Duck Stamp Price Going Up

[cstemig]

Nothing about hunting ever stays the same or gets cheaper. IMO, this increase was long overdue as I'm sure that costs for wetland preservation has continually gone up.

IMO, there should be an oversight board to review these programs every 3-5 years and then set an increase if necessary instead of waiting 13-years.

[9manfan]

instead of waiting 13-years.

actually I think it was 23 years since increase......

[Waterfowlist]

Can't afford it.

[triplecurler]

F it. I'm out.


But seriously, at least it's duck stamps and not taxes, but I still don't really trust that the extra money will go just to habitat

You know it won't, it'll go to fund obummercare or the arts.

[get-n-birdy]

Stamps are kinda optional, depending on how you look at things.

[Bill Gilbertson]

The entire $10 can only be used for buying easements. This is crap.

[Quack]

It would be nice if they didn't put the easement stipulation in there, but it's not that big of a deal.

If the $10 increase goes to easements that frees up the initial $15 for fee title acquisitions. I don't think a lot of people understand easements have always been part of the program.

BIG AG hates fee title acquisitions for conservation and often blocks these types of land sales. However, easements are more palatable as the land stays in production.

Far more wetlands can be protected with easements than acquisitions- they cost less, are more politically acceptable, and more available.

[lanyard]

For us wankers here, would really like to see some work done on the existing wetlands that would make them productive.... rural storm pond seems to now be the norm.

Quack, any discussion about how many more acres could potentially be available for preservation/protection through easement or purchase? I know there is an endless supply of rebuild available, but at this point the costs will seem to far out weigh any benefit reconstruction would bring.

[Quack]

I'm waiting for a call from a FWS buddy for an updated perspective, but as long as I can recall we've been told there is a long waiting list of ranchers in the Dakotas that want to protect their grass & wetlands. Out there it's a big difference between farming & ranching. Some ranchers don't want to see native prairie converted to row crops. Conversion has been going full throttle for a decade due to ethanol.

As for how many more acres, I don't know but I would have to think an easement could be anywhere from 1/2 to 1/10 the cost of purchase.

[Waterfowlist]

Id like to see a few areas like this in MN.