by Mark Chesnut - Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Hunting is much more than just an activity; it’s a longstanding family tradition for many and even a lifestyle. That’s because hunting offers so much, from health benefits and outdoor recreation to camaraderie, family time, lean protein and the practice of Second Amendment-protected rights.
That said, hunting also presents a significant financial barrier to entry. From guns, ammunition and accessories to licenses, land access and fuel, that lean protein mentioned earlier usually comes at a relatively high cost per pound.
That’s why it is always somewhat alarming to hear when officials in one state or another are considering significant increases in license and tag fees. This brings us to Wisconsin Gov. Tom Evers, who, as part of his 2025-2027 biennial state budget, is proposing a steep rise in both hunting and fishing resident license fees. According to Fox 11 News in Green Bay, the price increase would generate $75 million over the biennium in additional revenue.
The last increase in resident hunting and fishing license fees occurred back in 2005, and there’s no doubt that the cost of operating a fish and wildlife agency has risen over the past several years. That said, Gov. Evers’ hikes are quite substantial, especially in comparison to the increases the governor’s budget made to nonresidents back in 2023.
As an example, under Gov. Evers’ proposal, a resident small game license would more than double from $16 to $36, a 125 percent increase. Likewise, a resident deer tag would nearly double from $22 to $42, a 91 percent increase. The resident trapping license would double from $20 to $30.
The fee increase would also affect Wisconsin anglers. Although Gov. Evers has, for whatever reason, chosen to raise fishing license fees by a much lower percentage than he proposed for hunting licenses, the resident annual fishing license would increase 50 percent from $20 to $30.
In 2023, Gov. Evers’ budget included a license fee increase for nonresident hunters and anglers visiting the Badger State. However, that increase wasn’t nearly as steep.
For instance, the nonresident archery and crossbow license fees increased $35, from $165 to $200 per customer—an increase of only about 21 percent. Similarly, the nonresident deer hunting license fee was raised by $40, from $160 to $200—only a 25 percent increase.
Note that this latest proposal also would increase hunting and fishing license fees for nonresidents, but again, by a much lower percentage than for residents. A nonresident small game license would jump from $88 to $108, an increase of about 23 percent. And a nonresident deer license would jump from $198 to $218, an increase of about 10 percent. The nonresident annual fishing license would increase from $55 to $65, an 18 percent jump.
I frankly don’t know what the financial status of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is at this time, and it’s quite possible that after 20 years, a moderate increase in resident hunting and fishing license fees might be in order to fund additional conservation projects. However, just by crunching the numbers, if Gov. Evers is trying to balance the state’s Department of Natural Resources budget with his proposal, he’s doing it largely on the backs of those Wisconsin residents who enjoy the state’s longstanding hunting tradition.
About the Author
Freelance writer and editor Mark Chesnut is the owner/editorial director at Red Setter Communications LLC in Jenks, Okla. An avid hunter, shooter and field-trialer, he has been covering Second Amendment issues and politics on a near-daily basis for over 25 years, previously serving as editor of the NRA’s America’s 1st Freedom.