Midwest States License Fees Comparison

[Whit1]

License Fees By State
Below you will find the costs of various sporting licenses from six Midwest States, including Michigan. They are listed from most costly to least costly for each type of license. I offer because over the course of the past year we've seen members of MS make the claim that license fees here in Michigan are (presently) already some of the highest among neighboring states.

The state and license that I am not sure of, but from what I've seen it is accurate involves Illinois and the State Habitat Stamp. I'm not sure for which types of hunting it is required. If someone knows for sure let me know. If you also see some errors let me know as well.

I've only used hunting and fishing licenses and have not included bag/catch limits, and other details that might be applicable to one state or season in a single state.

Firearms and Archery Deer Hunting (Resident)
Ohio: $43 = Hunting License $19 + deer permit $24
Indiana: $41 = Hunting License $17 + Deer Permit $24
Illinois: $28 = Hunting License $7.50 + Deer Permit $15 + Habitat Stamp $5.50
Minnesota: $27
Wisconsin: $24
Michigan: $15

Firearms and Archery Deer Hunting (Nonresident)
Illinois: $257.50
Indiana: $167
Wisconsin: $160
Ohio: $149
Minnesota: $141
Michigan: $138

Fishing (Resident)*
Special stamps are only required if one fishes for those species and area (Great Lakes)
Wisconsin: $40 = Fishing $20 + Trout Stamp $10 + Great Lakes Stamp $10
Minnesota: $28 = Fishing $18 + Trout Stamp $10
Indiana: $28 = Fishing $17 + Trout Stamp $11
Michigan: $28 = Fishing $15 + Trout Stamp $13
Illinois: $26 = Fishing $13 + Trout Stamp $6.50 + Salmon Stamp $6.50
Ohio: $19

*States structure their fishing license in a packages that vary according to the fish species that are sought (the exception is Ohio) with some kind of trout stamp and Great Lakes/Salmon Stamp. Michigan offers an “All Species” license. The costs could be less if an angler choose not to purchase the license(s)/stamp(s) needed to fish for trout and salmon where they are required.

Fishing (Nonresident)*
Special Stamps are required if one fishes for those species and area (Great lakes)
Wisconsin: $60 = Fishing $50 + Trout Stamp $10 + Great Lakes Stamp $10
Indiana: $46 = Fishing $35 + Trout Stamp $11
Minnesota: $45 = Fishing $35 + Trout Stamp $10
Michigan: $42 = Fishing $34 + Trout Stamp $12
Ohio: $40
Illinois: $37.50 = Fishing $24.50 + Trout Stamp $6.50 + Salmon Stamp $6.50

Hunting Small Game (Resident)
Indiana: $23.75 = Hunting $17 + Game Bird Habitat Stamp $6.75
Minnesota: $20
Ohio: $19
Wisconsin: $18
Michigan: $15
Illinois: $13 = $7.50 Hunting + $5.50 Habitat Stamp

Hunting Small Game (Nonresident)
Ohio: $125
Indiana: $86.75 = Hunting $80 + Game Bird Habitat Stamp $6.75
Wisconsin: $85
Michigan: $69
Illinois: $56.25 = Hunting $50.75 + Habitat Stamp $5.50
Minnesota: $50

Turkey Permit/Stamp
A valid hunting license is also required
Indiana: $25
Ohio: $24
Minnesota: $18
Illinois: $15
Wisconsin: $15
Michigan: $15

Turkey Permit/Stamp (Nonresident)
A valid hunting license is also required
Indiana: $120
Minnesota: $78
Illinois: $75
Michigan: $69
Wisconsin: $24
Ohio: $24

Waterfowl/Wetlands Stamp
A valid hunting license and Federal Duck Stamp is required
Ohio: $15
Illinois: $10.50
Minnesota: $9.50
Wisconsin: $7
Indiana: $6.50
Michigan: $5

[duckman#1]

I think you should also include things such as : lifetime permits, military, disabled, ect discounts. Such as wisconsin offers husband/wife fishing for $31 and armed forces fishing is FREE, disabled person is $7
I haven't looked at the other states.
Is there a website with all 50 states license fees? Gets kinda hard looking up each website and trying to gather all the info from each one.

[wally-eye]

We're almost giving our fishing licenses away compared to other states.......more than time for a raise....

[Whit1]

I think you should also include things such as : lifetime permits, military, disabled, ect discounts. Such as wisconsin offers husband/wife fishing for $31 and armed forces fishing is FREE, disabled person is $7
I haven't looked at the other states.
Is there a website with all 50 states license fees? Gets kinda hard looking up each website and trying to gather all the info from each one.

I could have included a lot of things each state offers, but that would take away from an easily understood comparison of apples to apples. Also, what looks "good" to one person may not look good in another.

I also didn't include senior rates where MI is the cheapest, for the most part, as well. I didn't inlcude the opportunity that here in MI multiple bucks may be taken (please let's not get in THAT topic in here).

Let me give you an example.

Illinois offers a Resident Lifetime Sport Fishing License for $375 and a a Resident Lifetime Hunt/Fish License for $555. I didn't jot down if they offer a lifetime license for just hunting. While Michigan did, at one time offer something like this we don't have that option anymore. The point is that in a comparson of what a license cost in each state requires to look at what the same licenses in each state. We could look at all the options offered by each state, including Michigan, and say, "That would be nice!", and it very well might be, but to try and make comparisons would be trying to do so with dreams.

How much coastline with the Great Lakes do those states have? Launch facilities? Blue Ribbon Trout Streams?

A friend of mine lives in the Chicago suburbs. He can go beach fishing for steelheads in the fall. He has a prime view of the Chicago skyline when he does so. Personally I'd rather go just about anyplace along Michigan's coastline and fish a pier or beach rather than what his choice is...........AND I also stand a better chance of catching a silver bullet.

As for one site to gather all the information there isn't, to my knowledge any such thing. I had to do a search for each state's DNR and then find their license fee structure.

One of the things that struck me was IL and IN requiring a Trout Stamp and/or a Salmon Stamp. My mind went immediately to the trout and salmon fishing opportunities that we have here in MI and what they have in those two states. We are getting one HELL of a deal when that is taken into consideration.

[waterfoul]

And believe it or not, our DNR site is easier to navigate than many other states!! LOL!!

[duckman#1]

So Whit are you suggesting we pay way more for our licenses? What in the world makes you think that once they raise the fees that the state politicians aren't going to take money for other things just like they have in the past?
Yes our DNR needs money, but something has got to change to lock in the money so its stays in the DNR to spend as needed.

[Whit1]

So Whit are you suggesting we pay way more for our licenses? What in the world makes you think that once they raise the fees that the state politicians aren't going to take money for other things just like they have in the past?
Yes our DNR needs money, but something has got to change to lock in the money so its stays in the DNR to spend as needed.

It hasn't been the license fee money that the pols "stole", but rather the General Fund's contribution to the running of the DNR. These funds do not come from DNR license sales, but rather general tax revenue of other sources.

I am saying that a two-pronged approach is needed.
1. An increase in DNR fees for licenses....how much would depend upon what was done with #2 below.
2. A reliable, I'll use the term "dedicated" for wont of a better one, supplement to the DNR from the General Fund. About fifteen years ago the money the DNR received from the General Fund was 29% of the DNR's annual budget. Today that is down to about 9%.

Personally I wouldn't support an increase in tax on only porting goods such as fishing and hunting equipment, ammo, guns, rods, reels, etc. Those of us who hunt and fish are already dong our part with the purchase of licenses. Why dip into us twice?

The extra revenue needs to come from everyone in the state and out-of-state visitors who also enjoy MI's fine natural resources. This might mean a slice......dedicated to the DNR.....of general tax revenue. A piece of the sales tax IMO, would do this.

Some of this has to start next November at the ballot box. Get rid of the pols......no matter what party they represent.....who would use the DNR's budget crunch to get their party a majority of memvbers in both houses of the State Legislature. Throw 'em out!

[frenchriver1]

Next time include at least the Ontario license fees, since they are our best friends to the North....

[tkpolasek]

I don't understand why a Non-resident trout stamp is cheaper the a resident!::confused: