waste of money

[jblabsnduck]

With the new waterfowl regs out,is there anyone who thinks that the regs being 34 pages long is a huge waste of money.

It cost to have all those pages printed.

If every person who buys a stamp to hunt waterfowl picked one up that is one hell of a lot of extra pages. Say if only 80,000 people picked them up, that is an extra 2,560,000 pages that had to be printed.(going by the last regs that was front and back which you could say was 2 pages)

How much land could have been bought using that money that they wasted on the new regs.

[Sartell Angler]

I thought the exact same thing when I saw the new waterfowl regs...granted there are a lot of novices out there, but to make full color photos of all MN waterfowl species for ID purposes seemed a little like a waste of time. In the future they should make an ID guide for those who need one and then make a regular 1 page front/back supplement for us real duck hunters.

I saw nothing wrong with the supplement they used to have a couple years back--in fact, that one seemed a heck of a lot more durable as mine this year has only been along in my blind bag on 2 hunts and it is already showing signs of wear.

Should have put that money into preserving some habitat IMO.

SA/wdw

[jltimm]

The waste of money to me is spending 46.50 to hunt geese and/or ducks in MN!Every year the license prices go up and the duck population seems to go down!I'am just getting a little frustrated the last few seasons for ducks,while geese on the other hand are doing well.If I wanted to just hunt geese,I still have to spend 46.50 for ALL the license's!

[poutpro]

The price for licenses isn't a waste of money because that money does go to better hunting and to buy land for public hunting. For those of us that don't have private land to hunt, that is very important to have all the public hunting lands.

[gorrilla]

Everybody wants something for cheap nowadays. I figuire its a lot better to spend a few hundred dollars to enjoy a whole seasons worth of hunting (ducks, geese, pheasants, turkey, deer, etc.) than to compare to the equivalent value such as a pair of Vikings tickets and four beers!!!

[Mark Christianson]

So does the MN DNR do anything right????

They print a more comprehensive(waste of pages by some peoples opinion) supplement, and now that is under scrutiny.

Is there any positive vibes out there in waterfowl world?

Some may find the new regs over-zealous, but there are probably a fair number that find it very useful as well. Especially the newbies to the sport.

And acquiring newbies to the sport is an awfully important part of keeping our waterfowl hunting heritage going into the future.

So to answer the question:

Do I think the new waterfowl supplement is a waste of money?

No. There are people out there that can utilize the info.

[fishface5]

It,(the printed regs.)probably cost us(hunters/DNR)little or nothing. All those adds covered the costs I'm sure. I think the DNR is trying. It is just sooo late in the game. It will take a bit of time to turn it around. There are a ton of players in this waterfowl game, and they all need to be playing the same game. The DNR has a nearly impossibe and fairly thankless job. Look at fishing the past 10-20 years. For the most part (with a very few exceptions) it is as good as it has ever been. I haven't heard much in the way of praise for their efforts.

[jblabsnduck]

Biglake, the point I was trying to get across was that there was a lot of money that went into the new regs.(I would guess)

I am sure a lot of it was paid for by the people that advertised in it, I have no doubt about that.

I am just saying that they could have still put in advertising and not gone overboard on the regs and used some of that money to buy up land.

And about the duck ID, if I remeber right there is a little duck ID book out there that you can get I belive for $2.00.

Heck if most of the duck hunters in this state where members of MWA and you attended a banquet you could have gotten one for free. Two birds with one stone. You are helping the birds in your own state and you get a duck ID book. I know with my chapter that we had tons of them at every banquet we had.

I realize not evryone can make it to banquets but if you where a member of MWA you could have called and got one for free.(not sure about getting one for free today but a year or two ago it would have been no problem)

My point is this, MN needs more land and better quality water and what better way to achieve that than buying up more land and not letting all these people build on every little pond or lake. That happens and then there goes your best duck hole. DNR buys it and it is still there 50 years from now and it becomes your kids little honey hole and not a golf course.

The DNR dosen't [PoorWordUsage] me off(maybe the four bird limit did, just becuse I thought it should be flyway wide or nothing)

For the most part I think the do due a thankless job but I tell you what the first time you see some guy poach on your land and the DNR makes a bust because you called TIP I bet you Thank them very much.

P.S everyone should have the TIP number in there cell phone.

1-800-652-9093

[BLACKJACK]

JB, I'm one of the dinasuars that doesn't own a cell phone and I have no intention of getting one anytime soon. I spend all day getting chased by an electronic leash (the phone) and I'll be darned if I'll let it dictate my free time. You can't even sit down at a restaurant without some ahorn sitting there talking on a cell phone. And even if I did own one, I think that they should be banned from the duck blind, fish house etc. I have a buddy that brings his into the fishhouse, next thing you know his kid is calling, wondering when he's coming home. Whatever happend to peace and quiet? The one use in a hunting/fishing environment that I can see is the one you mentioned - calling TIP, but how often does that need arise?

There, I've had my rant about cell phones, I feel better.

[jblabsnduck]

Blackjack, I couldn't agree with you more about the piece and quite. I turn my cell phone off when out hunting or fishing. I bet it was a TIP call that got some guys busted last year on duck opener. I went by the CO and the tail gate of this guys truck was stacked with wood ducks at least 40 woodies and there was only two guys there besides the CO.

I wouldn't band cell phones from the blinds, what if you broke your arm while hunting and you couldn't paddle back across the lake in the wind?

I hear where you are coming from so don't get me wrong but there is a place for cell phones to be used.

[Flash]

Talk about a waste of money. How about the Duck & Pheasant stamps. Why do they have to mail them out. It says right on your license that you purchased a stamp. How much do you think it costs to mail those out? That money could go to restore a shallow pond or buy some land. What a shame. Why don't they survey hunters on that instead of a couple do gooders who want to lower the limit.

Flash

"Set the Hook"

[jblabsnduck]

Flash, great point.

There are those out there that like to have there stamps for what ever reason, maybe they collect them???????

In this case MY opinion would be that if you want a stamp for collecting then add a $1.00 charge to get it in the mail and for the guys that don't care if they have one or not it is printed on your license.

[Quackaddict9]

oh yeah did anyone mention the camo body casket on one of the pages in the Duck Reg book? I thought it was stupid.

[FOOT]

Flash, you don't have to have your stamp mailed to you.

Some people do collect the stamps and therefore want the stamp mailed to them but if you are just using it to hunt and not collect you don't need to have it mailed to you as it does print on your license that you purchased it. Some agents don't know this.

I agree that if you do collect the stamps then you should be paying a few dollars more to have it mailed to you.

[Flash]

Foot,

You better read the regs. Yes, you have to have a stamp and have it signed in your possession. The form you get from the license person is good for 30 days until you get your stamp. Go to the Waterfowl Supplement and it is the first thing they say "A resident waterfowl hunter over 16 years of age and all non-resident waterfowl hunters must carry: 1.a valid waterfowl stamp, signed across the face(1--64)." Now, don't you agree it is a waste of money?

Flash

"Set the Hook"

P.S. Also, when you sign the stamp it decreases its value. Again, more money wasted.

[Mark Christianson]

I believe thats a statement for the Federal Stamp....

Not the State Stamp. You have proof that you paid for the state stamp right on your license.

I could be wrong.

[Ebiz]

Also, if you ever need the TIP phone number, it's on the back of your hunting & fishing licenses.

[Flash]

Read the regs. guys. You need both and have to have both signed and also if you are going to hunt pheasants, you need that stamp signed also.

Flash

"Set the Hook"

[Gus]

Why on earth would the DNR let you have the option to NOT have the stamp mailed to you if you MUST have it in posession while hunting? Seems pretty stupid to me. I'm guessing the intent of this and what is worded in the regs are off base from each other.

[Flash]

There is no option. You need and have to sign and have to have in your possession the stamp. You can buy the stamp and not hunt if you wish but that's it. I am simply saying it is a waste of money mailing out the stamp when yes, your license says you purchased a stamp. Years ago, you would get the state stamps from the license vendors, but now you only get the federal stamp from vendors. The state stamp, the state sends out to you. They are wasting the mailing money I think. The only reason they do this is so the artists that make the print can sell them.

Flash

"Set the Hook"

[jbell1981]

Flash is correct. "an electronic stamp is only valid for 30 day after issuance." And all stamps must be signed across the face to be valid.

~Josh

[wyldewal]

As I read through some of these posts I came the the realazation that we as hunters are never happy. We complain that there is not enough game, and then when the DNR reduses limits or cut season lenths we complain about that. We argue the point that It's not the number of animals but rather the amount of habitat, and then when the DNR raises lisence costs to try and help the habitat we complain about that. Now the thought is that there are too many pages in the regulations and they are costing us too much money. Well the ads pay for most of the printing, and if they shortened the regulations we would complain that they weren't clear enough to understand.(And in my opinion they are confusing enough already.) I say we put all these petty complaints behind us and enjoy a great season, birds or no birds.

Good hunting everyone.

[Mark Christianson]

I'll be darned......

Now that I think of it, last year I do believe I received a state stamp in the mail and wondered why I got it.

Just a few years ago, it was an option to receive an actual stamp via mail if you wanted one.

I am gonna call the DNR just to understand this a little more clear.

[riverrat56]

Here is a question, why can't they just sell you a license with every thing you need printed on it, every stamp, waterfowl (federal, state) and pheasant, sell it for what ever the price would be for what ones you need, and I'f you want a collectable stamp. drop 2 extra bucks for it. Don't tell me they wouldn't make more money and simplfy things that way,

1. less stamps printed, but sold for same cost, just that it is printed on license.

2. for stamps being printed they will make a 2 dollar profit off the stamp itself, plus the 15 or 5 for the privalage of having that stamp.

3. It would take away the confusion in stamping.

Another idea, have the agents ask you a simple questionare to see what you need,

a. Age

b. what you plan to hunt

c. when you plan on hunting it (early goose)

I have a few friends who were convinced by the agents they needed a state stamp at age 16, also had a buddy buy all his stamps, special goose, state and fedral, but the agent never HIP certified him, not granted it he should have asked for it, but when you spend an extra 20 some bucks on waterfowl things, shouldn't they certify you for HIP, and no he didn't buy his license at wally world or some place like that, it was at a local bait shop.

Another thing to the person complaining about the costs, just don't go then, you spend 300 bucks on a shot gun, 12 bucks a box for shells, 500 bucks on decoys, waders >100, a boat, don't takle long and your over $1000 bucks, I'd pay 100 bucks to be able to hunt for the year, wait I do already with deer and small game licenses, I don't complain about it, I hunt because I love to hunt, and cost doesn't really matter to me.

Edit- Anyone who wants to know my feelings on outdoor sports, waterfowling and upland hunting specifically, read Sartell Anglers signature, says it all right there

[icecold]

Hey finally someone that thinks like me. I couldnt agree more with you about da cell phone. I swear that people are so additicted to the cell phone ,its as bad as a cigarette addition or drug addiction, I see these people they cant walk 5 feet without checking to see if someone called ; How can you get anything done when your always worried about whos on da cell phone, Also where I ice fish ,these clowns call 10 people as soon as they get a fish and within 10 minutes there is another 5 people fishing in same spot The phone isalways ringing, Are people so insecure these days that they just cant sit there and fish and relax without having 100 people swarming around them I deal with the public all week I like to get away from people, Nothing beats the sound of a cell phone ringing in the next fish house,that is set up to close to mine to begin with, but thats a different subject all together