Lawmakers have proposed to raise nonresident small game hunting and fishing license fees - something that hasn't been done in about a decade in North Dakota - and use the new money to fund programs that would provide more access to hunters.

North Dakota Game and Fish Department officials figure the increases would generate about $3.5 million in new money in two years.

"We aren't being excessive, we are not pricing ourselves out of the market," said Rep. Todd Porter, R-Mandan, member of the House Natural Resources Committee that heard the bill, HB1358, on Friday.

Today, a nonresident small game license, which sportsmen need to hunt pheasants, is $85 for the season. While a nonresident combination small game and waterfowl license is $95.

If approved, a nonresident small game license would jump to $115, while a nonresident waterfowl license would do the same. A license for the out-of-stater who wants to hunt both ducks and upland game birds in North Dakota would jump to $215.

Rep. Al Carlson, R-Fargo, said the idea that nonresidents won't come to North Dakota to hunt and fish if license fees are increased is just not true.

"We have some of the best hunting and fishing in the country … they'll come," he said.

The bill also would change how long a nonresident's small game license would be good for. Under the proposed structure, the nonresident's small game license would be good for any period of 10 consecutive days, or any two periods of five consecutive days each. The hunter from out of state would be allowed to buy more than one nonresident license per year.

Today, a nonresident small game license is good for all season.

Harold Neameyer, with the Cass County Wildlife Club, said increasing nonresident license fees is long overdue. But his group doesn't agree with the nonresident being able to buy more than one small game license per season.

"Overall, it's a good bill," he said.

Carlson said that North Dakota needs to get its hunting and fishing license fees up to market value. In South Dakota, for example, a nonresident combination small game and waterfowl license is $205.

The only real concern with the bill came from those who argued that the money made from increasing nonresident fishing licenses fees shouldn't be used in programs to increase hunters' access. The money instead should be used to do equally good deeds with the state's fisheries.

The bill also calls for the hiring of five new employees at the Game and Fish to work on programs that would increase hunter access to lands in the state.

Nonresident fishing license fees, under the bill, would increase just $5 per license. For example, a nonresident seven-day license would go from $15 to $20, while an individual season license would go from $27 to $32.

Kyle Blanchfield, with Woodland Resort in Devils Lake, said he sells about $50,000 in fishing licenses per year to nonresidents.

"And the first thing they say is 'Man, are these cheap,' " he said.

(Reach Ron Wilson at 250-8256 or ronw@ndonline.com.)