WI residents have to pay for WI trail pass now!!!

[Mills]

Ok, the DNR has gone to far this time. We residents now have to pay for a WI trail pass the same as any out-of-stater even though we have registered our sleds already?!?!?! REALLY and in who's mind does this make sense? Someone in government that wants to line their pockets some more I guess. On top of your registration you now will be required to buy and display in the middle of your windshield a WI state trail pass no matter where you are from. Cost = $30 for those that are not a snowmobile club member and $10 for those that are.
What the hell sense does this make -- comments please.

see online information about trails pass requirements here: http://dnr.wi.gov/files/PDF/TrailPassJointFactSheet.pdf

 

[thor452]

at least that money (from what I understand) all goes to the clubs to use to make trail system better and the registration went down to 10 bucks a year but still I think its retarded I really want all thease stickers all over my sled.

 

[thor452]

the part I dont get is why over complicate it just raise the reg cost by 10 bucks a year and call it a day now someone has to do all the work of trail passes and you name it when the state could have just charged a little more and sent that money to the clubs???

 

[RAMSOMAIR]

Sounds like a bargain to me. Come to Ontario and its $260/season!

 

[thor452]

yeah but thats like $20.00 here in the states.

 

[BigDogrx1]

Michigan has been $45. For long time.

 

[thor452]

yeah Im not really complaining I just dont get the two step just Keep It Simple Stiupid

 

[RTX]

I consider myself to be a very cheap person. I look for any and every bargain i can find.
I pay 90 per sled in maine and have never, and will never complain about the cost.
I feel its money well spent for what i get. And i expect that price to increase this year
Ive spent more than 90 just for dinner for myself and my wife. Thats 2-3 hours of entertainment and i #*$&@ it all out in the morning with nothing more than a memory of a decent meal
Im sure you wont agree with my response, but whining over 10 bucks seems pretty trivial to me.

 

[STAIN]

I would gladly pay that---come to VT. I actually never complain about the trail pass cost. The price has gone up but the grooming here in VT has improved by leaps and bounds.

 

[snobill]

Extremely stupid to have another sticker ! Apparently from what I'm hearing the state doesn't know how to split up registration money well to clubs so let's do a trail pass and maybe they can figure out how to split that up better ?! Makes no sense! Just charge more for registration and be done with it , one sticker !

 

[shagman]

I think the reason it is getting split is that keeps the politicans away from the trail money for other uses. That is why it was split in Michigan. It was getting spent but not on the trails. Just look at it as added security for your trail fund.

 

[chadman]

The clubs were involved in the set up of all of this and the 1 reason for this was to get more people involved in snowmobile clubs.

 

[tommyt5078]

The only thing that gets me is the trail in the area I live always suck, and this will not change that...................With that said I can now B I T C H about crappy trails and I won't have to hear someone say join a club and help make them better, well I don't have to join a club because I have to pay a fee that is supposed to help maintain these trails..................Like others have said just raise the reg. fee and pass some cash onto the clubs.

This one county Jefferson by me always has good trails and I don't have any problem put money in a jar to help them, but Racine, Kenosha, and Waukesha and kiss it, the trail suck and now I can complain about, which in the big picture is D U M B.................But this is Wisconsin!!!!!

 

[SnoNinja]

It's simple. All motor vehicles get registered with the motor vehicle division in most states. You don't have to buy a trail permit in most states if you use your sled on your own private property, but you still have to register it. Only exclusions to this in MI are "exclusively" on private land. That means don't got out on the shoulder of the road, or cross the road to get to your buddy's house, as the right of ways are public property. Buying a trail permit allows you to ride on public trails. Those trails have to be maintained, and that costs money. If they charged everyone who registers a sled the fee, it wouldn't be fair to the farmer that buys a sled to use on his farm in the winter and never rides it on public lands.

It's a small price to pay when you consider the cost of this sport overall. In MI, we have been buying separate trail permits since before I bought my first sleds in 1998. Sled registration here is $30 for three years. Trail permits are $45 every year.

I'm surprised that WI didn't jump on the band wagon long ago.

 

[Mills]

Wow I didnt expect this amount of feedback on my post. I thought about this some more after reading the responses I now have to say I have flip flopped and now agree with what the DNR is doing. I will post why later because I am using my phone to post now and hate the keyboard it has.