# KB in Bismarck



## dosch (May 20, 2003)

Posted on Fri, Jan. 28, 2005

Stoking an old fire

Legislators debate nonresident hunter regulations

By Brenden Timpe

Herald Staff Writer

BISMARCK - A North Dakota Legislature committee hearing reignited an old fight Thursday night over the fees and access restrictions applied to nonresident hunters.

The discussion came at a hearing on House Bill 1339, which would eliminate a disparity in price between resident and nonresident licenses and a limit on the number of days a nonresident can hunt.

The higher price and limited access for nonresident hunters went into effect in 2003. The bill's prime sponsor, Rep. Jim Kerzman, D-Mott, said his home region in southwestern North Dakota has suffered under the change. His area spent considerable time cultivating habitat for upland game and promoting the area's hunting opportunities, he said, and the new rules emptied its restaurants and hotels.

"Is it fair to gear up and establish economic development just to have the state come along and restrict your business?" Kerzman said.

Others thought it would be unfair not to charge nonresidents more. Terry Fleck, a Bismarck resident, said the state should not give resident-price licenses except to other states that do the same for North Dakotans.

"If you don't want to live here and be one of us ... then you should pay the price," he said.

Agency opposed

Among opponents to the bill was the state Game and Fish Department. Roger Rostvet, deputy director, said the new rules have not hurt North Dakota's hunting. Though there has likely been a decrease in numbers in the southwest part of the state, he said, that is not due to the changes in licensing fees and other rules.

The number of residents hunting in that part of the state declined, too, even without a change in license fees, he said.

"It's pretty hard to say that the world went to pieces because we changed the license fees," Rostvet said.

Meanwhile, a fiscal note prepared by the Game and Fish Department estimated that a decrease in the price of licenses for nonresidents would cost the agency about $2.2 million per year. Those funds are put into the PLOTS program, which encourages conservation and opens private land to hunters. Several organizations cited this as a reason for opposition.

"This bill, if passed, would in a few short years ruin small game hunting as we know it," said Harold Neameyer, Cass County Wildlife Club.

However, the bill's supporters maintain that the more expensive fees are unfair and deprived at least the southwestern part of the state of some business. However you slice the numbers, they said, there was a real drop in business in the southwest between 2002 and 2003, and some people didn't come back to the state because of the change.

Kyle Blanchfield, president of the North Dakota Guide and Outfitters Association, said he "took a beating" from out-of-state hunters angry that the state had tightened its rules. That sent the wrong message to nonresidents, he said.

"Really, what was most damaging was the public relations side," Blanchfield said.


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## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

The bill was introduce to the Committee by Representative Kerzman, Mott, ND. Testimony centered on the economic affect during the last two years to his district since the passage of the current law related to license fees for nonresidents. Urged the Committee the pass the bill.

Dickinson CVB representative and a small manufacturing company owner presented testimony in favor of the bill basically indicating that since the current law was enacted it has affected the economics of the southwestern part of the state relative to nonresidents coming into the area for upland game hunting.

Roger Rostvedt, NDGF testified in opposition to the bill citing various data relationships between the number of hunters in 2003 and 2004 compared to 2002 and 2001. His data showed that the number of nonresident hunters increased in 2003. He stated that early data shows that the number of "resident" hunters in the Hettinger County and surrounding counties showed a decrease in resident hunters in 2003 and 2004. He also alluded to the fiscal affect of decreasing the license fee. The Committee clerk indicated that the license fee reduction would amount to $2,212,000 on an annual basis.

Mike Donahue, NDWF and United Sportsmen spokesman indicated that the data he had obtained related to electronic filing of applications by nonresidents had increased in 2003 and 2004. Evidently the increase in licensing fee was not a deterrent.

Representative Donald Dietrich, Grand Forks, testified in opposition to the content of the bill through the use of comparable licensing costs in neighboring states such as South Dakota and Montana. His data showed that even at a cost of $85 the nonresident is getting a good deal when compared to North Dakota.

Terry Fleck voiced his concern and opposition to the fee being lowered. He related his experiences to hunting out of state in Montana and Wyoming. Their costs far exceed the nonresident licensing fees in ND.

House Bill No. 1393 was tabled and the hearing on this bill will occur on Friday Morning at 8:30 AM in the Pioneer Room.


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## taddy1340 (Dec 10, 2004)

> Kyle Blanchfield, president of the North Dakota Guide and Outfitters Association, said he "took a beating" from out-of-state hunters angry that the state had tightened its rules. That sent the wrong message to nonresidents, he said.


 :crybaby:


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## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

Blaming increased NR fees for all of the problems that the Greater Mott area is experiencing is one of the most arrogant things I have ever heard.

Many Residents like me do not go there anymore because we will not pay $100.00 to $600.00 per gun per day to hunt upland birds. I knew when this trend started out there that one day this would bite them in the a$$, Hate to say I told you so, but............

Bob


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## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

Lets see.....Hunt the Non prime areas for the cost of gas and a gift to the landowner or pay $100 a day or more in Mott?????? Tough one but I think I will stick closer to home!!! They made their bed out there and they now get to lay in it!!!! :eyeroll: :eyeroll:


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

The big item that will defeat this bill is that the GNF would lose $2.2 million per year.Probably would be the end of PLOTS.That's probably what those people down there want.


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## Remmi_&amp;_I (Dec 2, 2003)

Why have people neglected to say the the bird numbers were WAY WAY down in the SW this year. I had friends that paid to hunt by Mott this year (a work outing) and they didn't come close to getting a limit. That same weekend, I was in my favorite "free" spot and the 3 of us limited out by 3:00 !


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## zogman (Mar 20, 2002)

Remi,

You should email your experience to the legislator from Mott


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## Remmi_&amp;_I (Dec 2, 2003)

I did already. I have talked with a couple of business owners in that area that are clients of mine about the situation. It makes it tough because they are good clients, but we differ on this issue A LOT !!!!


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

Remmi....just keep telling them that as long as commercialization continues at it's current pace down there....they will lose business.Tell them to get off their butts and do what Curty is trying in the SE.


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## NDJ (Jun 11, 2002)

it's heading that way up here, or may have already gone too far....If DL want's to put all it's eggs in the $$$ to hunt basket, don't ***** when you are not the only game in town! & less are playing yours!


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## cgreeny (Apr 21, 2004)

I just have to say that Kyle is a nice guy but for him to say he is taking a beating from the out of state hunters it blows my mind. I do alot of hunting aroud the DL area and I know that their guide service has more posted land through farmers and other connections than anybody else. The stuff they hunt is the prime of the prime, So how can he say he took the beating, is it just the verbal bashing from the NR's who think they are getting raked over the coals for the price they pay to hunt here. If that was his arguement i'm sorry Kyle you just have to deal with them, they pay you for the service and sometimes it isn't easy, i know he does alright and he will be fine, just the whining about this made me think for a moment. :beer:


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## smalls (Sep 9, 2003)

cgreeny, I got the chance to meet Kyle yesterday. I will also add that he seems like a very nice guy.

That said, I wonder what he expects North Dakota hunting to look like in 5-10-20 years? He benefits from a successful business where he controls access to thousands (probably hundreds of thousands) of acres. Is he going to be satisfied if we are a Texas like state by the by the time he retires?

At some point the main streets of North Dakota will realize that the commercialization that they have supported will ultimately be a detriment. Commercialization by nature limits the amount of people that can use the resource and is a deterrent to those who will not pay for the privelege of hunting. Then, as guiding and outfitting operations prosper, they begin to offer services that were traditionally handled by local businesses (lodging, meals, boozing). G/O businesses eventually need fewer clients to make more money, since they are making more $$ per customer. It is a 1-2 punch that negatively impacts rural ND.

Mr. Kerzman complains about declining revenues during a period that NR use of the resource in this state actually increased. It doesn't take a genius to extrapolate it was not the increased cost of license that kept people (both R and NR) away from his district.

If I were a business owner in Mott, I would form a community coalition, formed by business owners, to "lease" some prime ground and promote free hunting on it. This would keep the landowners happy, since they are still getting theirs. Plus, it would aid in attracting those freelance hunters who simply don't want to put up with a lack of access.

My .02


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## griffman (Jan 17, 2004)

Poor, poor Mott......NOT! Whether it be intentional or not, they've driven the "average" resident hunter out of there like the plauge!

Let me play the violin for them

:fiddle: :fiddle:

I no longer add any fuel, eat, patronize the bars, or any other establishments in that area! I only drive into town to hit the local PLOTS spots before the NR's do! 

Long live free hunting!!! :beer:

Mr. Rotsvet says it best that the world didn't go to pieces due to higher license fees!


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