Syracuse.com - Cuomo's plan streamlining sporting licenses, including lower fees, started Feb. 1

[HuntingNY-News]

The governor noted New York has almost 1.9 million licensed fishermen and about 823,000 hunters.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo's plan to streamline hunting, fishing and trapping licenses, which in many cases reduces the fees, took effect Feb. 1.

Cuomo initially announced the changes in early 2013 as part of his 2013-2014 executive budget. He said they were part of his "New York Open for Hunting and Fishing" program.

"The proposal simplifies the license structure to foster recruitment and retention of resident and non-resident hunters, anglers and trappers," Cuomo said when the plan was first announced.

The changes, the governor said, recognized the substanial economic impact that hunting and fishing and tourism in general has on the state's economy

Previously, a fishing license was only valid from the date of purchase through the end of the season (Sept. 31), and anglers who bought a license in mid season did not get a full year's worth of use. Under the new plan, anglers will get a full year of fishing no matter when they purchase the license.

Hunters now pay $22 to get a combined big game/small game license. 

The new plan also changes when hunting licenses can be purchased. Previously, they were valid from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, forcing hunters who wanted to hunt in September (for small game, early Canada goose) to buy yet another license for the following bowhunting and regular firearms seasons for deer.

Now, hunting licenses are valid from Sept. 1 to Aug. 31 and both small and large gaming hunting are covered under one license.

NEW LICENSE COSTS

Resident

(Previous, followed by current)

Annual Fishing License ($29 to $25)

Annual Hunting License($29 to $22)

Annual Bow Hunting Privilege ($21 to $15)

Annual Muzzleloading ($21 to $15)

Out-of-State Residents

(Previous, followed by current)

Annual Fishing License ($70 to $50)

Annual Hunting (Big-Game) License ($140 to $100)

Annual Bow Hunting Privilege ($140 to $30)

Annual Muzzleloading ($140 to $30)

One-day Turkey ($50 to $20)

One-day Fishing ($15 to $10)

OTHER CHANGES:

1). Reduces by 11 the number of licenses available while maintaining all current hunting and fishing privileges and opportunities

2). Creates a non-resident license structure which is the same as the resident license structure

3). Changes the dates when trapping licenses can be purchased from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30, to Sept. 1 to Aug. 31. The annual trapping license fee was also reduced from $21 to $20. (The non-resident fee was reduced from $310 to $275.)

For more, see the DEC website at dec.ny.gov and search for "2014 Sporting License Changes.".

When he announced the plan, Cuomo noted New York has almost 1.9 million licensed fishermen and about 823,000 hunters.

He cited one study that noted the state was second in the nation in total angler spending on fishing-related items and sixth in non-resident angler spending. "This spending generated an estimated $108 million in state and local taxes," he said.

Cuomo added that in 2011, New York was fourth in the nation in spending by hunters and generated an estimated $290 million in state and local taxes -- "and New York ranks third in the nation in total number of resident hunters."

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

[skeets716]

I am probably out of the loop here but where did the ideas for separate licenses come up?  Anyone know?  Thanks.