Parents and guardians who want to buy a resident lifetime fishing and hunting license for a child or grandchild and save money at the same time need to do so before May 31.

Until then, a Resident Lifetime Combination Hunting and Fishing license for boys and girls 5-13 years old is $300 while a Resident Lifetime Infant Hunting and Fishing license for boys and girls 0-4 years old is $200.

After June 1, a lifetime license, which includes recreational hunting, fishing and gear privileges, will cost $500 for anyone except seniors 65 and over. The current individual lifetime license structure will no longer be offered after the last day of May.

Changes in those and other licensing fees for the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries were approved during the 2021 Legislative Session. Gov. John Bel Edwards signed HB 291 into law on June 14, ushering in new fees for hunting and fishing licenses for recreational and commercial users and adding many “additional privileges” to basic licenses.

Outdoorsmen and outdoorswomen 14 years old and older also can save money on a lifetime fishing license ($300) or a lifetime hunting license ($300) if they act before June. The Resident Lifetime Combination Hunting and Fishing license for that age group already is $500.

Those 14 years old and older who have a Resident Lifetime Hunting/Fishing Combo license before June 1 will be able to keep existing privileges and gain the gear fees and privileges of legal harvest associated with the recreational freshwater license and the recreational saltwater license in the new structure.

If someone currently holds a Resident Lifetime Fishing License, he or she will keep existing privileges and gain the gear privileges associated with the recreational freshwater license and the recreational saltwater license in the new structure. However, the license will not be converted into a hunting/fishing combo license.

Rep. Tony Bacala’s HB691’s aim was to bring fees in Louisiana more in line with other southeastern states and provide more funding for the LDWF.

Under the legislation, the price of a basic freshwater fishing license will rise from $9.50 to $17 while a basic resident saltwater fishing license will go from $13 to $15. Included in the basic freshwater license will be privileges for recreational wire nets, pipes/drums, cans/buckets, hoop nets, crawfish traps and slat trap that previously cost $10 and $20.

Included in a basic saltwater fishing license are privileges for recreational trawls up to 16 feet and to 25 feet, and oyster tongs. Those fees previously were $5 to $80.

By comparison, similar freshwater fishing licenses cost $30 in Texas, $17 in Florida, $14.50 in Alabama and $10 in Mississippi.

Similar saltwater fishing licenses cost $40 in Texas, $32 in Florida, $23.35 in Alabama and $20 in Mississippi.

A basic hunting license will go from $15 to $20 and a big game permit increases from $14 to $15. However, archery and primitive firearms stamps will be included with the big game permit. Waterfowl hunters and turkey hunters will pay $12 for their additional privilege stamps, an increase of $5.50.

DON SHOOPMAN is outdoors editor of The Daily Iberian.