(Radio Iowa) – Members of the Iowa Natural Resource Commission are expressing frustration about the declining level of state spending on wildlife programs, habitat restoration and acquisition of property for hunting and other outdoor activities. The money for those programs comes from the fees for state hunting, fishing and trapping licenses — fees that haven’t been raised since 2019. Uriah (yer-RY-uh) Hansen of Huxley is vice chair of the Natural Resource Commission. “We’ve had the conversations,” Hansen says, “We’ve brought it up and, quite honestly, the cans continue to be kicked down the road.” Hansen says since 2019, inflation has skyrocketed.

“On the flip side, there’s been massive reductions in DNR spending, head count — all these other pieces,” Hansen says. Hanson points to state records which indicate the number of employees in the Department of Natural Resources has dropped at least four-and-a-half percent since 2019. He says the commission had hoped to spearhead a push to raise the fees, but D-N-R staff have told them they need to show evidence of public support — like a survey of outdoor groups — by mid-December. Hansen says given his role on the state commission, he’s been getting plenty of unsolicited input from Iowans.

“The constituents or the users of the public spaces, they’re the ones wanting it, right? This isn’t a broad based tax that’s impacting non-users,” Hansen says. “This is something that those that are going to be directly impacted are the ones that are directly asking for the increase.” Terry Thompson, president of Iowa Great Lakes Fishing Club, spoke at the commission’s meeting his month. He says the state desperately needs to increase the Department of Natural Resources budget — and a five percent increase in hunting and fishing license fees would help.

“Really, sportsmen are willing to do that,” Thompson said. “There’s no doubt it. Everybody that I’ve talked to is way in favor of this license fee increase.” Fred Long of Jefferson says the travel budget for state employees is so constricted the National Wildlife Turkey Federation recently paid to send the state turkey biologist to educational seminars out of state. Long, who is president of the Iowa Conservation Alliance, says all 16 groups in the organization back a five percent hike in hunting and fishing fees.

“It’s important to us that we’re all willing to spend more money,” Long said. An Iowa Department of Natural Resources staff member, however, recently cautioned the commission that any public recommendation they make has to be cleared by the governor’s office. “We have to be cognizant of what the administration’s priorities around government fees, taxes, regulatory costs generally are,” she said.

Nebraska’s Game and Parks Commission has proposed raising their state’s hunting and fishing fees by an average of 14 percent next year. Missouri officials have raised hunting and fishing license rates this year, with significant increases for people who do not live in Missouri. Last year, South Dakota lawmakers approved fee increases for outdoor recreation, including a 66 percent increase in state park entrance licenses for out of staters.