Last week, a bill that would raise hunting and fishing fees in Colorado passed the Colorado Senate.
As The Denver Post reports, the Senate unanimously passed the measure, which would allow Colorado Parks and Wildlife to raise fees – as well as the price for park passes - to support conservation programs and chip away at a $45 million maintenance backlog on 11 dams owned by the division.
If passed, the bill allows Parks and Wildlife to increase resident annual fishing licenses from $25 to $33 and out-of-state licenses from $55 to $95. The cost of an elk tag would increase from $45 5o $53.
Hunting and fishing licenses account for 60 percent of Parks and Wildlife’s annual budget. The division last raised its fees in 2005. With a subsequent spike in costs during that time period, the agency estimates a budget shortfall of $30 million a year for wildlife and $11 million a year for parks by 2025, without the increase in fees.
