To participate in the survey go to mdc.mo.gov/MDChuntersurvey. The deadline to complete the survey is March 24.
One of the most contentious but least consequential issues that hunters argue about involves non-residents who come to our state to hunt for deer, turkey and waterfowl. The state Department of Conservation is asking hunters and the public for their opinions about the subject.
An email was sent to 56,000 state residents and 1,800 non-residents who purchased permits over the past two years, according to a press release from the conservation department. Those survey recipients were selected from a pool of 542,532 permits buyers, so about 10 percent of permit buyers should find a link in their inboxes.
The email was sent on March 10, said Joe Jerek, news services coordinator for the department. Others who want to weigh-in on the issue are welcome to complete an online survey that asks them to consider how strongly they agree or disagree with proposals affecting out-of-state hunters.
The data is collected anonymously, identifying participants only by their zip code. To participate in the survey go to mdc.mo.gov/MDChuntersurvey. The deadline to complete the survey is March 24.
I was not among the lucky ones to receive the survey email, but I did complete the questionnaire using the provided link. Introductory queries asked about hunting interest and experience, but then it got down to the nitty gritty.
The state is considering regulations targeting non-resident hunters. Respondents were asked their preferences on ideas like limiting the days or portions of the deer, turkey, and waterfowl seasons that non-residents would be allowed to hunt, changing the price of non-resident hunting permits, and/or limiting access to public lands for non-residents.
In addition to the multiple choice questions, the survey allowed fill-in-the-blank comments. I felt most comfortable commenting about deer hunting because that is the sport I am most familiar with, but overall my opinion is that we should find ways to encourage hunting in Missouri rather than creating additional restrictions.
Taking on the topics individually, and again, speaking mostly about deer hunting, I don’t see how any of the ideas are beneficial. It wouldn’t make sense to restrict any portion other than opening weekend, and that’s when I expect that most non-resident hunters are former Missourians who have moved away or family members who come from out of state to carry on traditions.
The survey question about the costs of non-resident permits asked if the price to play should match the rates charged by surrounding states. Iowa, Illinois and the others typically charge us more to go there than we ask for reciprocal privileges. It makes sense to have higher prices for non-resident permits, because they don’t pay the sales tax we do all year, but to use pricing as a weapon to limit access is not very neighborly.
While it may be more significant for waterfowl hunters to be restricted from state-owned conservation areas and other properties, it does not seem like limiting public-land deer hunting could possibly impact harvest totals or opportunities for residents.
Out-of-staters are not killing all the game or even a significant proportion. Their number of participants is fractional compared to resident hunters. Yes, there are many “professional” hunters who come in and leave with trophies, but they also leave a lot of their money behind. The state highlights the economic impact of hunting, especially in rural areas, and it is an added bonus that some of the money comes from beyond our borders.
It’s OK to sit around the campfire or on a barstool to discuss department rules you don’t like, but if you want to add your opinion where it matters, you have a few more days on this topic.
John Winkelman has been writing about outdoors news and issues in Jefferson County for more than 30 years and was the Associate Editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine.
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