Contacts
Dave Menke (530) 667-2231
The Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges are in the process of evaluating fee programs which have been in place since 1997. The current fees for hunting and photo blind users on Lower Klamath and Tule Lake Refuges are $ 5.00 per day or $ 50.00 a year. Auto tour route fees on the two refuges are currently $ 3.00 per car.
The refuges are proposing a revamped fee program which would implement a single pass option of $ 25.00 per year for hunters and photo blind users on the two refuges. The revised fee collection program, if adopted, would replace daily hunting and photo blind fees currently collected on both refuges. Under the new proposal, fees for refuge auto tour routes would no longer be charged. According to refuge manager, Ron Cole, the new program would streamline fee programs cutting collection costs by more than half and eliminating the cumbersome process of collecting fees using remote drop boxes. The refuge currently collects fees by remote drop box, telephone, credit card transaction and in person at the refuge visitor center. All but the remote drop box option would continue to be available and pass purchasers would also be able to make on-line purchases and buy passes from local vendors if the new fee program is adopted.
The refuge proposal would reduce the current $ 50.00 season permit fee to $ 25.00 per year and require all adult hunters and photo blind users to obtain a permit. Seniors with a golden age pass and full time students 21 and under would be able to obtain the permit for half price. Despite the reduction of the annual pass cost, the refuge staff is anticipating a slight increase in fee collections each year as well as more funds available to support fee program activities due to much reduced collection costs.
In response to a recent letter and mail back form sent out to about one thousand refuge hunters and photographers, nearly 88 percent of the 300 respondents favored the new single pass option. The Refuges will forward details of the new fee proposal and results of public input to the Fish and Wildlife Service Director to request final approval of the new proposal. If approved, the new fees are expected to become effective July 1, 2006.
Additional public comment may be made by emailing the refuge at the following address: ?dave_menke@fws.gov.?
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