Additional fees for Lifetime License Holders

Where does it stop? With all this talk of the baiting privilege permit and lifetime license holders, no one has mentioned the lifetime fishing purchase. The state also passed an additional $10 fee if you reef fish. My children, nephews and friends had been given as gifts the lifetime hunting/fishing (salt and fresh water) license with the understanding it was for their lifetime. Now, to go snapper, trigger, mingo, etc. fishing with a lifetime license they have to purchase annually another fishing permit. A lot of bitching about the $15/$51 fee and nobody noticed the temperature just went up on the frog in the pot if you fish. Can we have refunds for a breach in contract? Yeah, I know, we don't have to snapper fish. Crock of sh!t.

Got to pay for all those manmade reefs didn't they tell you!

Oltimer, youd think this was the first time the govt. lied to you or something.

Here's a question. Why not start selling "Lifetime Licenses with exceptions for additional fees"? Bet that would generate a lot of revenue.....

I've told ya'll this many times.
Chuckys goal is to make everyone buy a full price license. Period.
This ain't got nothing to with baiting, or fishing, or recreational activities whatsoever. It's money, and he's already stated his intentions. Anyone who gets an exception, in his view, is a freeloader. So he intends to punish you for buying that lifetime license and saving money.

Oltimer, the "it's just ten bucks, it's just a minor inconvenience, don't you want to help society?" crowd will tell you to be quiet. They'll tell you that you should be grateful to have the opportunity to pay extra to support the future. They'll say you're a selfish bastard for only wanting to buy a Lifetime license and not pay anything else, even though that's exactly what was expressed when you bought it.

But you're right.

What are the fees for lifetime license holders? I haven’t hunted bama in several years so I haven’t really keep up with the whole baiting bill. I’ve had my lifetime since I was 16 and have never had to pay any fees unless it was for a permit to hunt some public land.

Game Check, Snapper check, Korn check. What's the big deal guys?

bigcountry692001, it's all dependent on your age. Right at $1,200 for hunting, freshwater and saltwater for a 16 year old. Plus these BS fees that they keep adding. I bought lifetime licenses for my kids as a gift that would cover them for all expenses for their life. Clem, OlTimer in other languages does translate into SB (selfish bastard). Some of you younger guys will realize as you get older and KNOW you're getting stuck in the pooper, you kinda tighten up and resist if only on a forum. Moral of this story is I regret the purchase and would advise others against it.

OlTimer, I'm with you. I'm tired of the continued forced revenue generation tactics and insistence that anyone who isn't on board with the mandates is an idiot with no common sense or desire to help anyone.

I've had my lifetime for 30 plus years. I haven't decided on the baiting license yet. I plant a lot of fields, and on a couple of properties, I can't plant anything but green fields. I may just stick with the feeder 100 yards on those places.

I really wish someone with deep pockets would challenge the lifetime license and needing a baiting License in court. I think it stated when I bought it, it would be the only LICENSE I would ever have to purchase. So when they named it a baiting license, that should automatically exempt lifetime holders.

Agree. IMO it's similar to the State Treasury saying the college investment plans were guaranteed and then after the 2008 crash saying "Ah, we never said that and didn't mean it THAT way." The courts got involved and the Treasury still pretty much said, "Eh, phuck it. We're not paying."

At that level they pretty much can do what they want until told otherwise by the courts. And even then, it might not be rectified completely. The "area" definition is an example. The court ruled years ago for the Department to define "area" but that became a batted around, ignored, "we're working on it, can't get it right" kind of deal for many more years until the 100-yard rule came into being. And even it is still vague.


At least we know the baiting license permit is clearly about money and nothing biological.


I thought Gov. Ivey and the Senate and her appointees were conservatives. Imposing fees upon the public is the tactic of liberals.

My son just turned 10. I told my wife I was going to start saving a little each year so when he got his car at 16 he also got a lifetime license for everything. This makes me really apprehensive because the point of it was to tell him he never had to worry about hunting and fishing in the state of Alabama anymore, he was covered.

I believe mine was $450 but I don't think I have saltwater... As far as I know its only freshwater and hunting I could be wrong but I'll look into it.

I thought about doing the same for our son for college graduation. Not going to do it now.

I’m not following y’all here. Where is the state adding charges to your lifetime license? The way I’m understanding this is the baiting and reef permit is optional and is separate from the license. It is not mandatory to buy them. Am I reading something wrong?

The reef permit is mandatory if you fish for snapper, i believe. It would be like adding $10 every year to hunt deer, which by lifetime license, you were already allowed to hunt. I'm in favor of the reef fish permit, but I totally understand what you are saying. I'm not sure how to handle it.

Hey guys, I have never heard of the reef permit and just looked at the list of available licenses and don't see it listed. I purchased my saltwater license the other day and I just want to make sure I am not missing something.

No marsh your'e not. But the point is where does it end? Shouldn't a fishing and hunting license be for any and all kinds of hunting and fishing since we as the residents of the state have no say so ( vote ) as to what rules are regulations are added to our constitutional rights to these resources?


It's just a matter of time when a salt water license just means you can fish in the salt water but you have to have a permit for every species of fish you catch or are fishing for. Then we will have to buy a permit to launch your boat at the public boat ramp. And don't forget about a permit to go in and out of the pass. And so on and so on...

It's in the Outdoor Alabama Weekly read from May 10. The one about flounder and sea trout changes. They kind of "hid" it before they talk about dog hunting infractions.

Bigcountry692001, the cost is all based on your age. The younger you are the more it's gonna cost you.

Marshmud991, it's not mandatory. Keeping homeowners insurance after you own your house is not mandatory either, but do you?

Scroll down toward the bottom. It's a new fee.

https://www.outdooralabama.com/node/2604

[
It's just a matter of time when a salt water license just means you can fish in the salt water but you have to have a permit for every species of fish you catch or are fishing for. Then we will have to buy a permit to launch your boat at the public boat ramp. And don't forget about a permit to go in and out of the pass. And so on and so on...[/quote]

SH!T, a toll at the pass! That could happen!

Thanks OlTimer/Clem, I'll have to check that out.

If when you bought the lifetime salt water license it covered species that are now being carved out for an additional license that’s a big can of BS. No wonder some are bothered by this.

It's the same with hunting. When I got my license, it covered every legal means of hunting in the state. That way I never had to buy another license. But now they are saying well under this method you have to buy another one. To me its a breach of contract, along with who is to say they don't start adding other licenses for shotgun, riflle, muzzleloader, bow, etc... Again its stated, it covered all hunting.

Website actually says all hunting "privileges", which is what they're calling they baiting permit.

Just wait.

More will come in the future. This is only the beginning.

But, how can they get more money unless they do it this way??? This way they can also get the "over 65, under 16" group plus the landowner group. Don't you support wildlife conservation in this state? What about the GW's starving children??? Have you no heart? (This is sarcasm for those of you who are sarcastically challenged).

Cause we keep paying. Thats why trucks and fuel cost what they do.

Here in Florida they nickel & dime for all methods of hunting. Permit for bowhunting, permit for muzzleloaders, permit for crossbows, on & on it goes. Where it's stops no one knows....

I forgot that Florida had the weapon-specific permit fees, too. So that's Mississippi, Tennessee, Florida and Louisiana with weapon-specific permits.

Arkansas has a flat fee, best I can tell. Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia - you have to buy a hunting license and a separate Big Game license and/or privilge permit. Kentucky requires additional individual permits for deer, turkey and elk.

Alabama needed to be progressive with GameCheck to catch up with everyone else. We needed to be progressive with buck limits to catch up with everyone else. We've now added a feeder permit to generate revenue. It's only a matter of time before we have more.

My parents bought me a lifetime hunting license for my birthday in 1985 when they first came out. It is a contract. I will never spend another dime due to principle alone. I also bought 3 PACT funds for my kids. The state used treasury letter head to promote the sale of the PACT. Shitforbrains Kay Ivey was the treasurer at that time and misrepresented the fund as a state backed fund. She also believed in buy high sell low on stock and bankrupted the fund in 2008 when the market tanked and screwed everyone. What a dumbass. The PACT owners had to take the state to court to make them pay which is shameful. We still never got full value of the PACT. Of all the things we have to be ashamed of in this state, the most shameful is how we manage our resources. The DCNR is a joke! We are light years behind other states in managing our wildlife and it shows.

Once again, I love this state and it is my home. Never ever ever give this state your money for a long term basis on consent. They will SCREW you!

Big Bore, I feel your pain. Our family purchased 4 for family members, hunting and fresh/salt water fishing. Quite an investment/gift that did not pan out.

Gonna get blasted but here goes. I never got a lifetime but I do understand the heartburn with the baiting fees. Been fishing in the gulf for 30+ years the reef fish permit is a total crock of BS. My problem with some of the posters never wanting to buy a lifetime for their kids is what I don't understand, From a strictly $$$'s perspective it is still the best bang for your bucks even if you include the add ons. Unless the state changes, which is possible not buying a lifetime is to my $$ advantage today, due to my age. So isn't the $$$'s really what it is about. 19yo lifetime $1200(hunt, fresh/salt) bought separate $3000 w/o any increases over the next 46 years.

capehorn24, "unless the state changes", that's what the beef is about. They (the state) did change and will continue to change. The lifetime license was a written contract that was not honored. If the reef permit bothers you, unfortunately I believe you are headed for more disappointment. I purchased several of the lifetime licenses including the saltwater option and it is only just beginning with the reef permit. But, purchase away if you want.

Glad I don’t waste my money in Alabama anymore.

Leases are outrageous and so is the DNR leadership.

Just wait until CWD is found. The circus and its leader Chucky will lead some great entertainment.

How is what TWRA is doing with its southwestern counties and the counties around them that are "possible" counties any different from what Mississippi has done or Alabama could do?

They found 100+ positives in three counties and then killed the chit out of deer there for testing along with testing hunters' deer. I'm sure they did more testing in the outlying counties as well.

They now have instituted special regulations including a 3-day season in August, an "earn a buck" program for hunters who kill antlerless deer and can get an extra buck above the state limit, and even a "replacement buck" situation in which hunters who submit their buck for testing get a "replacement" tag if that first buck tests positive.

Mississippi pretty much did the same in regard to its positives - ramped up testing, instituted specific regulations, etc. I haven't seen the 2019 regs to see if MDFWP has changed any seasons or limits, though, like TWRA did.

It is oddly suspect that they had NEVER found a case and then suddenly found 100+ positives in such a short time period.

But, whatever!

Mississippi took away antler restrictions for 1 buck, making that "any buck". Still a 3 buck limit.

Hog, I think that part of the state is like a little blip or hole in the ground so maybe it wasn't on their radar as a great hunting area. Not sure.

But I agree, to not have any and then go from "Hey, we have a few" to "Damn, we have more than 30?" to "Oh, sh*t we've got how many???" is crazy.

The TWRA has lost its mind as well.

But they didn’t pass baiting and screw lifetime license holders in the process.

Mississippi has been screwed up for 10 years.

That area is probably the most deer populated and is home to the most intensively managed piece of private property in the state.

It’s been there for years just like Bama. Eventually a positive test will pop and then a bunch more somewhere. Then Chucky will destroy your already overpriced leases deer herd.

It’s coming to a club near you.

But hey, for $15 you can corn what’s left

Thanks for the update. Is the private land under fence or open?

I was a trained Army Ranger a Looooong time back........they gotta catch me first....

18000 acres and no fence

It's not just for "Snapper" (Clem also posted a link) several species are considered "reef fish" what happens to the guy on the pier who catches a fish considered a "reef species" (like maybe possibly a Amberjack or Triggerfish) and he doesn't have the 10 dollar permit, cause he wasn't fishing for a "reef species" does he have to turn it loose? there's some gray area (which is not unusual) here imo. Seriously someone tell me IF I'M READING IT WRONG?

The Native American said “Governments speak with forked tongue”. I have seen where in lieu of taxes a mandatory fee is installed. We won’t get around this but one way that I have found.

When I go into a government restroom, I take toilet paper and flush the toilet handle with my red wing boots and down goes an XX extra large pair of underwear.

Shouldn't be any fees on personal property

I've posted about this in another thread, but I believe that the reef permit is the first outright breech of contract on any lifetime license. I can't see how anyone could deny that the state made a contract with me back in the 80s when I bought my lifetime fishing license, and now they have decided that they will no longer honor the contract. This is different than the baiting permit; it wasn't legal to bait when I bought my license. I don't like it, but I don't see it as illegal.

My reef fishing days are likely over, but as Clem says, this won't be the end of this type of fee if they are able to get away with it. It will set the precedent and we will eventually be buying deer tags, turkey tags, and who knows what else. This is not a new fee that is a law passed by our legislature; it is just a regulation devised by state employees and approved by the CAB. I think we need to do what we can to keep them from getting away with this. I am gonna start by contacting my CAB member for my district. I would encourage everyone else to do the same.

Flounder gigging permit, bream permit, tournament permit, federal water permit, etc. Revenue possibilities for money grubbing politicians all in the name of "preservation of our resources for the future". My A$$.

I got a lifetime license and I ain’t buying nothing else. I will leave the politics to the politicians and enjoy myself. Alabama is a freaking joke when it comes to hunting and fishing.

I'd be willing to be that sooner than later they add a "big game" fee to your lifetime hunting license as a requirement to deer hunt.