The F&G is under funded and over committed as we have heard from various news articles in Hawkeye and other state new paper. They need help from all the sports people that hunt and fish in this state, even the out of state sports people can help. For more explanation of what the F&G is up against, click
F&G Funding

The Merrimack Trout Unlimited has a sample letter that can be used to be sent to your state representative, senate and to the governor to express your support for the F&G. They have links for the representatives and governor.
F&G Letter

The reason the fish and game is under funded is the State sucks the money from the fish and game to fund the rest of the states business. If the state would just leave the monies that is aquired thru the sales of licenses and sales of related fishing and hunting then the state fish and game would be drowning in money. what the state needs to do is wake up. Stop relying on the sportsman and tourist to support them and put back the head and poll tax and make all the people in the state support thier state. leave the fish and game funds for what it should go for and that is Fish and Game period. as far as Trouts unlimited and Bass masters all they care abut is them selves and shouldn't even be concidered. It is all about greesing the hands of politions so they can get thier own way.this is only my opinion. good fishing
Forry

One thing we can do is give the extra $8 when purchasing our licence. (super sportsman) Ask your local tackle shop, or anyone that sells them how many do. You will be very surprised. Beleive me it is not many.

Salty

Of course I'm from Mass, so I feel we are paying allot anyhow, but I thought allot of people gave the extra 8.00. I know I do and I do it on my wifes license too and she never fished once last year, maybe once the year before.

However, if for one minute I thought it was going elsewhere and not directly to support Fish (and game) I'm not a hunter, but certainly don't mind supporting it, I wouldn't give one extra penny. Maybe too many people think like Forry (and I'm not saying he's wrong) and don't make the donation for that reason..

John S.

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Replying to:

One thing we can do is give the extra $8 when purchasing our licence. (super sportsman) Ask your local tackle shop, or anyone that sells them how many do. You will be very surprised. Beleive me it is not many.

Salty

DO NOT QUOTE ME ON THIS AS I AM ONLY 75% POSIVE OF THIS INFO!

I do belive that if you register your boat through your town rather than the state the money goes to that town. In other words if you register through the mail to Concord the money goes to the state but if you say register it at Shep Brown's or Trexler's than Meredith and MoultonBorough get the money, respectively. I believe that applies to Fishing and hunting licenses as well where the money is supposed to go to that area in which the license was purchased unless it is purchased online than it goes to the state.

I'm almost positive on the boat registration but not the fishing license

that's my point that money should go to fish and game

The boat tax goes to the state if you send it in to the state, other wise it goes to the town where you register the boat.The boat fee goes to the state in all cases. The license fee goes to the state F&G.

Here in mass the people that sell license get a very small fee to sell them.The same thing in maine other than that I belive it goes to the state F&G any ways.As far as boat reg.you have to go right to the state to pay the bill.Just like what has been said before.

Erin

I'm not sure exactly what is meant by "the State sucks it up"? I'm pretty sure F&G gets 100% of the money from license sales, and the State doesn't get a penny of it. New Hampshire is also the only State in the US that is 100% self funded through license sales. The problem lies with the amount of work F&G does...besides enforcing hunting and fishing laws, they are also the authority on Search and Rescue missions, (with help from local volunteer groups). For example, rock climbers, hikers, lost kids, winter mountaineers', etc. are all rescued by Fish and Game, but the hunters' and fisherman are paying for that. They also protect and conserve land, enforce snowmobile laws, maintain trails, boat launches, fish hatcheries, I could go on and on. My opinion is that the State should fund the search and rescue aspect, and perhaps fund the local search and rescue groups, and the State could certainly help with the land and wildlife conservation.

On the issue of boat registrations. If you mail it to Concord your money goes into the General Fund (and you're not seeing any of that money helping the sportsman). If you pay in your town, the town gets the money, but I don't see how that helps either? Sure, if you live in a town that has a nice, popular lake with public access, some of that money might help maintain the launch or related lake issues, but if you live in a town where there is no lake, or public boat launch, or boating related issues, where's your $$ going?

Someone from Fish and Game must read this site, how about hopping on and posting some thoughts or suggestions?

If anything I said is incorrect, please let me know, I love constructive criticism, for it makes you more wise.

Happy Holidays FLW'ers.