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5 year old buck +
Learned something today, maybe it's in the fine print somewhere but I didn't know - if you're a conservation patron and care about your state park sticker, KEEP that thing if you get rid of a vehicle!
Note to the NR Program Supervisor I sent today:
-----------------------------------
Hi Mr. Gilbeck -
I wanted to write you to give some feedback on what I experienced / learned today.
This year I bought a non-resident conservation patron license for the first time ($600). I have both a cabin on the Yellow system and an 80-acre property in Burnett County, and although I won't use 75% of what comes with that, I figured why not have it and give back to a state that I enjoy.
With that purchase came a state park sticker, of course, and that's where my story is centered. Today, I traded in my old truck for a new one. As I was cleaning it out, I made an attempt to remove the old sticker to see if I could re-attach it to the new windshield - no way, that thing was NOT coming off cleanly, it just tore on any corner I tried.
So later this afternoon after I was home, I called the DNR customer service line and asked about getting a replacement sticker. I was told that I needed to mail in the old sticker and they would send a new one free of charge. I explained what had occurred and that it was not possible, I was no longer in possession of the truck or the sticker. She said "even just a little piece is fine, but we need evidence that it was removed".
Again, I stated it is not possible to do that, and she told me the best the DNR could do was offer me a new sticker at the resident price instead of non-resident, I think she said it was around $15.
To be clear, I've only gone to a state park in WI once in my life about 3 years ago, and I don't plan on going to any this year, so I don't actually need a sticker, but I have to tell you this REALLY soured me. I spent $600 for a fishing license, waterfowl, and deer hunting (which is what I do in WI), and I suspect more than a few guys are like me (in fact two of my close friends did the same thing), we believe in the programs and being stewards of the resources. But policies like this drives guys like me away - do you REALLY think I'm going to spend that kind of money and then try to cheat the DNR out of a $15 park sticker??
Next year I'm back to just the bare minimums I need, which is going to to reduce revenue for the DNR by at least $300, but more importantly, that happens year after year and compounds.
I'd really recommend to the DNR they should think about empowering customer service folks to use good judgement, it can save a lot revenue for the department over time.
Thanks,
Jon Keller
Note to the NR Program Supervisor I sent today:
-----------------------------------
Hi Mr. Gilbeck -
I wanted to write you to give some feedback on what I experienced / learned today.
This year I bought a non-resident conservation patron license for the first time ($600). I have both a cabin on the Yellow system and an 80-acre property in Burnett County, and although I won't use 75% of what comes with that, I figured why not have it and give back to a state that I enjoy.
With that purchase came a state park sticker, of course, and that's where my story is centered. Today, I traded in my old truck for a new one. As I was cleaning it out, I made an attempt to remove the old sticker to see if I could re-attach it to the new windshield - no way, that thing was NOT coming off cleanly, it just tore on any corner I tried.
So later this afternoon after I was home, I called the DNR customer service line and asked about getting a replacement sticker. I was told that I needed to mail in the old sticker and they would send a new one free of charge. I explained what had occurred and that it was not possible, I was no longer in possession of the truck or the sticker. She said "even just a little piece is fine, but we need evidence that it was removed".
Again, I stated it is not possible to do that, and she told me the best the DNR could do was offer me a new sticker at the resident price instead of non-resident, I think she said it was around $15.
To be clear, I've only gone to a state park in WI once in my life about 3 years ago, and I don't plan on going to any this year, so I don't actually need a sticker, but I have to tell you this REALLY soured me. I spent $600 for a fishing license, waterfowl, and deer hunting (which is what I do in WI), and I suspect more than a few guys are like me (in fact two of my close friends did the same thing), we believe in the programs and being stewards of the resources. But policies like this drives guys like me away - do you REALLY think I'm going to spend that kind of money and then try to cheat the DNR out of a $15 park sticker??
Next year I'm back to just the bare minimums I need, which is going to to reduce revenue for the DNR by at least $300, but more importantly, that happens year after year and compounds.
I'd really recommend to the DNR they should think about empowering customer service folks to use good judgement, it can save a lot revenue for the department over time.
Thanks,
Jon Keller
