# License Fees and running more people away from Hunting



## one hogman (Jul 9, 2017)

I have several friends and former co workers that USED to be deer hunters and they would  tell me they quit because the price of deer leases got so expensive, well now they and others can add that license fees have added to running more people away from hunting!!

I just turned 65 and at 60 I [ Luckily] bought a lifetime license for $95.00 now from age 60 to 64 that same license is $315.00!! What happened that we needed to increase the costs of that license over 3 times !! this is totally ridiculous.! Retired folks on fixed incomes can't justify paying these prices.

Any economist worth his salt will tell you that you are NOT gonna take in all this new $$ on these huge increases instead LOTS of people are just not gonna buy the license. 

How nice to live into your supposedly GOLDEN years and the State of Ga. and DNR  penalizes you for it ,!!

Also now we are encouraged to trap to help the deer heard and reduce the coyote pop, I trap a little around our lease just to keep a few Varmints in check, I don't sell anything and sure don't make any $$ on it, but in the last few years the trapping license has went from $25.00 to $40.00 a year , what do I get for that increase?? 

I sure hope the DNR and state Legislators that passed all this get a LOT of feedback for going overboard on lots of these huge increases. In times of losing ground for hunters this IMO will only add another nail into the coffin!!


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## Fork Horn (Jul 9, 2017)

Purchased my son a lifetime license before the increase and saved $250 by not waiting.  

I hated to see a charge added for landowner tags, which have been free until now.  Part of my family would get these each year and hunt once or twice around Thanksgiving as the family gets together for the holiday and have done this for years.  I doubt they'll spend the $5 for a tag that will likely not be used so they will now very likely either hunt a time or two without it or just not hunt at all.

I wouldn't mind the increase if I could see something good being done with the money. From what I can tell, there is virtually no management done on Wildlife Management Areas (other the limiting how much hunting goes on there) and practically no management done outside those areas.  Some might witness more, but that's my experience. I imagine salaries will go up for people in prominent positions and a few years from now we will be hearing about budget cuts and that there isn't enough money.


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## divinginn (Jul 9, 2017)

Boat registration fee just went up also.


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## kmckinnie (Jul 9, 2017)

None of the leases in my area were given up up Most of them are by Florida hunters
I will see if it's the same next year I doubt it


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## one hogman (Jul 9, 2017)

kmckinnie said:


> None of the leases in my area were given up up Most of them are by Florida hunters
> I will see if it's the same next year I doubt it



A non resident Annual License for hunting and big game costs them $295.00 last year.This year it will cost $375.00  an $80.00 increase , A sportsman's Licence for the NR is $400.00 that is not much of an increase IMO,  I don't see that as slowing anyone down from Florida,and I am not saying that we need to. We had heard they were really gonna hit the Non residents hard that didn't happen, seems like they hit residents harder especially if you are a 60 year old that would have bought a lifetime license, it more than tripled ,!I just don't see the thinking in that!!


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## transfixer (Jul 9, 2017)

I don't think the license fee increases are going to cause anybody not to hunt or fish,  if I'm figuring correctly it may cost me an extra $25.00 or so,  I usually get hunting/big game/fishing/trout stamp, I got a trapping license also this year,  I'll continue to pay , even if it doubles,  although I would like to see more  Wardens in the woods,  haven't seen one around Oglethorpe county in years.  Maybe they'll use the money to hire more ? 

   The costs of leases has caused us to lose a few members from time to time,  and the clubs adjacent to us as well.  Nothing against the Florida hunters, but I believe their willingness to pay high prices for Ga leases has snowballed across the state,  our landowner continues to go up every year, and with the attitude that if we don't like it ?   go elsewhere !    Even though we have leased the same property going on 40yrs and have always taken care of it, keeping it clean and trash free, roads taken care of,  they don't care.  They know someone will pay the price they ask.


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## TC Fool (Jul 9, 2017)

*Lease Prices*

I remember back when the timber companies were attempting to get there lease members to push for the conservation use tax rates in Ga so that "they could keep lease prices down".  We see that didn't work so well. In the end, it is a business and demand is demand. 

As for licenses cost, I remember the cost going up to cover purchasing land in the Preservation 2000 plan (Zell Miller). Seems like they should have went back down once the land was paid for.  I know everything cost money but I haven't seen a raise like that in my paycheck.


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## Oldstick (Jul 9, 2017)

one hogman said:


> I just turned 65 and at 60 I [ Luckily] bought a lifetime license for $95.00 now from age 60 to 64 that same license is $315.00!! What happened that we needed to increase the costs of that license over 3 times !! this is totally ridiculous.! Retired folks on fixed incomes can't justify paying these prices.
> 
> How nice to live into your supposedly GOLDEN years and the State of Ga. and DNR  penalizes you for it ,!!



I agree with you hogman 100%.  The one category you mentioned above was probably the most unjust decision out of all the increases.  I am turning 60 in October and had been looking forward to buying the $95 license for the last ten years or so.  

What they obviously didn't consider was that most people eligible for the 60+ license were probably folks just like me, who never really had the extra cash to shell out for a lifetime license, but they did pay the annual fees faithfully since turning 16.  Not to mention state sales and income taxes all that time as well.


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## one hogman (Jul 9, 2017)

{{although I would like to see more Wardens in the woods, haven't seen one around Oglethorpe county in years. Maybe they'll use the money to hire more ? }}

Be careful what you wish for, someone said that at our club at Hancock a few years back, On opening Morning two showed up and did their level best to find us hunting over bait, they spent 2&1/2 hours going to different stands, looking for bait , checking license,they were very unfriendly like they were on a mission to get us,  we were legal and they finally left disappointed , after ruining the morning hunt for several of our hunters. unless you have trespassers or  night shooters count your blessings IMO!!


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## one hogman (Jul 10, 2017)

one hogman said:


> A non resident Annual License for hunting and big game costs them $295.00 last year.This year it will cost $375.00  an $80.00 increase , A sportsman's Licence for the NR is $400.00 that is not much of an increase IMO,  I don't see that as slowing anyone down from Florida,and I am not saying that we need to. We had heard they were really gonna hit the Non residents hard that didn't happen, seems like they hit residents harder especially if you are a 60 year old that would have bought a lifetime license, it more than tripled ,!I just don't see the thinking in that!!



This is for a Hunting and  fishing combo license , plus Big game, last year they only offered it that way for Nonresident this year you can buy hunting only if you choose.


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## Meriwether Mike (Jul 10, 2017)

I am turning 58 this year and was looking forward to two more years of a Sportsman's license and then my $95 lifetime license. The new fee structure is set up such that I may as well go ahead and get the $375 lifetime option. That's a $150 increase over what I would have paid before. They took the age demographics and hosed those of us who were approaching the $95 lifetime level after we had purchased licenses for all the prior years. I never did the lifetime before because I wanted them to need my dollars so they might listen to my concerns. Thanks  Georgia!


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## one hogman (Jul 10, 2017)

Meriwether Mike said:


> I am turning 58 this year and was looking forward to two more years of a Sportsman's license and then my $95 lifetime license. The new fee structure is set up such that I may as well go ahead and get the $375 lifetime option. That's a $150 increase over what I would have paid before. They took the age demographics and hosed those of us who were approaching the $95 lifetime level after we had purchased licenses for all the prior years. I never did the lifetime before because I wanted them to need my dollars so they might listen to my concerns. Thanks  Georgia!



What I read shows it went from $95.00 to $315.00,  a $220.00 increase, I know they are scrapping For $$ after giving all the Wardens a 20% pay raise at the first of the year, Maybe they deserved a raise but not all of it on the backs of people that buy License or Register boats.  The  General Assy thought it was the thing to do,Obviously, I intend to let my rep and State Senator know  how much I like it!!


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## Meriwether Mike (Jul 10, 2017)

It went up 220% if you are 60. I am not there yet, but chose to go ahead with the best deal for me.


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## PappyHoel (Jul 10, 2017)

Hunter density problem solved


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## Mexican Squealer (Jul 10, 2017)

I have a hard time believing anyone would hang it up due to the increase in fees.  If so, maybe its natural selection.


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## one hogman (Jul 10, 2017)

Meriwether Mike said:


> It went up 220% if you are 60. I am not there yet, but chose to go ahead with the best deal for me.



I contacted my state rep about this, he voted for it and didn't know about this increase on 60 and over, he said he was told it would go down for seniors. he was gonna find out why and get back to me.


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## one hogman (Jul 10, 2017)

Mexican Squealer said:


> I have a hard time believing anyone would hang it up due to the increase in fees.  If so, maybe its natural selection.



That is a simplistic way to look at it, it is just one piece of the pie, BUT added in with higher lease costs, paying for food plots,tree stands, cost to commute,  The License, camper or hotel room and how much you actually get to hunt, at some point, it either becomes not worth it or something that you may or may not be able to justify based on your income. It all adds up, and you have to justify your time and $$ for the recreation benifit.  I pray I will be able to hunt till I drop cause I love it that much but not all think that way and not all are able to financially and any increase especially on Seniors is not justified IMO!!


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## elfiii (Jul 11, 2017)

Mexican Squealer said:


> I have a hard time believing anyone would hang it up due to the increase in fees.  If so, maybe its natural selection.



Yep. Where there's a will, there's a way.


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## kmckinnie (Jul 11, 2017)

I'm hanging it up.


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## kmckinnie (Jul 11, 2017)

And then I'm going to skin it.


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## C.Killmaster (Jul 11, 2017)

I recommend reading this thread:
http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=900533


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## Robert28 (Jul 11, 2017)

transfixer said:


> I don't think the license fee increases are going to cause anybody not to hunt or fish,  if I'm figuring correctly it may cost me an extra $25.00 or so,  I usually get hunting/big game/fishing/trout stamp, I got a trapping license also this year,  I'll continue to pay , even if it doubles,  although I would like to see more  Wardens in the woods,  haven't seen one around Oglethorpe county in years.  Maybe they'll use the money to hire more ?
> 
> The costs of leases has caused us to lose a few members from time to time,  and the clubs adjacent to us as well.  Nothing against the Florida hunters, but I believe their willingness to pay high prices for Ga leases has snowballed across the state,  our landowner continues to go up every year, and with the attitude that if we don't like it ?   go elsewhere !    Even though we have leased the same property going on 40yrs and have always taken care of it, keeping it clean and trash free, roads taken care of,  they don't care.  They know someone will pay the price they ask.



As a landowner who leases some property to a few people, it's not always about money with me. As you stated, I'm basically being paid for free maintenance and an extra set of eyes to watch out for my property, the hunters get to hunt in exchange for those services. I've been offered more money before, actually I get approached every single year about someone wanting to "out bid" the current club that leases from me. It's not worth it to me because I know the guys leasing my property now and they keep it clean, let me know if any shadiness is going on and they actually offer me meat. Their rate stays the same from year to year, and I'm happy I have good folks hunting my property that I don't have to worry about. Win, win.


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## cam88 (Jul 11, 2017)

If you really like to fish/hunt you'll find a way to make it work and enjoy what we all love. I was on the fence about it in the beginning but it is what it is can't do anything about it now!!


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## Oldstick (Jul 11, 2017)

one hogman said:


> I contacted my state rep about this, he voted for it and didn't know about this increase on 60 and over, he said he was told it would go down for seniors. he was gonna find out why and get back to me.



I wouldn't hold my breath that he didn't know it, but would be very interested in hearing his response, if you get one.

You have motivated me now and I may actually contact my state reps too.


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## meatseeker (Jul 11, 2017)

elfiii said:


> Yep. Where there's a will, there's a way.



Agree. I don't understand why more people didn't buy a lifetime license to begin with. It's a good bit upfront.  Just set aside $10'a week for a year and there's your license. Honestly if someone couldn't do that they likely can't afford to hunt. Folks will spend thousands on guns,gimmicks,leases, stands and camo. 
As far as nonresidents. If you can afford to hunt out of state you can afford the license.


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## biggdogg (Jul 12, 2017)

meatseeker said:


> Agree. I don't understand why more people didn't buy a lifetime license to begin with. It's a good bit upfront.  Just set aside $10'a week for a year and there's your license. Honestly if someone couldn't do that they likely can't afford to hunt. Folks will spend thousands on guns,gimmicks,leases, stands and camo.
> As far as nonresidents. If you can afford to hunt out of state you can afford the license.



Don't forget the gobs of money thrown at food plots...


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## Lilly001 (Jul 12, 2017)

The danger of all this sudden and excessive (IMHO) price increases is that it encourages hunting without a license.
I could easily hunt without one and the odds of my being caught are almost nonexistent. I own my land, it is remote and secured with good gates and I can process my kill on scene. I have never seen a warden even near my place and my neighbors who have lived there all of their life's say the same.
I buy a license, and always will. But an increasing number may not.


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## kmckinnie (Jul 12, 2017)

Lilly001 said:


> The danger of all this sudden and excessive (IMHO) price increases is that it encourages hunting without a license.
> I could easily hunt without one and the odds of my being caught are almost nonexistent. I own my land, it is remote and secured with good gates and I can process my kill on scene. I have never seen a warden even near my place and my neighbors who have lived there all of their life's say the same.
> I buy a license, and always will. But an increasing number may not.



I guess I messed up. We friends on FB & he comes by to see us and visits. My wife talked to him this week on the phone about the fish they caught. We ask all kind of questions about game laws. Great guy.


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## meatseeker (Jul 13, 2017)

Lilly001 said:


> The danger of all this sudden and excessive (IMHO) price increases is that it encourages hunting without a license.
> I could easily hunt without one and the odds of my being caught are almost nonexistent. I own my land, it is remote and secured with good gates and I can process my kill on scene. I have never seen a warden even near my place and my neighbors who have lived there all of their life's say the same.
> I buy a license, and always will. But an increasing number may not.


Yes you can easily hunt without a license. Legally if you own the land. So even when they were you cheaper you were overpaying


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## one hogman (Jul 14, 2017)

Oldstick said:


> I wouldn't hold my breath that he didn't know it, but would be very interested in hearing his response, if you get one.
> 
> You have motivated me now and I may actually contact my state reps too.



OLDstick, I did get a response today , he talked around it and said they surveyed lots of folks and no one really spoke out against it, also they looked at other states and what they were doing  and brought our fees up to average their's, in the end it is a done deal


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## one hogman (Jul 14, 2017)

Robert28 said:


> As a landowner who leases some property to a few people, it's not always about money with me. As you stated, I'm basically being paid for free maintenance and an extra set of eyes to watch out for my property, the hunters get to hunt in exchange for those services. I've been offered more money before, actually I get approached every single year about someone wanting to "out bid" the current club that leases from me. It's not worth it to me because I know the guys leasing my property now and they keep it clean, let me know if any shadiness is going on and they actually offer me meat. Their rate stays the same from year to year, and I'm happy I have good folks hunting my property that I don't have to worry about. Win, win.



Robert 28 I wish the bigger land owners felt the way you do.


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## ucfireman (Jul 14, 2017)

meatseeker said:


> Agree. I don't understand why more people didn't buy a lifetime license to begin with. It's a good bit upfront.  Just set aside $10'a week for a year and there's your license. Honestly if someone couldn't do that they likely can't afford to hunt. Folks will spend thousands on guns,gimmicks,leases, stands and camo.
> As far as nonresidents. If you can afford to hunt out of state you can afford the license.



Well said. I used my tax refund for mine about 10 years ago. Saved a bunch of money over the years. 

As for the politician that didn't know the fees were going up for seniors, What classifies a senior? 55 or 65. Growing up I thought it was 65 until my father hit 55 and was a "proud senior citizen".


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## Oldstick (Jul 14, 2017)

ucfireman said:


> As for the politician that didn't know the fees were going up for seniors, What classifies a senior? 55 or 65. Growing up I thought it was 65 until my father hit 55 and was a "proud senior citizen".



Well I would say typically it is defined as 65 in most places and maybe 62 for others.  But the issue being discussed in this thread is that the previous "near senior" price for a lifetime sportsman license was $95 when you turned 60.  Or one could wait until 65 and get it free.

Now, the age 65 lifetime sportsman license is $70 (or $7 per year if you choose).  Not too much problem with that.  But the new price structure has now jacked the "near senior" price up from $95 to $315.  How's that for a price increase?   What other age category of in or out of state hunters/fishermen got hit for that percentage of an increase?

Not to mention it hits mostly lifetime GA sportsmen/sportswomen who have paid faithfully over the years and were looking forward to paying the $95 instead of waiting until the free one at 65.

An increase up to say $125-150 or so, I could have understood in the context of the other necessary increases.  But after paying all this time and then it goes up to $315??????

So tell all the good ol' boy politicians we evidently can read better than they can and we will remember this next election.


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## MudDucker (Jul 15, 2017)

If you can afford beer and tattoos, you can afford the license.  Don't think the in state are high enough to scare anyone.  Now my bill for hunting and fishing in our neighbor state might cause some pause.


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## one hogman (Jul 17, 2017)

MudDucker said:


> If you can afford beer and tattoos, you can afford the license.  Don't think the in state are high enough to scare anyone.  Now my bill for hunting and fishing in our neighbor state might cause some pause.



So you think most people from age 60 to 65 Drink beer and get Tattoos is that a personal admission.


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## turkeyman55 (Jul 31, 2017)

15 years ago i wanted to go back elk hunting Colorado.  omg  lady at dnr there said we  raise elk tag price. quote the locals there had a town meeting about  none resident hunter getting best places to hunt & causing prices to go up SO   quote she said the state raised the hunting permit price to detour none resident from coming to Colorado  hunting so much.  so so stupid  SHE said yall who live in Florida raise the prices at disney world so people from out of state want come   WHAT A DUMB COMPARISON mickey at disney loves your money///  just love my grammar  high sugar/   this really happen i bet shes a liberal... Non-residents in 2017 is $641 for Bull Elk or Either Sex Elk tags and $481 for cow/calf (antlerless)al


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## shdw633 (Jul 31, 2017)

turkeyman55 said:


> 15 years ago i wanted to go back elk hunting Colorado.  omg  lady at dnr there said we  raise elk tag price. quote the locals there had a town meeting about  none resident hunter getting best places to hunt & causing prices to go up SO   quote she said the state raised the hunting permit price to detour none resident from coming to Colorado  hunting so much.  so so stupid  SHE said yall who live in Florida raise the prices at disney world so people from out of state want come   WHAT A DUMB COMPARISON mickey at disney loves your money///  just love my grammar  high sugar/   this really happen i bet shes a liberal... Non-residents in 2017 is $641 for Bull Elk or Either Sex Elk tags and $481 for cow/calf (antlerless)al



Actually, she was right.  Disney did raise their prices to deter people from coming.  They were getting to the point where the experience wasn't pleasant due to the excessive amount of people so they raised the prices to have less people come but still make their profit margins.


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## biggdogg (Jul 31, 2017)

shdw633 said:


> Actually, she was right.  Disney did raise their prices to deter people from coming.  They were getting to the point where the experience wasn't pleasant due to the excessive amount of people so they raised the prices to have less people come but still make their profit margins.



I'm just impressed that you understood that enough to respond...


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## JBowers (Aug 1, 2017)

The attached is a historical trend of certified valid hunting license holders in Georgia.


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## Ihunt (Aug 4, 2017)

Bought my lifetime, my wife's lifetime, and my sons (before he was two) 11 years ago. It was painful but it's paying off now.

I feel bad for people on a tight budget who may have a problem with license increases but if most are honest with themselves there are many ways during the year to save enough to pay for it


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## Teh Wicked (Aug 17, 2017)

Have not hunted in GA since moving here because of the price of leases in the area. People are insane...

I have a general freshwater license and a trout stamp. Hunting has become a rich mans sport thanks to modern day television. This will likely lead to me never hunting again, and this is after nearly 30 years of hunting. In my eyes, the fun of it has already been ruined, you cant even take your kid deer hunting without having to pay in excess of $2500 for a lease, license, firearm, clothing, ammo....Just to shoot a freaking deer. What happened to the days of hunting in the back yard after work?


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## shdw633 (Aug 17, 2017)

Teh Wicked said:


> Have not hunted in GA since moving here because of the price of leases in the area. People are insane...
> 
> I have a general freshwater license and a trout stamp. Hunting has become a rich mans sport thanks to modern day television. This will likely lead to me never hunting again, and this is after nearly 30 years of hunting. In my eyes, the fun of it has already been ruined, you cant even take your kid deer hunting without having to pay in excess of $2500 for a lease, license, firearm, clothing, ammo....Just to shoot a freaking deer. What happened to the days of hunting in the back yard after work?



$2500 would be a blessing for me!!  Come to Central Florida where leases run anywhere between $6000 and $15,000.   I know of plenty of Georgia leases that are under $1000 and Georgia also has tons of public land available so no reason that you can't continue to hunt and keep it under $100 a month, especially since you can buy the resident license.  As far as hunting in your back yard???  That's going to cost you some bucks for the land, the days of asking the farmer for permission for free are gone in my opinion.


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## The Fever (Aug 17, 2017)

shdw633 said:


> $2500 would be a blessing for me!!  Come to Central Florida where leases run anywhere between $6000 and $15,000.   I know of plenty of Georgia leases that are under $1000 and Georgia also has tons of public land available so no reason that you can't continue to hunt and keep it under $100 a month, especially since you can buy the resident license.  As far as hunting in your back yard???  That's going to cost you some bucks for the land, the days of asking the farmer for permission for free are gone in my opinion.



Gone? Naw. When I lived there you just had to knock on doors. Got to put in the time and not just ask for something, but it doesn't hurt my feelings when y'all think this way lol. I've got 400 private acres I can hunt


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## The Fever (Aug 17, 2017)

Teh Wicked said:


> Have not hunted in GA since moving here because of the price of leases in the area. People are insane...
> 
> I have a general freshwater license and a trout stamp. Hunting has become a rich mans sport thanks to modern day television. This will likely lead to me never hunting again, and this is after nearly 30 years of hunting. In my eyes, the fun of it has already been ruined, you cant even take your kid deer hunting without having to pay in excess of $2500 for a lease, license, firearm, clothing, ammo....Just to shoot a freaking deer. What happened to the days of hunting in the back yard after work?



That averages out to $200 bucks a month for a year. The firearm should last a lifetime, and the clothing several years. So remove those two and you're at least talking $100 bucks a month, and you're spending that elsewhere in your life on a variety of things. It's all about priorities. 

I sat in a bar watching a football game last year and the fella sitting next to me started a conversation. Eventually we got to hunting and fishing. Talked about how hunting costs too much for him. I used to feel the same way. I even was against the license increases. We watched that game and he had himself many a beer and wings. Game was over and he paid his $70 dollar tab and left. Said he'd see me in here every saturday if I wanted to catch up again. $3,360 in beer and wings a year. 

His truck was covered in stickers that would have cost what your rifle would have too. I did the math in my head and realized I needed to quit complaining and tighten down on what I spend my money on. I bowhunt now. My budget revolves around it, and if there is some money left over, I water swat some shovelers and ringnecks come December. 

Most folks have the money if they do some soul searching. Heck! I bet your cable bill is enough to allow you to hunt if you cut it!


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## Totaloutdoorsman (Aug 17, 2017)

WMAs aren't free. Game wardens protecting the resource aren't free. Youth programs aren't free. Prices for all of those and more have gone up across the board. It takes money from licenses to pay for most of it. I'd rather pay a little more for a license than lose public land opportunities or forfeit youth programs. It's the world we live in now. It would be like getting mad at Burger King for raising prices on a hamburger that used to cost .55¢ in 1985 to $2.00 in 2017. It's called inflation.


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## Teh Wicked (Aug 17, 2017)

shdw633 said:


> $2500 would be a blessing for me!!  Come to Central Florida where leases run anywhere between $6000 and $15,000.   I know of plenty of Georgia leases that are under $1000 and Georgia also has tons of public land available so no reason that you can't continue to hunt and keep it under $100 a month, especially since you can buy the resident license.  As far as hunting in your back yard???  That's going to cost you some bucks for the land, the days of asking the farmer for permission for free are gone in my opinion.



Lived in Tampa for 7 years....I'm familiar, I used to drive all the way to the Green Swamp WMA's just to be followed by unprepared hunters and people that watch entirely to much Bone Collectors shows on the Outdoor Channel.

There are cheap leases, you are correct, but most of them are not very good leases. The state seems to be filled with people who thinking of hunting property as a means of income. So they rape and pillage the property for years allowing hoards of hunters to shoot everything around, completely kill the area, and then continue selling the lease using old photos of the lease.


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## Teh Wicked (Aug 17, 2017)

The Fever said:


> That averages out to $200 bucks a month for a year. The firearm should last a lifetime, and the clothing several years. So remove those two and you're at least talking $100 bucks a month, and you're spending that elsewhere in your life on a variety of things. It's all about priorities.
> 
> I sat in a bar watching a football game last year and the fella sitting next to me started a conversation. Eventually we got to hunting and fishing. Talked about how hunting costs too much for him. I used to feel the same way. I even was against the license increases. We watched that game and he had himself many a beer and wings. Game was over and he paid his $70 dollar tab and left. Said he'd see me in here every saturday if I wanted to catch up again. $3,360 in beer and wings a year.
> 
> ...



Im pretty strict on my financials, im a single income home with 2 kids and im a disabled vet. So with the time it takes me to complete tasks around the house, combined with the cost of a "Decent" lease every year, my costs would be just not worth it. Even if the lease is $500 per year, and I invest is absolutely nothing else. $500 will buy ALOT of meat from Kroger for the year.

I look at hunting as a hobby with the added benefits of delicious pay offs. And these days, the delicious payoff's are not worth the investment to me anymore. Maybe I'm getting crotchety after 35 years on the earth and refuse to drop that kind of money on hunting a wild animal that come up in packs of 5-6 every evening in my back yard.

I guess I been in the hunting game so long, im sick and tired of seeing people try and get rich off the market and taking advantage of inexperienced hunters looking for lease land to hunt and then get ripped off.


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## C.Killmaster (Aug 18, 2017)

Teh Wicked said:


> Im pretty strict on my financials, im a single income home with 2 kids and im a disabled vet. So with the time it takes me to complete tasks around the house, combined with the cost of a "Decent" lease every year, my costs would be just not worth it. Even if the lease is $500 per year, and I invest is absolutely nothing else. $500 will buy ALOT of meat from Kroger for the year.
> 
> I look at hunting as a hobby with the added benefits of delicious pay offs. And these days, the delicious payoff's are not worth the investment to me anymore. Maybe I'm getting crotchety after 35 years on the earth and refuse to drop that kind of money on hunting a wild animal that come up in packs of 5-6 every evening in my back yard.
> 
> I guess I been in the hunting game so long, im sick and tired of seeing people try and get rich off the market and taking advantage of inexperienced hunters looking for lease land to hunt and then get ripped off.



There's close to 2 million acres of public land in Georgia you can hunt.


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## Crakajak (Aug 18, 2017)

My MIL gave me the money to buy a lifetime licence many years ago.Didn't get anything else for a few years. Best Christmas present ever. She has since pasted and I think of her everytime I do
anything hunting or fishing related.


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## Spotlite (Sep 14, 2017)

one hogman said:


> I just turned 65 and at 60 I [ Luckily] bought a lifetime license for $95.00 now from age 60 to 64 that same license is $315.00!! What happened that we needed to increase the costs of that license over 3 times !! this is totally ridiculous.! Retired folks on fixed incomes can't justify paying these prices.
> 
> How nice to live into your supposedly GOLDEN years and the State of Ga. and DNR  penalizes you for it ,!!
> 
> ...




No-one ever likes to pay more, but this is not a huge increase, at least for residents. Georgia is still a state that has the longest hunting season available, deer season alone takes up 1/3 of the year. The increase is very minimum when considering it has not increased since 1992. I don`t know about everyone else, but for myself, I cannot pay my current bills based on my salary that I had in 1992.

For a good read, http://www.eregulations.com/georgia/hunting/major-changes/ and  http://georgiawildlife.com/changes-hunting-and-fishing-licenses-2017

To get more involved, http://georgiawildlife.com/regulations/meetings 




Fork Horn said:


> I hated to see a charge added for landowner tags, which have been free until now.  Part of my family would get these each year.


RESIDENT HUNTING OR SPORTSMAN’S LICENSE is required for all resident hunters 16 years of age or older, except when hunting or fishing on one’s own land or land owned by immediate family (blood or dependent relationship) residing in the same household.

Big game license is required, in addition to a valid Hunting License, for hunting deer, turkey, or bear. The Big Game License is not required by resident hunters hunting one’s own land or land owned by immediate family (blood or dependent relationship) residing in the same household,

I believe it is still free. The key words here "residing in the same household".......So.....were they really legal when they got these in the past


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## Spotlite (Sep 14, 2017)

Robert28 said:


> As a landowner who leases some property to a few people, it's not always about money with me. As you stated, I'm basically being paid for free maintenance and an extra set of eyes to watch out for my property, the hunters get to hunt in exchange for those services. I've been offered more money before, actually I get approached every single year about someone wanting to "out bid" the current club that leases from me. It's not worth it to me because I know the guys leasing my property now and they keep it clean, let me know if any shadiness is going on and they actually offer me meat. Their rate stays the same from year to year, and I'm happy I have good folks hunting my property that I don't have to worry about. Win, win.



This!!

Most people don`t understand that leasing works both ways. Take care of the place and pay your lease on time, the landlord is hesitate about increasing the cost!

I got my lease in 1996 that only covered the deer hunting rights. It was a farm place. And in 2000, it went up $2 per acre when turkey hunting rights were given. There was no small game hunting or fishing allowed (4 ponds on the place), and no food plots could be put in. The little things count, remember their birthdays, a cheap Thanksgiving and Christmas card goes a long way!! Remember them when they are sick, send them a card. We started this and the end result is, they also send us cards. They get my kids something for Christmas every year and they remembered them on their graduations. Since 2003, I have rights for unlimited use of the place......even cutting hay. And, I have not had an increase in lease cost since 2000!


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## elfiii (Sep 14, 2017)

C.Killmaster said:


> There's close to 2 million acres of public land in Georgia you can hunt.


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## PappyHoel (Sep 14, 2017)

Spotlite said:


> This!!
> 
> Most people don`t understand that leasing works both ways. Take care of the place and pay your lease on time, the landlord is hesitate about increasing the cost!
> 
> I got my lease in 1996 that only covered the deer hunting rights. It was a farm place. And in 2000, it went up $2 per acre when turkey hunting rights were given. There was no small game hunting or fishing allowed (4 ponds on the place), and no food plots could be put in. The little things count, remember their birthdays, a cheap Thanksgiving and Christmas card goes a long way!! Remember them when they are sick, send them a card. We started this and the end result is, they also send us cards. They get my kids something for Christmas every year and they remembered them on their graduations. Since 2003, I have rights for unlimited use of the place......even cutting hay. And, I have not had an increase in lease cost since 2000!



This is spot on. I'm searching for this place now


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## chase870 (Nov 21, 2017)

one hogman said:


> I contacted my state rep about this, he voted for it and didn't know about this increase on 60 and over, he said he was told it would go down for seniors. he was gonna find out why and get back to me.



Sounds like your state rep can’t read. I’d vote against him from now on if he’s voting for things he does not read. That’s how we got Obama Care


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## chase870 (Nov 21, 2017)

shdw633 said:


> Actually, she was right.  Disney did raise their prices to deter people from coming.  They were getting to the point where the experience wasn't pleasant due to the excessive amount of people so they raised the prices to have less people come but still make their profit margins.



There is a reason it cost more to live in a gated community than the housing project too. Raise the price of anything just enough to keep the scum out and still earn a profit


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## Son (Jan 26, 2018)

Hear some grumbling when dues go up, but they soon quiet down when they see the hunting got better. It cost to plant, keep a camp and so forth. But, when the license went up, we lost some good folks who said, it went over their limit. Also lost some good folks when GA/Fl stopped the reciprocal agreement.  Those folks may have gotten a free license, but they paid a lease and spent into the local economies. Priorities gets ones income before anything else. Well, that's how it should be. The way i see it is, there's lots of good folks who are not rich, who are a pleasure to be around, good hunters etc.  Darn shame to see any of em quit.


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## Michael F Sights (Jan 30, 2018)

I love to hear people complain about license fees .... most of them drive $ 50K + trucks complete w/ $ 8K 4 Wheelers


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