>I think it would help the Fish & Wildlife Department's cause to publish
>a list on its Website of the stores where one can purchase these
>licenses. The retail hardware and sporting goods scene has changed
>rapidly in the past few years, making it harder to know which stores
>sell licenses and where they are located.
>Jane Hadley
>jhadle at halcyon.com
>Seattle, WA

Excellent suggestion, Jane. I hope someone out there from WDFW picks up on
it. Also, it would make a lot of sense if stores/organizations that cater
to outdoor recreationists other than just fisherpeople and hunters could
serve as outlets for these Conservation Licenses. I would think they could
be sold (for example) at the Mountaineers and the Seattle Audubon Nature
Shop as well as at commercial outlets. Or even if they could be bought by
mail/telephone/e-mail, after an awareness campaign involving advertising or
public service announcements in the newsletters of organizations such as
Audubon chapters, bird clubs, hiking and kayaking groups, etc. I cetainly
agree with Martha Jordan: compliance would be high if people only knew
more about how to comply, and if it was relatively convenient to do so.

And going back to the beginning of the thread, there's no denying that
there's something about a pretty stamp, too! Buying and selling of state
and federal waterfowl stamps by collectors is quite a productive industry.
Wouldn't it be nice to have beautifully designed and printed, large-format
stamps with depictions of *non-game* birds and other critters? This would
encourage, and provide a source of income for, wildlife artists as well.
Stamps are not incompatible at all with the license concept; it's just
another (and more attractive) form of the same thing, one that has the
added benfit of wider market appeal.

***************************************************************
Hal Opperman - P. O. Box 286 - Medina, Washington 98039 - USA
halop at accessone.com - phone (425) 635-0503 - fax (425) 635-0271
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