Hunting and fishing fees to increase

A bill to raise the price of hunting and fishing fees to support the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Park’s budget has passed both houses of the Montana Legislature.

House Bill 140, sponsored by Rep. Jeffrey Welborn, R-Dillon, passed the Senate by 33-17 on April 20 and the House by 75-23 on April 23. Gov. Steve Bullock is expected to sign the bill.

As amended, the bill will provide $4.7 million in additional revenue to the state in 2016, when price changes go into effect. But that’s about $1 million short of what FWP said it needed.

Welborn brought the bill on behalf of the Montana Environmental Quality Council and an independent FWP license fee advisory committee that included representatives from Trout Unlimited, the Wildlife Federation and other outdoor groups.

HB 140 calls for increasing the cost of a resident fishing license from $18 to $21 and a nonresident fishing license from $60 to $86. The cost of a nonresident big game hunting license would increase from $897 to $981. Residents would see a $8 increase for a hunting license.

The bill includes numerous revisions, including standardizing discounts for youths and seniors at half price. A Senate amendment returned the age threshold for senior discounts to 62 years old after the House had raised it to 67. The Senate’s amendment cost the state $350,000 in revenue.

Senate Bill 395, sponsored by Sen. Mark Blasdel, R-Kalispell, which would have allowed hunter from 10-18 years old to hunt before completing a hunter safety course, was rolled into HB 140 after it failed on its own to pass in the House.