Sportsmen are asking for a license fee increase for the ODNR Division of Wildlife

Leading sportsmen organizations from across Ohio have banded together under the leadership of the Sportsmen Alliance to request a license fee increase in funding for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources ( ODNR) Division of Wildlife. The Division of Wildlife is facing a financial crisis that is already impacting hunting, fishing, and conservation in Ohio, and will only get worse if not addressed immediately. Supported almost entirely by license fees and excise taxes paid on firearms, ammunition, and fishing gear, the Division of Wildlife is dependent on periodic increases in licenses to meet the growing cost of doing business.

Currently amendments to the Ohio budget are being proposed in both the House and Senate. A House bill was introduced by Rep. Devers. However, the House has now passed the budget. Due to the fluid situation of the budget legislation, it is not known at the time of this writing what, if anything, for a license fee increase was included.

Key facts in this effort include:

• The Division of Wildlife is 96% or more self-funded from license sales, tags, dealer licenses and federal matching dollars. They receive less than $250,000 in General Revenue Funds (GRF) tax funds.
• The federal funding is from the Wildlife Restoration Fund (Pittman Robertson Tax) and Fish Restoration (Dingell Johnson Tax). The Wildlife Restoration Fund is a 13% excise tax on firearms, ammo, supplies, archery equipment, etc. It is collected at the manufacturing level and handled through the US Fish and Wildlife Service. They distributes the funds to the states based on a formula of hunting licenses sold, population and public lands. Of course these funds are increasing due to gun sales going up over the last 8 years. (For more information, see "Who pays for the Ohio Division of Wildlife?")
• The Division of Wildlife must fund 100% of the projects up front. Then the federal Wildlife Restoration or Fish Restoration money will pay 75% of the project costs with 25% match coming from the Division. Projects include range upgrades and development, land purchases for hunting/fishing/trapping, wildlife management programs including stocking, fish stocking programs, as well as, the hunter education and trapper education programs. (For more information, see "Ohio Division of Wildlife - The Wildlife Fund and management process")
• Without a fee increase to manage the cash flow and meet the 25% match the Division will be forced to return some of the allocated funds. Once lost it will never be regained for Ohio. Ohio's shooters are paying a huge portion of the federal Wildlife Restoration excise tax.
• Ohio is one of the lowest cost states in which to hunt, fish and trap. While bargain pricing is a positive, there comes a point in which a lack of funds causes real damage to conservation, fishing, hunting, trapping, and recreational enjoyment of Ohio’s resources. Ohio has already passed this point.
• The proposed fee would raise the non-resident hunting license and deer tag costs from about $150 to a range in the $250 to $270. Ohio is considered by many reports to be #5 on the top 10 destination states. There were approximately 45,000 non-resident hunting licenses sold in 2016.
• The requested resident fee increase is $3 for a regular hunting license. The senior and youth license fees are based on a percentage of the regular hunting license. They will see a smaller fee of approximately $1.50.
• The Division has not had a fee increase since 2004. The longest previous time was 10 years.
• If this is passed now, it will be the Ohio Fiscal Year 2019 budget before it will take effect. This means the earliest additional revenue will be at least the fall of 2018.
• Currently five Ohio counties do not have assigned wildlife officers due to staff and budget cuts. The projection is that five additional counties will lose officers over the next 2 years. It has been several years since a officer cadet training class was held. There is no budget to hold another class at this time. It takes about 18-months from start until class graduates. Wildlife Officer staffing is at a crisis level.
• Hunting and shooting provide in excess of $4 billion economic impact to Ohio.

For these reasons, Ohio’s sportsmen leaders and conservation organizations are calling on the Ohio General Assembly to support an increase in fees. We further recommend that the General Assembly support permitting the Ohio Division of Wildlife to raise its own fees under the oversight of Ohio’s rule-making process, which would include the Ohio Wildlife Council, The Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review, and Ohio Controlling Board.

Ohioans enjoy rich heritage of abundant fish and wildlife resources, and realize that in order to ensure the future of wildlife we must increase the funding for wildlife conservation efforts. As such, our organizations, and sportsmen in general, strongly believe the time is overdue for these changes. We ask the Ohio General Assembly to support Ohio sportsmen and women by allowing fees to be increased.

In addition to the Sportsmen’s Alliance, supporters of these changes include: the Ohio Conservation Federation; Ohio Chapter, National Wild Turkey Federation; National Wild Turkey Federation; Ducks Unlimited Ohio; Pheasants Forever; Buckeye Big Buck Club; Ohio State Trappers Association; Lake Erie Charter Boat Association; Ohio Bowhunters Association; Ohio Bass Federation; Buckeye Firearms Association; Ohio Husky Musky Club; League of Ohio Sportsmen; Trout Unlimited; Ruffed Grouse Society; Rocky Brands; National Wildlife Federation; Gallia County Conservation Club; Quail Forever; Turn-In-Poacher; SW Ohio Chapter Safari Club International; Northern Ohio Chapter Safari Club International; and the Stark County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs.

Following is a letter submitted by Buckeye Firearms Association President Jim Irvine:

We have a history of fighting against fee increases that impact Ohio gun owners, so we were very hesitant to weigh in on the issue of raising fees. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources – Ohio Division of Wildlife is self-sustaining and has not had a fee increase in over 12 years. They have amongst the lowest license fees in the nation which is a strong statement regarding the budget management of the Division. Ohio's shooters pay Federal Excise taxes on guns and ammo which is a critical funding source for the Division. The risk is that these funds may be sent to other states because Ohio doesn't have the matching funds. This would short-change Ohio's shooters. We are convinced that Ohio sportsmen and women need a fee increase.

Chief among our concern is range development and maintenance. There are over 600,000 active Concealed Handgun Licensees (CHLs), and over half a million hunters annually in Ohio. (Including many out of state deer hunters). There are many more trap/skeet, IDPA/IPSIC, 3-Gun and recreational shooters. There are growing problems with expanding cities rubbing up against unincorporated townships where people are shooting in their own backyard. People need a place to shoot.

The ODNR Division of Wildlife has an aggressive plan for range updates. Currently the Delaware range is being updated. Plans are being developed to update Spring Valley Wildlife Area range in southwest Ohio. It ranks as the busiest public range. Many other ranges are in disrepair including Tranquility Wildlife Area which will remain closed through 2017. Shooters who use this range often drive more than an hour to another public range. There are many other areas where new public ranges are needed. Range development takes a lot of time, planning and money. EPA and lead containment are major and costly issues.

The mission of the Ohio Division of Wildlife includes the values of "The right to own and use firearms is essential to continue our hunting and shooting sports tradition." This aligns with the mission of the Buckeye Firearms Association. The DOW exists because we need people with experience and expertise in wildlife to best manage Ohio’s natural resources including game.

For these reasons, Buckeye Firearms Association strongly supports a fee increase for sporting licenses. We believe a failure to increase fees now will lead to a continued deterioration of ranges and fewer opportunities for CHLs and Ohio sportsmen to shoot, train and enjoy the outdoors.

James Irvine, President

Outdoor writer and hunter education instructor Larry S. Moore is a long-time volunteer leader for Buckeye Firearms Foundation and winner of the 2005 USSA Patriot Award, the 2007 League of Ohio Sportsmen/Ohio Wildlife Federation Hunter Educator of the Year and the 2010 National Wild Turkey Federation/ Women in the Outdoors Hunter Education Instructor of the Year.