Fuel, chopper upkeep, and a seriously good pilot isn't cheap. And you want the best pilot you can get on a stick when doing what they do. Not to mention I am fairly positive their insurance rates are through the roof. So I would suspect the rates are pretty fair considering the operational costs.
I really don't give a rats pitute what the anti's think about it. When it's their property the hogs are tearing apart they can have a change of attitude. Just because it doesn't fit into your ideals doesn't make it wrong or bring shame to the hunting world. It's not like canned hunts. This takes a pretty fair amount of skill on both the pilot and shooters parts. I don't know if you have ever shot from a chopper. I have when training in the Marines. It's surely no bag of candy I'll tell you that.