Outdoors

By STEVE KNIGHT
Outdoor Writer

Like death and taxes, new hunting and fishing licenses each fall are unavoidable in Texas.

The good news is that when the 2008-09 licenses go on sale Friday the price won't have risen.

However, that could be a temporary financial pleasure.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is in the process of preparing its 2010-11 budget request. Carter Smith, TPWD executive director, said last week that the plan is to eventually ask the legislature for additional spending authority for fisheries, wildlife and law enforcement programs with money raised through license fee increases, additional general revenue or other sources.

"The heightened cost of fuel, utilities, and other supplies is having an appreciable impact on our operations, which as you know, are largely field based. But, we also have an interest in promoting some new programs to enhance public access to the out of doors for hunting, fishing, and other outdoor uses. It is a priority of the commission," said Smith in an e-mail response.

However, he said that a decision on increasing license fees wouldn't come until the department gets a commitment from legislators.

"We will wait on any hunting/fishing license fee increase until the session and our discussions with the legislature, because even if the commission voted for such an increase, we would have to have legislative support for additional appropriation authority," Smith explained.

So for one more year at least hunters and fishermen will be paying the same price for their license that they have since 2003, not counting a raise for the freshwater fishing stamp.

There is a dizzying array of license options, however, the biggest seller has become the $65 resident Super Combo package that includes all state hunting and fishing licenses and stamps that might be required. It does not include a federal waterfowl stamp.

A seniors' version of the package for those at least 65 is $30. The Super Combo is free for active duty military and for resident disabled veterans.

A resident hunting license is $23; however that does not include either the Migratory or Upland game bird stamps or the Archery Hunting stamp.

The resident fishing packages do include required stamps. The options include the Freshwater Fishing package ($28) the Saltwater Fishing package ($33) or the All Water Fishing Package ($38).

Other resident combination hunting and fishing packages include required fishing stamps, but not ones needed for hunting. Options include the Combo Hunting and Freshwater fishing package ($47), the Combo Hunting and Saltwater Fishing package ($52) and the Combo Hunting and All Water Fishing package ($57).

A hunting license for resident or non-resident youth 16 and under and for seniors is $6.

While youth 16 and under are allowed to fish free in Texas, resident seniors have three fishing options ranging from the $11 Senior Freshwater Fishing package to the $16 Senior Saltwater Fishing package or the $21 Senior All Water Fishing package. There also is a combination hunting/fishing package for seniors. It includes the Combo Hunting and Freshwater Fishing package ($15), the Combo Senior Hunting Saltwater Fishing package ($20) and the Combo Hunting and All Water Fishing package ($25).

TPWD officials are recommending hunters buy their licenses as early as possible to avoid an opening day of dove season rush. The current license year ends Aug. 31 meaning hunters and fishermen will require a 2008-09 license for the Sept. 1 opening of dove season in the North and Central zones.

"Last year, we sold over 350,000 licenses during the four-day period around the opening weekend of dove season," said Tom Newton with TPWD's licensing section. "It takes an average of three to five minutes to process a license sale transaction, so it's likely there will be delays if you wait 'til the last minute."

By comparison, Newton said the department averaged less than 20,000 license transactions a day during the two weeks prior to the dove season opener as opposed to five or six times that number on the days around opening weekend.

According to the department, Texas issues 2.1 million hunting and fishing licenses annually through 28 TPWD field offices, more than 65 state parks and at more than 1,500 retailers across Texas.

For those who don't want to stand in line to buy a license or forget, the department does offer license sales by phone or the Internet, however, there is a $5 service charge and a major credit card is required. Those buying a license this way will be given a confirmation number that will verify the purchase until the license is received by mail.

"We sold about 4,500 licenses online and by phone during the peak sales weekend last year," Newton said. "We'd like to steer more of the traffic to the call center and Internet during the peak volume periods."

The license sales call center is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday at (800) 895-4248. Hunters and fishermen may purchase a license anytime at www.tpwd.state.tx.us.

Along with buying a license, hunters who hunt migratory birds are also required to complete the free Harvest Information Program certification. To get the HIP certification, hunters are asked questions about their harvest numbers for last year. To be legal, the HIP certification must be printed on the license.