Hunting and fishing license fees may be going up

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Two dozen hunting and fishing license fees would go up under a bill approved by the Oklahoma House. <br><br>The fee increases would raise about $3.3 million for the Wildlife Conservation

Tuesday, March 11th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Two dozen hunting and fishing license fees would go up under a bill approved by the Oklahoma House.

The fee increases would raise about $3.3 million for the Wildlife Conservation Department, whose current budget totals $28.9 million.

Oklahoma's license fees are lower than in Texas, Kansas and New Mexico, said the measure's author, Rep. Dale Smith, D-St. Louis.

``I spend a little bit more on my shotgun shells than I do the full amount of my fishing license or my hunting license,'' Smith said.

Resident annual hunting and fishing licenses in Oklahoma cost $11.50 a year and would go up to $19. Texas charges $19, Kansas $19.50 and New Mexico $28.

Oklahoma's wildlife agency generates $13 million from hunting and fishing licenses and $10 million if federal reimbursement of excise taxes on the sale of firearms and other sporting equipment.

Arkansas and Missouri have lower license fees, but wildlife agencies in those states collect a 1/8-cent sales tax on sporting equipment.