It may soon cost you more to hunt, fish and trap in the Badger state. As part of his 2025-2027 biennial state budget address, Gov. Tony Evers is proposing an increase in license fees for those activities. PC: Fox 11 Online
DE PERE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — It may soon cost you more to hunt, fish and trap in the Badger State.
As part of his 2025-2027 biennial state budget, Gov. Tony Evers is proposing an increase in license fees for those activities.
“I think it’s long and coming. I think they should have done it long before now. I think a lot of other states have increased it over the cost of what it costs us in Wisconsin,” angler Scott Scarpelli said.
This would be the DNR‘s first Wisconsin resident license increase since 2005. Most licenses will go up between $10 and $20.
For example, an annual resident fishing license will go from $20 to $30, while a resident deer license will go from $22 to $42.
“Particularly, being a musky fisherman, it’s important that we keep stocking the bay and it takes a lot of resources and money to do that, so I’m all for increasing the fishing licenses,” Scarpelli said.
“$10 increase. I could see that if they didn’t do it for 20 years, that’s not that bad,” angler Eric Fleischmann said.
The price increases are expected to generate $75 million over the biennium in additional revenue. Money would be used to help pay for wildlife and conservation projects, according to Evers’ proposal.
Many hope the extra cash is used wisely to protect the state’s natural resources.
“If they get more law enforcement, protect our fisheries, maybe do some improvements with the boat launches and stuff like that, and stock fish, it will be a big thing,” Smokey’s on the Bay owner Jeff Tilkens said.
Tilkens said he doesn’t think the higher license fees will impact business, but he’s hearing from some anglers who want to see non-resident fees increase by even more.
“They’re out of state. This is our state. They should pay a little bit more increase than we do. And that’s what I heard from a lot of guides and local fishermen,” Tilkens said.
While the price increases could hold back some people from shelling out the extra money, it may not even phase the diehard fishermen.
“This is my passion. I do it in the winter, I’m out almost every single day,” Fleischmann said. “Not gonna scare me away, that’s for sure.”
If the proposal passes, fees would go into effect March 1, 2026.
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