It's been years since Georgia raised the fees for state hunting and fishing licenses but that may change in the next legislative session.

State auditors estimate the Department of Natural Resources' Wildlife Resources Division could generate millions of additional dollars by boosting the fees, which are the lowest in the Southeast.

Senator Frank Ginn (R-Danielsville), who chairs Natural Resources and the Environment Committee, supports a fee increase.  "The whole idea is the money that's raised by fees going to improve what we're doing with the wildlife management areas and how the public can access them," Senator Ginn tells the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Reggie Dickey of the Georgia Hunting and Fishing Federation believes members would pay more for a license if certain conditions are met.

"We'd support the license increase as long as the money is going straight to DNR and that the money will go to place a wildlife ranger in every county," Dickey tells the AJC.

DNR is currently drafting legislation for the upcoming session of the General Assembly.

"We will be able to significantly increase the opportunity for quality hunting and fishing in Georgia," DNR spokesman Wes Robinson tells the AJC.

Licensing fees totaled $15 million of the agency's budget in fiscal 2015. A basic hunting and fishing license in Georgia currently costs $17.