HERE'S THE GOOD
Without question this is due to the near across-the-board increase of $5 for every license (except youth licenses) and permit the agency sells.
A VDGIF spreadsheet depicting all categories of permits, licenses and fees shows that total transactions across all categories were 1,584,919 last year, down slightly from 1,585,235 in 2005. The overall numbers should allay, at least for this year, concerns that last year's license fee increases would dramatically deter hunters and anglers.
Department spokeswoman Julia Dixon said: "Fortunately, we saw little buyer resistance after the increase and greatly appreciate the ongoing support of sportsmen and women who understand the importance of their license dollars to wildlife management in Virginia."
Additional good news is that freshwater fishing license (resident, senior resident, and Sportsman's combo) sales rose from 362,591 in 2005 to 368,009 in 2006. The bad news is this number is well down from the 387,052 licenses sold in 2004.
More bad news is that nearly 220,000 adults bought resident big game hunting licenses, a decrease of nearly 2,000 from 2005 to 2006 and nearly 15,000 from just two years ago. Most hunters who buy the basic resident hunting licenses also buy the big game license.
A partially offsetting statistic is that resident junior hunting license sales rose from 1,637 to 2,320.
Resident archery licenses fell from 52,620 to 48,770, but resident crossbow licenses leaped from 14,475 to 20,081.
Gov. Tim Kaine recently proposed an executive amendment to the 2006-2008 Biennial Budget to return all watercraft sales and use taxes to the VDGIF, which could mean up to $2 million next fiscal year. This is money the department was used to getting prior to it being siphoned off in 2002 to help fix problems in the state's general fund.
Between this return of revenue and the increased proceeds from the $5 increase in licenses, the department is seeing a substantial revenue infusion. Still, concerns remain.
"Even with the license fee increase we face growing operating expenses and limited resources," Dixon said. "The license fee increase simply kept our heads above water for the time being. Personnel costs are the biggest factor. Pay increases and the escalating cost of health insurance and retirement come with a price tag of $1 million to $1.2 million more each year, even without additional personnel."
Hunters and anglers, America's truest conservationists, pay the majority of the freight in supporting state fish and wildlife agencies. Department officials need to closely assess programs, constituencies, opportunities and organizational structures to adapt to emerging issues.
Suburban deer herds allowed to grow beyond healthy considerations due to anti-hunting ordinances and sentiment are becoming prolific to the point of creating tremendous difficulties.
Changing, hectic lifestyles make it difficult for many hunters to find the time to hunt. But, even if you can make the time, you may not have the place. This is compounded, especially east of the Blue Ridge, by ever-increasing, permanent loss of wildlife habitat to urban and suburban sprawl.
Challenges are not limited to hunters. Anglers also cite increasing pressure, especially seasonally as tournament and recreational anglers flock boat-to-boat or waders-to-waders at favorite streams, rivers and lakes.
It is crunch time.
Crappie BookArkansas writer Keith Sutton is nicknamed "Catfish" in deference to his love for and expertise in all types of angling for whiskerfish. His latest publication, "The Crappie Book: Basics and Beyond," will have you digging out the lightweight tackle and longing for the redbuds to bloom.
Many anglers, yours truly included, direct our crappie expeditions to the spring. Sutton similarly loves spring fishing for slab crappies, but makes it clear that summer and the fall transition times can also be excellent, if the angler understands what is happening to the water and resulting crappie behavior.
Printed by Stoeger Publishing and chock-full of black-and-white photos depicting various fishing styles and baits/lures, Sutton's 192-page soft cover book covers the crappie waterfront. It opens with an overview of the species' biology and habits, followed by excellent tips on locating fish during all seasons, including what types of rod, reels and lures to use for fishing different habitats.
Crappie are one of the best tasting panfish in North America. Sutton appropriately wraps up the book with a section on cleaning and cooking these delicious fish.
For more information or to order a copy online, see stoegerbooks.com. The cost is $14.95, plus $4.95 shipping and handling. Autographed copies can be ordered directly from Sutton by sending a check or money order for $17.45 to C & C Outdoor Productions, 15601 Mountain Dr., Alexander, Ark. 72002. For credit card orders, log on to catfishsutton.com.
Ken Perrotte can be reached at The Free Lance-Star, 616 Amelia St., Fredericksburg, Va. 22401; by fax at 373-8455; or e-mail