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"Hike Safe Card" raises $60,000

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The new “Hike Safe Card” program has raised over $60,000 for the Search and Rescue Fund this year, reports the Union Leader.

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department is required by law to conduct all search and rescue missions on state woodlands and waterways. Until this year, hikers did not have to contribute to the Search and Rescue Fund, though they constitute over half of the department's rescue missions. Instead, the state used revenue from hunting and fishing licenses, OHRV and snowmobile registrations, and boat registrations. However, expenditures from the fund have routinely exceeded revenues by roughly $100,000. 

The $25 Hike Safe Card insures a hiker against the cost of a rescue, even if the hiker is negligent. Under state law, the Department can otherwise charge negligent hikers for the cost of a rescue.

Supporters of the Hike Safe Card argue that it is only fair for hikers to contribute to the Search and Rescue Fund, because hikers are more likely to need rescue than hunters, fishers, and other outdoor recreation enthusiasts.

However, some argue that the old system of billing all negligent hikers is more fair, or express concern that possession of a Hike Safe Card may cause hikers to take more risks than they would otherwise. 

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