Costs of hunting licenses increases by ten per cent

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Another public luxury must now pay the price as the Alberta government continues to implement rising costs for goods and services in an aggravated assault designed to wipe out a $3.3 billion deficit of the province.

This time it is the sportsmen who are now required to cough up more money. Effective April 1, recreational hunting licences for residents went up, in most instances, by 10% which is not really all that big a bite out of an individual's income.

An exception to the rule are special categories for "highly regarded and relatively scarce" animals like trophy sheep and antelope, grizzlies and mountain goats for which resident fees increased from $20 to $40.

A moose licence has gone up from $10 to $11, northern anterless moose from $20 to $22, black bear from $10 to $20, elk from $10 to $15 and birds from $5 to $6. Remaining the same is the $10 fee for mule and whitetail deer, bow hunting and pheasant licenses.

Non-resident fees have generally increased as well by 10% except for the special categories in which case the increase has doubled as in the case of resident fees.

IN addition to the above rates, a Wildlife Certificate and a Resource Development Stamp have increased from $11 to $13. Such a certificate and stamp is required before one can purchase any license.

The two dollar increase is intended to go towards the Fish and Wildlife Trust Fund for conservation projects.

"All these fee adjustment reflect the provincial government's commitment to conservation of wildlife species as well as to review areas of revenues and reduce budgetary deficits," says Forestry, Lands and Wildlife Minister Don Sparrow.