A poll says that 63-percent of Wyoming residents would support a hike in hunting and fishing license fees if it meant paying to rescue the state’s many wildlife programs from a long-running fiscal crisis. 550 residents were surveyed by DFM Research of Saint Paul, Minnesota. The margin of error is five percent.
Coordinator Catherine Thagard with Wyoming Sportmen’s Alliance says this year lawmakers will be asked to consider an increase of ten percent. “A resident deer license would increase from thirty-six dollars currently to about forty dollars,” Thagard says. “A resident fishing license would go up two dollars from twenty-two dollars to about twenty four dollars. So while it’s not a significant amount for any individual, you add that all up and it’s going to make a difference.”
Last year lawmakers refused a somewhat higher increase. Thagard says the money could be used to renew contracts with private land owners for public access, among other things. If approved, it would be the first license fee hike since 2008.
