Outdoors group supportive of higher DNR fees

Minnesota DNR officials say they want to raise hunting and fishing license fees to avoid more cutbacks in agency staff.

The higher fees are part of Gov. Mark Dayton's budget proposal. The DNR has left about 100 positions unfilled because of tight budgets. That's out of a staff of 600.

Mark Johnson, with the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association, said most hunters and anglers support higher license fees to keep natural resources healthy.

"It's on our shoulders to try to raise those fees a little bit," Johnson said.

The fee increase proposal would need legislative approval. It would raise the cost of a resident fishing license from $17 to $24. A resident deer license would go from $26 to $30.