Each outdoor adventure presents some new experience and memory. The same anticipation applies to a spanking new year. So what’s in store for 2010 and hasn’t this first decade of the New Millennium gone by in a flash? Remember Y2K?

First and foremost for those requiring fishing and hunting licenses, please remember to pick yours up as they are now due. And most folks didn’t even realize that there is a modest fee increase for 2010. At the last license increase go around a few years back, DNR added an inflation kicker to the legislation. In short and based upon the consumer price index, the license fees can be modestly increased every few years. Not only is this barely noticed by the license buying public, the DNR doesn’t have to go through the painful process of repeated legislative action.

The old axiom of “like getting something through congress” holds very true. Yet another noteworthy positive cash source is the federal Pittman-Robertson (P-R) funding. This important feedback to the states is at record proportions. The PR funds are long-standing, mainstays derived from excise taxes on sporting arms and ammunition. Per the real or perceived threats of gun control from the new Obama Administration, sales briefly went bonkers to say the least and the states are now cashing in.

However, per the declining number of hunters, these extra funding items may only serve to offset the associated decreases in license volume revenues. The best dollar bets for conservation remain at buying any sort of hunting and fishing licenses or stamps.

For trout anglers, don’t forget to get that specific stamp since the stocking season kickoff is this very week. Recall that trout stocking gets off to a slow start, picks up steam in February and is at full force by March 1. Call the Trout Hotline at 304-558-3399 or check it out on line at wvdnr.gov for daily updates. For anglers, not much has changed in the regulation framework. The printed regulations are now available at all local license agents.

The most notable fishing change is a new catch-and-release trout stretch for the Bluestone River canyon. The one-mile stretch lies within the famed Pipestem State Park in Summers County. Hunting changes for 2010 won’t be made until after the public meeting circuit. The Logan meeting is slated for March 16 and we’ll remind you here. There is concern for winter deer kill at present per poor autumn mast and the big recent snows. Stay tuned and have a Happy New Year.