CPW Commission Meeting Day 1

The discussion / motion to raise NR bear licenses to $800 has me scratching my head. Just a few years ago it was lowered to $100 to help achieve harvest objectives. Further discussion / vote was tabled until today. Should be interesting to listen to the CPW staff input on this.
 
Keep them honest!

That was necessary yesterday.

At the September Commission meeting they had the step 1 of 2 discussion about annual CPI license price adjustments, and the topic of raising the non-resident bear license price was brought up by one commissioner and discussed at length. Some wanted to raise it from the current $110 to the statutory maximum (which is something like $801). After the long discussion, they landed on a price increase to $250.

Yesterday at the step 2 of 2 process, which is normally just a reading of what they agreed to at step 1 followed by a vote, Commissioner Vardy made a motion to raise resident and non-resident bear and mountain lion prices to the statutory maximum (around $52 for residents and $801 for non-residents). If approved, it would have been a real bait and switch for the public, who were left believing after the last meeting that the issue was settled. After a long discussion, they decided to move the agenda item to today's agenda so that staff could provide them with more information.

Dan Gates did comment during the public comment period a few minutes later that the Commission was bypassing the public comment process if they moved forward with this, because you must sign up for virtual comment a week early. The only way to comment on the issue today is to drive to Burlington and comment in person.

I think there was enough understanding by some of the Commissioners yesterday to suggest that it won't pass today. But who knows?

Here's a link to the discussion yesterday. S#$& show.

 
That was necessary yesterday.

At the September Commission meeting they had the step 1 of 2 discussion about annual CPI license price adjustments, and the topic of raising the non-resident bear license price was brought up by one commissioner and discussed at length. Some wanted to raise it from the current $110 to the statutory maximum (which is something like $801). After the long discussion, they landed on a price increase to $250.

Yesterday at the step 2 of 2 process, which is normally just a reading of what they agreed to at step 1 followed by a vote, Commissioner Vardy made a motion to raise resident and non-resident bear and mountain lion prices to the statutory maximum (around $52 for residents and $801 for non-residents). If approved, it would have been a real bait and switch for the public, who were left believing after the last meeting that the issue was settled. After a long discussion, they decided to move the agenda item to today's agenda so that staff could provide them with more information.

Dan Gates did comment during the public comment period a few minutes later that the Commission was bypassing the public comment process if they moved forward with this, because you must sign up for virtual comment a week early. The only way to comment on the issue today is to drive to Burlington and comment in person.

I think there was enough understanding by some of the Commissioners yesterday to suggest that it won't pass today. But who knows?

Here's a link to the discussion yesterday. S#$& show.

I assume the goal of the price change to the maximum amount is to stop or greatly reduce the number of non-resident bear hunters? And in the future, the commissioners can use those numbers to justify canceling the season all together?
 
I assume the goal of the price change to the maximum amount is to stop or greatly reduce the number of non-resident bear hunters? And in the future, the commissioners can use those numbers to justify canceling the season all together?
I think that some commissioners feel like we are under-valuing the wildlife resource, which I kind of understand. I mean look at resident license fees. But I do get some feeling from some of just wanting to put the screws to the large carnivore hunters.
 
I assume the goal of the price change to the maximum amount is to stop or greatly reduce the number of non-resident bear hunters? And in the future, the commissioners can use those numbers to justify canceling the season all together?
That is a point to ponder for sure. Another one is by adding wolves, eliminating lion hunting and reducing bear harvest, there won't be much left to hunt which is a pleasing thought to many - some of which are on this commission.
 
I think that some commissioners feel like we are under-valuing the wildlife resource, which I kind of understand. I mean look at resident license fees. But I do get some feeling from some of just wanting to put the screws to the large carnivore hunters.
This is absolutely the situation. There is definitely a case that greatly reduced license prices do not properly reflect the value of the wildlife. I firmly believe those commissioners want to end bear and cat hunting completely. They aren’t able to do that……..yet. So their best option is to make bear and cat hunting as cost prohibitive as possible. When someone tells you they have an anti-hunting agenda, you should probably believe them.
 
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I think that some commissioners feel like we are under-valuing the wildlife resource, which I kind of understand. I mean look at resident license fees. But I do get some feeling from some of just wanting to put the screws to the large carnivore hunters.
I understand that sentiment as well and could see it as a legitimate argument from both sides, but when the suggested increase is to the maximum amount allowed by law it screams my point, IMO.
 
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