Ever since I began writing this column one of my favorite subjects has been the vast variety of licenses that we are required to carry in order to legally enjoy Virginia’s wildlife opportunities and the price fluctuations of these permits. If my memory serves me there was a pretty significant price increase before the 2007-08 hunting season. Most prices doubled or near to it. Then there was a slight decrease in some fees for the following season. This past season saw some major increases again, mainly involving non-resident permits. Before all these increases took place I did my best to encourage outdoorsmen to purchase their licenses to take advantage of the savings available by purchasing a lifetime license or a legacy license for the future outdoorsman in your family.

Now it seems Virginia’s Department of Game and Inland Fisheries has taken my recommendations to heart by expanding the options to save on your hunting and fishing licenses. As of Jan. 1, we now have the option to buy a license for multiple years rather than for a lifetime. A viable option for folks who perhaps have already planned their future and know that they will not be hunting, trapping or fishing in Virginia five years down the road for whatever reason or just can’t afford or otherwise justify buying a lifetime license. VDGIF is calling this a pilot program at this point in time and the multi-year discount is only being offered to residents for the basic hunting, trapping and freshwater fishing licenses and you can only buy your license for a maximum of four years into the future. All non-resident and other required big game tags, duck stamps, National Forest permits, etc., must still be purchased each year. The multi-year option does not apply to the Sportsman license, which includes the basic hunting license, bear deer turkey license, archery license, crossbow license, muzzleloader license, freshwater fishing license and trout license. Nor does it apply to saltwater or the combined fresh and saltwater fishing license either. Although you only save one dollar per year off the price of the license, VDGIF is touting the discount as a two dollar savings since you will also forego the one dollar agency fee you would have had to pay if you were to buy your license year by year from a retail outlet. A moot point if you are buying your licenses online as many people now do.

It’s obvious that VDGIF is motivated to try new approaches to selling licenses in the face of the declining interest in hunting and fishing that seems to be a nationwide trend. Virginia has a unique program of opportunities and facilities available to hunters, trappers and fishermen. Hunting, trapping and fishing are Virginia traditions, guaranteed in the state constitution. Programs supporting outdoors activities are funded by license sales, not tax money or private foundations. These programs are in jeopardy and those in charge of promoting and maintaining them know it. Could changes such as closing public Wildlife Management areas and fishing lakes be the next step?