So how do you feel about this question. I think its a legitimate concern. I wonder what percentage of this 33% are hunters and trappers.

QUESTIONS 49-52: Permit fees for non-motorized watercraft (080117, 330117) (requires legislation)
In the last ten years, on average, non-motorized watercraft accounted for 33% of boating deaths. Boating
enforcement and investigations are funded by the boating program which does not received funding from
non-motorized watercraft. Registration could help to identify non-motorized watercraft owners when a boat is
found, whether from an accident or at other times. It is believed that 335,000 non-motorized watercraft use
our resource. This is a possible revenue source that should be considered. Many hunters, trappers and
fisherman own a skiff or canoe and may feel this will just be an additional fee. There are also organizations
and individuals that own multiple non-motorized watercraft and feel this could be a financial burden.
Do you support the Legislature and DNR working together to create a registration fee for non-motorized
watercraft, while considering the following options:


49. All non-motorized watercraft should be registered? 49. YES____ NO_____
50. Anyone who purchases a hunting, trapping or fishing license would
receive one non-motorized watercraft permit at no charge? 50. YES____ NO_____
51. Individuals who carry an active hunting, trapping or fishing license
would not require a permit while using a non-motorized watercraft? 51. YES____ NO_____
52. Create a group rate for organizations with multiple non-motorized
watercraft? 52. YES____ NO_____

I did a little looking and about half of the 33% are retnal boats , people rent a boat it is on the water they have no idea how to use it and they can't swim either.


I would propose boat rentals need to be registered and taxed.

if they wanted to do anything I would be thinking each person should get an ID number tied to your DNR customer number you paint that or use stick on letters or get a sticker form the state with that number on it , and then the boat is identified to it's owner.

see where they get you is not on the 5 dollar sticker but on the sales tax they are going to claim you never paid because you can't provide a receipt on a 20 year old boat

I plan to vote

49 . NO
50. yes
51. yes
52. yes

also , you know who is coming to save me on local waters , no one , we have one warden for 2 counties , and the waters don't get patrolled hardly ever you can hardly even get a motorized craft on many of them.

the fire department has a little jon boat a 9.9 so they can come fish your corpse out


the next question was how many of those non-motorized craft deaths were caused by the wake form a much larger motorized boat.

people in power boats often forget that they are responsible for the wake they produce and the damage it does to smaller craft.

were do we set limits when does the raft your kid builds with inner tubes and planks need to be registered , as he plays in the lake in front of your cabin more swimming than boating while you watch

Wouldn't Questions 50,51,52 dilute each other and 49 win?

I would like to see a mandatory search/rescue fee added to all Resident and Non Resident license. One time annual stamp purchase required to purchase any type of license or trail pass. Money must be 100% placed into a fund protected by law until the year 4018. Any politician that attempts to defund the account is executed during the half-time show of the super bowl. All funds collected to this account directly offsets costs for further education for CO's, safety/rescue costs only related to outdoor activities.

I'm all for this...especially for the free-loaders.

If they can find a way to do it to exclude those of us that already pay (hunters, trappers and fishermen), then I'm even more in favor of it.

They also need to find a way to get the bikers (bicycles) to pay.

49-52 are each individual questions so they can be answered as individual questions.

search and rescue can already bill your estate or if you live the fire and rescue can bill you , the under staffed DNR may never even make it to your location except to collect the report , what are they going to do with the funds , can they tell us how the funds collected on boat registration will be sent to the sheriff , coast guard or fire and rescue.

I see it as a fairly Benign looking question asking permission for more government and tax.

looking at the deaths in non-motorized craft it looked like a majority were fishing , so we could presume they had a license so if they had a license and that would preclude them from paying for a boat tag. the one that died that appears may have not been fishing died on what would have been un-patrolled waters. https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/boat/fatalitySummary/boat2015.html 2015 was the most current data I could find 4 of 21 were in non motorized 1 of those 4 may not have been fishing the other 3 were.

come back with a explanation of how this will improve the situation for those deaths , if your not preventing them or paying for the search and rescue , then it is just the DNR looking for funds.

again it isn't the registration or marking of a craft I object to , it is all the tax I know I already paid but can't prove I paid and they are going to want to get everyone's sales tax again and not just a simple 5 dollar multi year registration fee.