Hunting and fishing in Georgia will get more expensive under legislation the state House passed Wednesday.
Lawmakers voted 150-14 to send House Bill 208 to the Senate.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Trey Rhodes, R-Greensboro, is the first significant increase in fees for hunting and fishing licenses in Georgia in a generation.
The bill will allow the state to “invest in future sportsmen and women,” Rhodes said. “We will make sure our publicly managed properties are here for generations to come.”
Rhodes said seven major wildlife and conservation organizations have endorsed the bill.
The bill is expected to raise $7 million to $8 million a year for the Department of Natural Resources.
Lifetime sportsman’s licenses would increase from $350 to $600 for youth, from $500 to $750 for adults and create a new “older adult” category for those age 50 to 59, for whom licenses would cost $375.
Annual hunting licenses jump from $10 to $15 under the bill; annual fishing licenses would increase from $9 to $15.
About the Author
