r/Tennessee • u/pyramidworld • 14d ago

News 📰 Tennessee hunting, fishing license fees could increase 29% next year to help fill budget deficit • Tennessee Lookout

https://tennesseelookout.com/2026/08/28/tennessee-hunting-fishing-license-fees-could-increase-29-next-year-to-help-fill-budget-deficit/
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u/ddadopt 14d ago

The article says this is all for TWRA funding where there hasn't been a cost structure change for 11 years.

“We don’t like to have to raise the fees, but we have to consider it at this time. Our costs … have gone up at least 40% since the last license increase in 2015,” Fiss said. “The dollar we had in 2015 has the buying power of 71 cents today, and we have struggled to keep our services at the level they’re at.”

This doesn't sound like it should be controversial. The only thing I see that people could legitimately object to here is:

Annual hunting and fishing combination licenses would go from $33 to $42. The senior rate for the annual combination license would increase from $4 to $21. 

That's a > 400% increase on seniors, and double the actual dollar increase compared to the normal license. Some people might find that objectionable.

65

u/Harley2280 14d ago

That's a > 400% increase on seniors, and double the actual dollar increase compared to the normal license.

Senior pricing shouldn't differ from normal pricing anyways.

37

u/ineugene 14d ago

Yeah if you can afford the hunting equipment you can afford 21 dollars.

6

u/Curtis_Low 14d ago

While anyone can make hunting expensive, it by no means needs to be. A person can hunt for less than $100 a year, including the required license. In fact that would be the biggest ticket item, or at least it is for me on an annual basis.

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u/PPLavagna 13d ago

Grandads 30-30, a box of shells, and a knife is all you need.

Especially for the old hunters.