Published: February 17, 2008 10:35 pm      

Love seeks seniors hunting, fishing license

CHARLESTON — Ending their free status that now comes at age 65, seniors in West Virginia might need to buy a one-time hunting and fishing license as a means of bailing out the Division of Natural Resources in a fiscal crunch.

Income has fallen dramatically within the last decade as fewer West Virginians bought licenses, and the decline has meant fewer federal bucks for outdoor programs.

Just recently, the DNR disclosed it is looking at a $1.8 million deficit, a hole blown in its budget by dwindling license sales as a younger generation shifts its attention to video games instead of bass and deer.

In fact, the number of resident hunting licenses plunged 17 percent between 1997 and 2006, while fishing licenses fell by 10 percent.

With the DNR’s unequivocal blessing, Sen. Shirley Love, D-Fayette, has drawn up a bill that would produce a new, senior lifetime license for West Virginians turning 65 on or after New Year’s Day 2009.

His idea calls for a $15 license, along with the issuing fee that typically runs about $2 or $3, depending on the retailer processing them.

“That has a lot of merit,” DNR Director Frank Jezioro said Friday of the Love proposal.

As more baby boomers ease into retirement, Love pointed out, the ranks of senior hunters and anglers are projected to reach 90,000 within the next decade.

Already, the trend is set — in 1996, seniors and new license buyers made up 6 percent apiece of outdoor enthusiasts, Love pointed out.

“However, in 2006, 10 percent of our sportsmen were seniors and only 4 percent were new sportsmen, so it is evident that the state is losing ground,” Love said.

Jezioro and Love agreed the senior license would pump up West Virginia’s numbers, allowing the state to leverage more federal dollars in divvying up the cash for outdoor activities in the state.

Even upon retirement, seniors keep buying guns, ammo, fishing gear and the like, but since they aren’t licensed, the federal government simply doesn’t know they exist, so West Virginia is getting shortchanged on its share of the money, Jezioro said.

“What happens, money winds up in other states, so the seniors get no benefit out of the money they’re spending,” the DNR director said, adding some states already have a seniors license in force.

More money sent to West Virginia translates into improved game and fish programs, Love said.

“I feel like seniors wouldn’t be reluctant to buy a lifetime license to supplement this so we can continue to have plenty of game, so that if you go fishing, you’re going to catch some trout, you’re not going to have to stay all day,” the senator said.

“If they’re true sportsmen and want the DNR to continue on a high basis, they won’t mind paying this.”

Love turns 70 this year and recently voluntarily bought his license, even though he qualifies for a freebie.

“I did that, just realizing the downsizing,” he said.

“I hope seniors will be instrumental in helping to save the game program in West Virginia.”

Not only could game improve, Jezioro said, but the higher federal allotment could open up more land on which to hunt. Access to hunting land has evolved into a major issue among all hunters, regardless of age group.

“We’re not recruiting enough young people to offset the number of people that are moving into the senior status,” Jezioro said.

“It’s just kind of a general trend, nationwide, and maybe worldwide.”

Rather than get exposure to the outdoors, Jezioro said today’s youth are staying indoors, magnetized by the pleasures of electronic games, or what the director labels “fantasy games.”

“They need to get into the real world,” he said.

Societal changes likewise are driving forces in cutting the numbers of new hunters and anglers.

“The world has changed so much,” he lamented.

“When you and I were kids, our parents let us out in the morning, you went out and played with a bunch of kids and came back at dark. Now, they’re scared to death to let the kids be out because of what I call nuts that are out there taking advantage of these kids.”

Single-parent homes also must be considered as a cause for the lowered interest in hunting and fishing that youngsters traditionally have followed in West Virginia, he said.

“There are so many single mothers trying to raise kids on their own,” Jezioro said.

“They don’t have the ability to take these kids out and take them fishing or take them hunting and let them learn these things.”

The DNR director applauded the efforts of the Boy Scouts and the National Wild Turkey Federation to work with youngsters who ordinarily would never participate in such activities.

“It all goes back to a slogan the governor had in making a point of this, that he was trying to provide opportunities so that ‘No Child Is Left Inside,’” Jezioro added.

— E-mail:

mannix@register-herald.com