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Post by wayvis on Jul 19, 2023 20:56:16 GMT -5
Resident fees in almost all states are ridiculous low so it shouldn't even be a consideration. Before I turned 65 I bought the annual Gold Sportsman for about $100.00. Offer a senior Gold Sportsman for about $25.00 and it would be a good deal for all concerned. Give Ron D and Niki F something else to argue about. Nothing harder to eliminate than a supposed entitlement. If I thought the money was going to good use it wouldn't bother me, but why do you want keep taxing hunters and fishers more than all the other users. Most other users paid nothing on many public areas to recreate, so why do we have to. We pay taxes just like all other users so why is the budget for FWC not paid out of the general funds or user fees that everyone pays? As it is now all the other users get to use the areas all year, you're lucky to get a hunt on many of these places every 5 or 6 years. Not only do we get tax for just hunting, but if you want to hunt with a bow, muzzleloader, deer, or turkeys you have to pay more taxes. All these taxes are called licenses or permits, what a gimmick. Every time you turn around, they are wanting you to buy another stamp or permit of some kind. All these different seasons (bow, muzzleloader, crossbow, etc.) are just a way for FWC to collect taxes so they don't have to ask for general revenue funding. Many moons ago when the FWC actually was there for hunters and fishers I didn't have a problem with the fee's. Now they cater to all these other users, and we get the crumbs.
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Post by Stumpy on Jul 19, 2023 22:44:50 GMT -5
Resident fees in almost all states are ridiculous low so it shouldn't even be a consideration. Before I turned 65 I bought the annual Gold Sportsman for about $100.00. Offer a senior Gold Sportsman for about $25.00 and it would be a good deal for all concerned. Give Ron D and Niki F something else to argue about. Nothing harder to eliminate than a supposed entitlement. Why the heck are your bitching about exempt hunters and the perks they get when 65 and older, when you your self are over 65 and can enjoy being exempt from license fees and some of the quota requirements. wtf? As far as non residents over 65, they are still required to purchase license to hunt and fish. If you want make a impact, raise their turkey permit fees. Take it out on them, don't take it out on residents over 65 who received a benefit from the State of Florida.
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Post by Crkr 23 on Jul 20, 2023 5:20:36 GMT -5
I'm over 65 and would not object to paying license fees as it would include us in the general pool of hunters thus allowing us (hunters) to receive our fair share of federal (Pittman- Roberson) money. I do enjoy the perk of a few WMAs allowing exempt hunters. I don't believe that the majority of us(exempt hunters) are a threat to the quality of hunts on these WMAs due to the fact that a lot of us have limiting health issues.
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Post by joekat46 on Jul 20, 2023 6:03:06 GMT -5
The loss of the millions of $$ of PR Funds is reason enough for low cost senior licenses. Having an unknown number of exempts running amok maybe a bigger reason. I'm sure accomodations could be made for the physically and fiscally challenged. Sort of like food stamps for sportsmen. FWC does such a good job with charts, such as the one displayed on this thread, I'm sure they could create one showing the amount of PR funds potentially available that they do not currently receive do to this unnecessary politically motivated freebie. A low cost senior Gold Sportsman license covers all the arguments about extra turkey license, bow license, mzl license, snook stamp, etc. I did have to print a required of all free Reef Angler permit. I'm submitting a bill to FWC for the printer ink and my time to complete. I'll explain that I'm an exempt and entitled to reimbursement.
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Post by One Man Gang on Jul 20, 2023 6:48:33 GMT -5
I may be the odd man out here but if I have to buy a license to hunt in FL when I turn 65, I will more likely quit. I think more than just me feel this way too, so who might gain from any unknown attrition?
As I've said many times before, fwc, in its current state of mind does not prioritize hunting and is beholden to the political whims of the times. Hunting is way down on the list of importance.
Good people leaving the agency is not solely because of money.
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Post by joekat46 on Jul 20, 2023 7:07:24 GMT -5
How about to fish? Quit that also? Btw - 1000% in favor of all WMA use require the WMA permit. That won't happen either. The horse people seem to have a better lobbying group than the hunters.
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Post by One Man Gang on Jul 20, 2023 7:20:18 GMT -5
I may quit fishing too... except, you have to remember, it's a whole lot easier to fish than to hunt in FL, so I might hang in longer for fishing. Not to mention, fishing is year round.
And, you're correct... the horse people have WAY more clout than the hunting community. Times are changing. Let's face it; certain things are much less palatable than just a few years ago, (almost intolerable!) and certain things are WAY more acceptable today. I can think of several off the top of my head.
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Post by cadman on Jul 20, 2023 8:48:22 GMT -5
I'm over 65 and would not object to paying license fees as it would include us in the general pool of hunters thus allowing us (hunters) to receive our fair share of federal (Pittman- Roberson) money. I do enjoy the perk of a few WMAs allowing exempt hunters. I don't believe that the majority of us(exempt hunters) are a threat to the quality of hunts on these WMAs due to the fact that a lot of us have limiting health issues. You can go to the FWC website and get the Resident 65+ Hunt/Fish Certificate for free and be sure your are counted. I got mine when I turned 65 for fishing.
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Post by Crkr 23 on Jul 20, 2023 8:54:11 GMT -5
If you think fishing is easier, you need to try jumping through all the hoops required to grouper or snapper fish, especially the east coast snapper cluster-fuck. I do realize most of the BS comes down through the feds, go figure.
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Post by Crkr 23 on Jul 20, 2023 8:56:28 GMT -5
I did not know of the certificate. I will go online and apply. Thanks Cadman.
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Post by joekat46 on Jul 20, 2023 8:59:03 GMT -5
If you think fishing is easier, you need to try jumping through all the hoops required to grouper or snapper fish, especially the east coast snapper cluster-fuck. I do realize most of the BS comes down through the feds, go figure. Just did an emergency gulf coast closure on red grouper and amberjack. There is really no reason to publish a once a year fishing guide. They change the rules weekly.
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Post by joekat46 on Jul 20, 2023 9:03:28 GMT -5
I'm over 65 and would not object to paying license fees as it would include us in the general pool of hunters thus allowing us (hunters) to receive our fair share of federal (Pittman- Roberson) money. I do enjoy the perk of a few WMAs allowing exempt hunters. I don't believe that the majority of us(exempt hunters) are a threat to the quality of hunts on these WMAs due to the fact that a lot of us have limiting health issues. You can go to the FWC website and get the Resident 65+ Hunt/Fish Certificate for free and be sure your are counted. I got mine when I turned 65 for fishing. I did not know that. That, at the very least, should be a requirement and not an option. May have been designed for the few with no other way to prove residency. It may be the least publized FWC option. As long as it's free most would comply.
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Post by One Man Gang on Jul 20, 2023 9:05:51 GMT -5
If you think fishing is easier, you need to try jumping through all the hoops required to grouper or snapper fish, especially the east coast snapper cluster-fuck. I do realize most of the BS comes down through the feds, go figure. You're right about that! I seldom fish the salt anymore. Honestly don't fish much at all. I lack the free time. Of course I spent 40 years out there catching just about everything a man might want to catch. At the risk of tooting my own horn, but being completely truthful, my species list is extremely extensive, so other than killing a few food fish to eat I have no more zeal to fuck around in the ocean for a fish. Now if you took away fly fishing for bream and other panfish, or cane poles and specks, I might start a uprising.
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Post by One Man Gang on Jul 20, 2023 9:07:02 GMT -5
If you think fishing is easier, you need to try jumping through all the hoops required to grouper or snapper fish, especially the east coast snapper cluster-fuck. I do realize most of the BS comes down through the feds, go figure. Just did an emergency gulf coast closure on red grouper and amberjack. There is really no reason to publish a once a year fishing guide. They change the rules weekly. I totally agree with the speed and frequency that this shit changes.
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Post by richm on Jul 20, 2023 10:01:39 GMT -5
If you think fishing is easier, you need to try jumping through all the hoops required to grouper or snapper fish, especially the east coast snapper cluster-fuck. I do realize most of the BS comes down through the feds, go figure. Just did an emergency gulf coast closure on red grouper and amberjack. There is really no reason to publish a once a year fishing guide. They change the rules weekly. Gulf AJ isn't even open until August 1 - is that what you mean? Red Grouper closes tomorrow July 21. Dang - we kept 7 last Saturday. Good eating.
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