I was planning a different article for this week. I spent all week thinking about it, planning my approach and researching the data. Then I read a single social media post and everything changed.

That single post was someone complaining about the cost of a fishing license, claiming that it had increased “every year” with nothing to show for it.

At first, I thought about responding to the inaccurate claim that the price had increased every year. But a simple Google search shows that it is incorrect. Next, I thought maybe I should address the claim that there is nothing to show for the money spent on a fishing license. But people like this are not interested in the millions of dollars spent raising fish, stocking said fish and maintaining free boating access across the Commonwealth.

Not to mention the programs to restore streams, address water pollution, conduct public outreach programs, or the work that occurs behind the scenes to protect fishing and boating in Pennsylvania.

Instead, I decided to focus on what a hunting or fishing license really costs compared to other expenses most people take for granted.

An annual resident fishing license costs $27.97. A trout stamp is an additional $14.97, for a grand total of $42.94.

An annual resident hunting license costs $20.97. Add a doe permit for an additional $6.97, and you have a total of $27.94.

Now, let’s look at some other items you regularly spend money on:

Many of us enjoy starting our day with a cup of joe from the local convenience store. With a single cup of coffee per day at an average cost of $3 over the course of a year, your total cost is $1,095. Even if you limit yourself to a cup on the way to work, you are still looking at $750.

Now I usually packed my lunch, but there were days when I didn’t get a chance or found myself on the road. When this happened, I indulged in a guilty pleasure and would swing by the local McDonald’s. If this happened 1 time per week, with an average cost of $10, my yearly total would be $520.

Of course, I had interests outside of hunting and fishing, as do many of you. One of my interests is movies, so I would occasionally spend an afternoon catching a new flick at the local theater. I someone were to see 1 movie per month, with an average cost of $11, the end-of-year bill would be $132.00.

Naturally, this bill would double or triple if your movie includes a trip to the concession stand.

So where do we stand?

Fishing license: $42.94

Hunting license: $27.94

A cup of coffee each day through the year: $750-$1,095

McDonald’s once a week through the year: $520

A ticket to the movie once a month through year: $132

The cup of coffee, McDonald’s, or movie offers a few minutes to maybe two hours of escape. Your hunting and fishing licenses offer a year’s worth of opportunities, the combined cost of which is less than any of the others over the same period.

Think about this next time you complain about the cost to hunt or fish in the Keystone State.