# Smalls goes to Bismarck



## pigrancher (Dec 23, 2004)

Bill offers lifetime benefit to nonresident sportsmen 
By JAMES WARDEN Associated Press Writer 
The Associated Press - Friday, January 21, 2005

BISMARCK, N.D.

A senator wants to allow some former North Dakotans to buy resident hunting licenses for the rest of their lives, if they're willing to pay a $500 fee. The idea irks some sportsmen who decided to stay in North Dakota for the hunting and fishing.

"If you're going to move out of state, and you're not going to pay taxes, you're not part of the social fabric, and you've given up the privileges to hunt as a resident," said Keith Groven, a Fargo marketing consultant.

Groven dislikes a bill introduced by Sen. Stan Lyson, R-Williston, which got its first hearing Friday in the Senate's Natural Resources Committee. Lyson is the committee's chairman.

He said the bill would encourage former North Dakotans to return to go hunting with their families. "A lot of them had to leave to support their families ... we didn't have the jobs to support them," Lyson said.

Only hunters and anglers who are North Dakota natives, and attended some school in the state, would be eligible to pay the $500 fee and obtain what the bill calls a lifetime hunting and fishing license.

The license would entitle visiting hunters to pay resident rates for the rest of their lives, as long as they continued buying a general game license each year.

For hunting waterfowl and upland game, that is a major savings. A resident pheasant license, for example, is $6 for residents, $85 for visitors.

Lyson said he wants the lifetime license to apply to ducks, geese and other waterfowl, along with pheasants and other upland game. It would also allow the governor to include white-tailed deer hunts in the license.

The state Game and Fish Department estimates that nonresident hunters who buy fishing, upland game bird and waterfowl permits would recoup the cost of the $500 lifetime license within three years, by paying lower resident rates. Those who don't hunt ducks would make their money back in five years.

Groven said the measure ignores residents who have accepted less pay to stay in North Dakota and enjoy resident hunting privileges.

"To pass this bill is a complete slap in the face to those who chose to stay here," Groven said.

The Game and Fish Department estimates about 2,250 nonresident sportsmen would buy the lifetime license. About 45,000 visitors buy hunting licenses annually.

"Many people only stay here for the hunting," said Mandan resident Dennis Daniel. "If you pass this bill, I can leave any time."


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## DeltaBoy (Mar 4, 2004)

Nice work Smalls! Glad you made it home alright... :wink:


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## GooseBuster3 (Mar 1, 2002)

Nice work Groven wish I could have made the trip with yeah.


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

Wow Groven, what did Lyson say after you testified considering it was HIS BILL!  :lol:


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## DeltaBoy (Mar 4, 2004)

Groven, you made the 10:00 news! They showed just about everything you said, well done my friend... :wink:


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

Thank you so much. You took the time to go and did it well. We owe you one. :beer:


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## Dan Bueide (Jul 1, 2002)

Grass roots politics is very viable and effective in ND. Keith, all I can say is thanks. There will be other times in the next couple of weeks when bodies in Bismarck are going to be needed.


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

You were on the news up here also....great job.


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## zogman (Mar 20, 2002)

Had a good picture on the front page of section 2 in todays Grand Forks Herald.
Are you from the Grygla, Mn. area?
Special THANK YOU for the effort.


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## smalls (Sep 9, 2003)

Thanks guys. I was uncertain as I left Bismarck yesterday of whether anything I had done had actually made a difference. Even if I didn't immediately impact the opinion of the committee, the resulting media coverage made it all worth it.

To echo what Dan said, this bill is a small fish compared to some that are coming up. As sportsmen, we are going to need both bodies and voices in Bismarck in the upcoming weeks. We only have one chance every two years to make a difference, and I guarantee you the people who want to open up the floodgates to this state have their ducks in a row.

Unless you are perfectly content to watch the quality of our hunting being flushed down the toilet, make it a PLAN to get involved.


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

A big thumbs up to Smalls! Way to take the initiative and get out there. I wish I could have gone too, my appointments also cancelled that day due to the weather, so I could have gone! 

And though Smalls went all the way, everyone doesn't have to testify to make a difference. Call your representatives and senators, email them, send them letters. Make them hear your take, and don't think you are bothering them, or your efforts are insignificant, their job is to listen to what you have to say and represent you to the best of their ability!!!


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## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

Thanks Smalls!!!! :beer:


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## Simple (Oct 6, 2004)

Great job!


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