SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Aug. 26, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — The Utah Wildlife Board has approved fee increases for hunting and fishing licenses and permits for both residents and non-residents.
The last substantive fee increase for resident licenses was in 2014, and the last fee increase for non-resident licenses was in 2020, said the state Division of Wildlife Resources Friday in announcing the hikes on its website, citing rising costs of operation.
But not to worry. Won’t happen this year. The increases approved Thursday by the wildlife board still have to be approved by the Utah Legislature, said the DWR, which doesn’t meet in general session until January.
According to the DWR website:
- Core resident licenses and permits, such as 365-day fishing, hunting and combination licenses as well as general-season deer and elk permits increased by $6. Extensions and multi-year permits will remain $1 less. For example: A resident combination license — currently $38 — will increase to $44, with an extension or multi-year license available for $43.
- Non-resident hunting licenses will be increased to $120 and non-resident combination licenses will be raised to $150.
- Most other license and permit fees fall within the 10%-increase threshold.
- Some fees were considered individually for a market adjustment that would either bring the DWR in line with surrounding states or right-size a fee – based on equity – for the type of permit. For example, swan and sandhill crane permits will now be aligned in price with the similar turkey permit. Likewise, fees for CWMU deer and elk permits will be right-sized to the appropriate limited-entry fee.
