Lifetime Hunting Licenses

[Shelby County Switchback]

A few years back I was hoping to go ahead and finally bite the bullet and spend some big bucks to buy my lifetime hunting license. At that point, I think that the cost was a little more than $1100 per person and it included hunting and fishing. I had actually been saving and i was ready to do this...

When I made the call to ask where I could go to purchase the license, I was told that Mitch had just recently done away with the program and that the lifetime hunting licenses were no longer available for purchase but of course, for those who had already purchased theirs, it would remain in effect...

You cannot imagine how disappointed I was to hear this. In fact, it had just occurred less than two weeks prior to my inquiry. So, I was extremely upset for a couple reasons.... First and foremost, I was upset with myself for waiting so long to get this done because like I said, it had gone away just weeks prior... Then I was mad because I was all over Mitch and excited to have him as our Governor. I had even placed bets with friends when it the elections had rolled around... I was a huge fan of Mitch...

I am still a big fan of Mitch and I am happy with the job that he is doing. It makes sense to me now why he would have done away with the lifetime licenses sales because ultimately the state will receive more revenue from individual sales... It was just unfortunate for me that I had waited so long...

I am curious.... Is it reasonable to think that the lifetime hunting license sales will ever occur again? If it did, I would be the first in line to take advantage of it.

Just curious to see what others may think...

Thanks for your thoughts....

Go get the big one!

[swilk]

Possible? Yes.

Likely? No.

If they do become available again the price will likely be ...... way, way higher than before.

[Woody Williams]

I'm not sure that this "no more LTLs" went all the way up to Mitch, although he did sign the bill cutting them out. I just don't think he requested it.

There was LOTS of discussion on here and other Indiana hunting sites for about a year or so before they finally cut them out. I did not see a lot of newspaper columns about it so a lot of folks like you were blindsided by the deadline.

I cant fault the DNR too much on that as they can only make news releases. They cant tell the newspaper what to print.

I do not think we will ever see LTLs again. Best that we can hope for is a yearly "sportsman's license" that would be like a LTL only yearly.

[Decatur]

Mitch just signed what they gave him, which is no surprise because he is pretty fiscally responsible, and the DNR was losing money by selling them.

[catahecassa]

While I would LOVE to see it (I could STILL kick myself in the arse for NOT getting all three of my boys one!)...ain't ever gonna happen.

[dbd870]

No chance they will ever return.

[DEERTRACKS]

Nope!

[kevin1]

I bought mine just before the phaseout.


Sorry, that was mean...

[Shelby County Switchback]

shoulda ......woulda.....coulda

that seems to be my story often

[tenring]

Just looked at Tennessee's website and they still have them in their state, but on a sliding scale. Smart move.

[parson]

I got in just under the wire.

[baldguy637]

When i bought mine in 12/01, i think they were $525 for hunting only. At the time i didn't think i'd use the fishing all that much, but now i wish i would have gotten it as well. The thing has paid for its self two times over by now. I was 18 when i purchased it.