MDC proposes adjusting permit prices and wants public input

 

Most MDC permit prices have not increased in 20 years while MDC costs keep going up.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is proposing adjusting prices for most hunting, fishing, trapping, and commercial permits in an effort to keep up with rising costs of goods and services it uses to manage its more than 1,000 conservation areas along with nature centers, shooting ranges, fish hatcheries, and other facilities.

MDC received initial approval on the proposed permit price adjustments from the Missouri Conservation Commission at the Commission’s May 19 open meeting at City Hall in Washington, Mo.

Missouri is home to more than 1 million anglers, 500,000 hunters, and several thousand trappers. MDC issues nearly 2.6 million hunting, fishing, and trapping permits each year. Most MDC permit prices have remained the same for the past 20 years while costs for goods and services have increased significantly since then.

“In early 2003, the price of a resident firearms deer permit was $17 and the cost of a gallon of unleaded gas was $1.42,” explained MDC Director Sara Parker Pauley. “Jump ahead two decades to May 2023 when the cost of a resident firearms deer permit is still $17 while the cost of a gallon of gas is about $3.30. That cost increase really adds up considering MDC purchased nearly 908,000 gallons of gas in 2022 to run vehicles and equipment.”

Pauley added that, on average, most resident hunting and fishing permit prices would be adjusted by about $1.

“Compared to other states, Missouri permit prices are in the middle-to-lower end of the scale and would still be a bargain,” she said. “The average price of a resident firearm deer permit for surrounding states is $54 compared to Missouri’s proposed price of $18.

Additional revenue from permit sales will help MDC maintain and improve its nationally recognized programs and services for hunters, anglers, wildlife watcher, and others. Conservation efforts supported by revenue from permit sales include:

• Maintaining and improving nine fish hatcheries around the state that raise and stock more than 7 million fish annually for public fishing – including about 1.3 million trout at five hatcheries.
• Maintaining and improving more than 70 public shooting ranges around the state.
• Ongoing habitat work on nearly 1,000 conservation areas, including 15 intensively managed wetlands for public hunting and wildlife watching.
• Expansion of popular youth offerings such as the Missouri Archery in the Schools Program, which has reached more than 200,000 young archers at nearly 700 Missouri schools, and the Discover Nature Schools Program, which helps more than 87,000 Missouri students each year at more than 700 schools around the state learn about and connect with Missouri outdoors.
• Helping more than 24,000 landowners create and maintain habitat for wildlife.
• Research on health and sustainability of deer, turkey, quail, waterfowl, songbirds, fish, bears, elk, and other species.
• Evaluation of the effectiveness of harvest regulations for fish and wildlife game species and understanding resource-user preferences.
• Restoration, monitoring, and protection of imperiled and endangered species and habitats.
• Removal of invasive species that threaten the health of native species and habitats.
• Maintaining and improving 15 nature and interpretative centers around the state.

Pauley added that most Missourians are generally familiar with some of the work MDC does, but there are new challenges -- with added costs.

“In addition to everything we offer and the work we are known for, we have new and expensive challenges,” she said. “Our staff are dealing with more and new invasive species and wildlife disease outbreaks. And the costs of many things we must buy regularly keep going up, from fuel to fish food.”

Some of the proposed permit price increases are:

• The price of a resident hunting and fishing permit would go from $19 to $20.50. The average price for surrounding states is $42.47.
• The price of a resident fishing permit would go from $12 to $13. The average price for surrounding states is $23.
• The price of a resident small game hunting permit would go from $10 to $10.50. The average price for surrounding states is $26.57.
• The price of a resident trapping permit would go from$10 to $11. The average price for surrounding states is $29.38.
• The price of a resident spring turkey permit would go from $17 to $18. The average price for surrounding states is $47.69
• The price of a resident firearm deer permit would go from $17 to $18. The average price for surrounding states is $54.06.
• The price of a resident antlerless deer permit would go from $7 to $7.50. The average price for surrounding states is $24.21.
• The price of a youth resident antlerless deer permit would go from $7 to $7.50. The average price for surrounding states is $24.21.
• Those under 16 and over 65 years of age will still get no-cost small-game hunting permits and no-cost fishing permits.

For more information on the proposed permit price adjustments, including a complete list of permits, current and proposed prices, average prices of similar permits for surrounding states, the last year the permit prices were raised, and other information, visit MDC online at mdc.mo.gov/permits/permit-price-adjustments-2023.

Permit sales account for about 17 percent of MDC annual revenue. Other significant revenue sources for MDC include the Conservation Sales Tax at about 62 percent and federal reimbursements at about 15 percent of total MDC revenue. Sales and rentals, interest, and other sources make up the remaining 6 percent of MDC revenue. MDC receives no funds through fines from tickets or citations, and no funding from the state’s general revenue funds. For more information, read the MDC Annual Review for Fiscal Year 2022 in the January 2023 issue of the Missouri Conservationist online at mdc.mo.gov/magazines/missouri-conservationist/2023-01/annual-review.

MDC will next seek public comments about its proposed permit price adjustments. To submit a comment, visit mdc.mo.gov/permits/permit-price-adjustments-2023.

MDC will then compile comments received and share them with the Commission prior to the Sept. 8 Commission open meeting when it will give final consideration to the proposed permit price adjustments. If approved, the changes would become effective Feb. 29, 2024.

MDC to hold Kids' Fishing Day June 10 at Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery Southwest Banner MDC to hold Kids' Fishing Day June 10 at Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery

 

Event aimed at anglers age 15 and under.

BRANSON, Mo. – Young anglers will have opportunities to catch fish at the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) Kids’ Fishing Day on June 10 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Bella Donna Education Pond at MDC’s Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery near Branson. The event is open to anglers ages 15 and under.

Sunfish and channel catfish will be the fish anglers will be trying to catch at the pond, which is east of the main hatchery complex. (Signs will direct people to the event.) A few loaner fishing poles will be available, but participants are encouraged to bring their own fishing equipment.  MDC staff will be providing worms for bait, but participants can bring their own, too. No registration is required for this event. For more information, call 417-334-4865, ext. 0. Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery is located at 483 Hatchery Road in Branson.

This event is being held in conjunction with Free Fishing Weekend, the annual event in June through which fishing permits are not required at any state-managed fishing location. It should be noted that all other fishing regulations (length limits, possession limits, etc.) still apply for Free Fishing Weekend.

Staff at MDC facilities across the state are holding in-person and virtual programs. A listing of these programs can be found at mdc.mo.gov/events.

Missouri Fishing

Jefferson City man ties state record for longear sunfish

 

John Goad says a cow may have helped him catch a 5-ounce sunfish in Crawford County.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) congratulates John Goad of Jefferson City for tying the current state record for longear sunfish. Goad was using a throwline on Frieda Lake in Crawford County May 8 when he caught the 5-ounce fish. The catch ties the previous alternative record, which was caught on a private pond in Franklin County July 3, 2021.

“I’ve been fishing this lake for around 10 years and I’ve caught crappie, bass, bluegill – all pretty good sizes,” said Goad. “But I’ve known there are good sized sunfish for about 7 or 8 years and I’ve been trying to catch a record ever since.”

Goad fly fishes frequently, ties his own flies, and builds his own rods. He said the day started out slow as he was only catching fish every 10 casts. That was, until an unexpected visitor came to the pond.

“All the sudden, a yearling cow heifer came down to drink,” he said. “I moved down to give her space, and she crawls into the lake about belly deep. Then every cast, I caught a fish.”

Goad suspects the cow stirred up the bottom of the lake, pushing the fish in one area, and possibly helping him catch his record.

The fish was weighed on a certified MDC scale in Jefferson City. Goad said he plans to mount the sunfish.

“I was 5-years-old when I first caught a longear sunfish, so I’ve been after this for 70 years,” he laughed. “Catching a record is a really tough deal. For an old guy and a veteran, I’ve seen a lot of things, so I was excited about this record.”

Missouri state record fish are recognized in two categories: pole-and-line and alternative methods. Alternative methods include: trotline, throwline, limb line, bank line, jug line, gig, bow, crossbow, underwater spearfishing, snagging, snaring, grabbing, or atlatl. For more information on state record fish, visit http://bit.ly/2efq1vl.

MDC invites the public to a free fishing day June 6 in Columbia

MDC invites the public to a free fishing
day June 6 in Columbia.

Participants of all ages are welcome.

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) invites participants of all ages to a free fishing day in Columbia. This event will be on June 6 from 4:30-7:00 p.m. at Stephens Lake Park in Columbia.

Fishing poles, tackle, bait, and instruction will be available for participants free of charge, and registration for this event is not required. Participants will not need a fishing permit to enjoy this event, but MDC asks that all children under the age of 15 are always accompanied by an adult.

Questions about this event can be sent to Huston Spellman at Huston.spellman@mdc.mo.gov. Stephens Lake Park is located at 2001 E. Broadway in Columbia.