Marylands new license fees.

Our DNR has just filed the bill that will increase a resident hunters license fees to $95 by 2013. This is an almost 200% increase from current rates, and it jacks nonresident fees much higher than that.

The full text of this bill can be found here

http://mlis.state.md.us/2012rs/bills/hb/hb1051f.pdf

This is coupled with the reduced bag limits our DNR has proposed with the new hunting regulations. Huge cost increase and reduced opportunity. I would like to see this bill amended to expand the few Sunday hunting days we have on private lands only to public lands as well, and am currently trying to gain support for my idea.

Will keep you posted.

Well, there has been some negotiation with a very disgruntled hunting community here in Maryland. The DNR met with a group of concerned stakeholders from several hunting organizations here in Maryland, and it looks like this legislation will be amended shortly,and the fees proposed increase will be reduced by about half of what had been suggested.

Keeping my eye on the legislation for now, will post back with updates.

Final update. This bill was defeated in the Maryland House. There is now no pending legislation to increase hunting license fees for the 2012-2013 hunting season.