,000 fish stocked last fall, will provide some excellent fishing in the coming months. Stocking is scheduled to begin in southeastern waters in early March with other regions of the state expected to follow soon after. You can get daily stocking updates at Mass.gov/Trout. Anglers are reminded to purchase their fishing license online using MassFishHunt or by visiting a license vendor location.
2021 spring trout stocking stats:
- More than 75% of the trout will be over 12 inches
- More than 45% of the trout will be over 14 inches
- More than 48,000 brook trout will be over 12 inches
- More than 48,000 brown trout will be over 12 inches
- More than 200,000 rainbow trout will be over 14 inches
- More than 500 brown trout and 500 brook trout will be over 18 inches
- 1,000 brook trout will be over 14 inches
- All 2,500 tiger trout will be over 14 inches
We are asked to practice social distancing by keeping 6 feet away from others while fishing. Avoid congregating in parking areas, on boat ramps, or along the shore. Don’t share a boat with those outside your household unless it is large enough to allow for social distancing. Avoid busy areas and have a back-up plan if your usual spot is crowded. Visit to mass.gov/covid19 for the latest Massachusetts information and guidance.