Lifetime license opinions

[cheesecake18]

Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum and looking for some opinions.

 

Over the past week I've been debating whether or not I should bite the bullet and get my lifetime license. I logged onto DEC's site to buy my license last night. It looks as though they has changed how you purchase the hunting licenses. There was no more sportsman for a regular license. You buy everything individual now. When I started crunching the numbers for lifetime licenses, as to how long it would take to pay for its self, it wasn't that appealing.

 

Every year I only buy the small game/big game $22, muzzle loader $15 and bow $15. That equals to $52 plus $10 for the dmp which then equals $62 to go hunting right now. Mind you even when buying lifetime everything, you would still have to buy the dmp every year.

 

If I were to buy anything lifetime, I would only purchase the small game/big game right now. Then get the bow and muzzle loader lifetimes next year. I don't turkey hunt or do any fishing, so those permits will be wasted and I'm not counting them when I'm calculating the numbers.

 

If I buy the life time small game/big game $535, lifetime bow hunting $235 and lifetime muzzle loader $235 that comes out to $1005. If those prices stayed the same, it would take me about 20 years to get my money back... thats IF i was only buying the small/big game, bow hunting and muzzle loading tags every single year.... $22+$15+$15=$52/$1005= 19.3 years to get money back

 

Now if i did buy the turkey tag and fishing license every year on top of what i would normally be getting, it would then bring my license cost up to $87(before dmp). $22+$15+$15+$10+$25= $87/ $1005= 11.5 years to get my money back.

 

By buying the lifetime small game/big game license, it includes the turkey stamps and fishing license already.

 

I know the prices will always be rising, but for what I'm doing, is it really worth it?

 

 

[Waldershrek]

I guess that depends on how long you plan to hunt/fish

[JGS]

All things considered, it depends how much longer you plan on hunting. I bought them 6-7 years ago and they have paid off but I also turkey hunt and fish.  20 years is long time but if you are only 30 years old then why not.  The way I saw it is that license prices will go nowhere but up.

[thphm]

A friend bought his when he was 18, he is now 72, that is 54 years ago and still hunts.

I think he got his moneys worth.

[Elmo]

You said it yourself. If you plan to hunt for 20 years then it's absolutely worth it because you haven't even factor in inflation. If you plan of quoting hunting before 20 years then maybe not.

[BigRed44]

Also, remember that if you ever move out of state you will still receive your tags every year.  That was the main deciding factor for me.

[jrm]

I did the same math and came to the same conclusion - not sure if it is worth it.

 

20 years for payback is a long time. That also assumes you will hunt and take advantage of that license for each of those 20 years. Sure, at 25 or 30 years old it is probably a good deal. On the other side of 50 years old and it isn't so attractive any more.

 

One may assume license fees will continue to rise, but that isn't always the case. Didn't they just lower the fee? Even if the costs go up slowly over the next 20 years, you could invest the $1,000 and probably account for any price increases over the same period.

 

The younger you are, the more the lifetime cost makes sense. If you are currently 50 years old, you could buy a license every year for $22. Without price increases, you would spend $418 between now and age 69. A lifetime would cost you $535 - that's $117 savings to account for price increases. Even bigger savings if you don't hunt for one or more of those 19 years. Then, you could get the discounted lifetime at age 70.

 

 

Everyone's situation is different. IMO, the value of a lifetime license starts to fade rapidly when you are in your 40s. The pricing structure needs more flexibility.

 

[Waldershrek]

I just did the math. I just turned 30, I get big game, small game, bow, fishing and turkey every year (not including DMPs because you have to buy those even with a lifetime.). A lifetime license for those would cost $1000 to buy today. If I continue to buy annually it's $72 a year. It would take me 13 years to get my moneys worth and that assuming the license costs don't ever increase which you know they will.

[philoshop]

I think another way to look at it is like a donation to the State's conservation fund, and getting something in return besides a thank-you note. Whether or not you think those funds are being used wisely enough for that donation is up to you.

I still buy a duck stamp almost every year and I haven't hunted ducks or geese since the mid 80's.

[ATbuckhunter]

Its worth it IMO. I got it right before the price increase in 2009 when I was still a youth/junior hunter so it was discounted. I think it was going to take 10 years to get everything payed back and so far i'm half way through. Nothing like having the tags delivered to my door every year. I should say that I get bow, and reg season tags as well as small game and 4 turkey tags. I also don't have to pay for doe tags. 

Edited August 12, 2014 by ATbuckhunter

[burmjohn]

Well worth it if you are going to be hunting for the rest of your life. 

 

[cheesecake18]

Thanks for the input guys. Im only 29, but I'm uncertain how long I will be hunting for? I have plenty of land to hunt around me, so the opportunity to hunt will always be there.

 

I just got back into hunting about 3 years ago, but before that i had stopped hunting for a bout 4 years. I started bow hunting 2 years ago and couldn't believe how many deer I was seeing during bow season. The past 2 opening days of bow, I have gotten deer. Last year I took up muzzle loading as well. I really had a lot of fun doing both those types of hunting.

 

Im sure when I have kids we will definitely get into fishing and hopefully hunting too lol.

[burmjohn]

Speaking of kids, I bought them lifetimes too.  Before then are 4 its really cheap.

 

[Elmo]

Speaking of kids, I bought them lifetimes too.  Before then are 4 its really cheap.

 

I was curious how that worked.  Don't you need to pass the safety course before you can purchase a license?  Can they get DMPs and then sign them over to you?

[boo711]

I was curious how that worked. Don't you need to pass the safety course before you can purchase a license? Can they get DMPs and then sign them over to you?

You will get a certificate saying your child is a lifetime license holder. They will not be able to get the "license" until they have successfully passed the hunters safety course. They will then need to take the paperwork for the lifetime license and the certificate of completion of hunter safety class to a licensing agent to get the license.

[G-Man]

1st there is no hunting season every year till its voted on. so lifetime really isnt your lifetime its void if there is no season (and one day they will vote no) that being said if you hunt and enjoy it and hope to do so for a long time buy it those turkey tags you dont hunt maybe one day you will...same with fishing... so hope the legislators keep voting yes...

[fasteddie]

I paid big bucks for my Lifetime hunting license . They offered it to us old farts a few years ago for $50 ....... that's right fifty dollars . It was a great investment !

[LI OUTDOORSMAN]

If your the kind of guy that plans on taking his kids then go for it.Alot of guys come in my shop to buy licenses with the phrase"I'm just getting back into it, my kids,job,wife etc..took too much of my time".For some people myself included no matter what is going on in my life I still look foward to hunting season and took my kids as youth hunters all the time and even now that theyre in their 20's i always look foward to hunting with them.If you back off for a few years you might regret spending all that money in one shot that your not utilizing.