DNR to stop the muskie program

[Yates]

Unfortunately if you havent heard the Ohio Senate is making admendments to the state budget that will cause the DNR to stop the muskie program. So there will be no more muskie stocked in the state of Ohio. This may make some of you happy and this will make the rest of us very upset. Here is the letter.

The Ohio Senate has inserted amendments into its version of the state budget bill that
will create a budget crisis for the Ohio Division of Wildlife, say officials.
"Because of three amendments, we're looking at a $2 million budget shortfall," said
Assistant Chief Randy Miller. "If these amendments are approved, other fish and game
programs will certainly be in jeopardy."

Miller said that could include traditional stocking programs such as muskies and steelhead trout.

"The only programs we won't cut are the deer and Lake Erie walleye programs," said
Miller. "They are the golden geese around here."
The amendments causing problems include free licenses for Ohio National Guard
members, whether active or in the reserve; a separate computer system for handling
landowner deer and turkey check-ins during the seasons; and removal of an amendment
that would require non-residents owning Ohio land to purchase a $125 non-resident
license, rather than a $19 resident license.

"We've been meeting with senators and trying to straighten this out," said Miller. "This
is an 11th hour battle. If the Senate approves the budget amendments, our only chance
to reverse things would be a last-ditch attempt to work with the conference committee
that puts together the Senate and House versions of the budget bill."
Landowners will be required next year to obtain deer and turkey permits for the firs
time, but they will be free. Successful landowners would then be required to call or email
the Division of Wildlife to report their kill. The Senate amendment would make wildlife
officials create a separate reporting system for landowners, which would cost about $1
million, said state officials.
Active Ohio National Guard members already receive free licenses. Opening the free
licenses to both active and reserve members would give people who have served in the
National Guard free licenses for life.

[SpeckWick]

You gotta wonder what will be next. License fee increases are probably right around the corner. This bad eonomy and job loss is gonna affect everything we do sooner or later. Lots of lost revenue to the state in the form of income taxes, sales tax and the such, so their gonna have to cut things and charge more in other ways to make up for it. Maybe the feds will send the DOW some of that money they keep handing out. The muskie thing isn't a big deal to me either way, but this is likely only the beginning.

[CritterGitter]

I am not happy about this at all. I think it is a bunch of bs.

[bttmline]

I am not a fan of Muskie fishing but this is not right. It won't be long till it will be the deer and walleye programs will also suffer. I understand the economy is bad but that is why they need to support of all of our wildlife programs. Instead of traveling, folks are going to be enjoying these close to home activities more then ever. We need more sportsman in our legistration. We all need to contract our representives.

[Opie1]

Just increase the license fees. I say up it to $25/year. That will bring in over 10 million a year.
I get my $19 worth on just one perch fishing trip to Erie. Not to mention all the bass, walleye, crappie and redears that are filleted and packed away in the freezer.

[OGFWeatherby]

As an officer of my local muskie club SOMA56 (Southwest Ohio Muskie Association) Muskies Inc. Chapter 56. I can tell you that this came as a HUGE surprise to the DNR. I was in a meeting with them 3 days before this news broke and they never even hinted at it. The entire discussion was the future of the Ohio muskie program and how to make it better.


As I'm sure you can guess, once these programs are eliminated they will probably never be back and if you think it will stop with muskie and steelhead you probably need to rethink.

Along with the muskie and steelhead I've already heard mention of pheasant stocking, as well as inland saugeye and walleye.

This only the beginning, unless we all make our voices heard, stop these politicians in their tracks, and elect some "sportsman friendly" people to these positions our children will have nothing to look forward to.

The House and Senate have already voted to approve their respective versions of the budget bill. Because there are differences in the two they must now sit down in committee and hammer out a final version.

If you would like to contact your Ohio Senator here is the link.
Your Senators