salukipv1

I posted before about in general the non-res vs. res discrepancy in tag fees.

My latest idea, would be to place certain species in a specialty category in which non-res and residents would pay the same price.

I don't think there is a state in the US where people hunt sheep, goat, perhaps moose on an ongoing basis for meat....I think most if not all of these animals are typically once in a lifetime sort of tags...

I would think even residents of a state would be willing to pay non-res fees for the chance to draw say a desert bighorn sheep tag, am I wrong? and other specialty/once in a lifetime tags.

So why not bring in more money with equality priced specialty tags?

meat hunters would still be able to hunt for elk, deer, antelope etc...for much cheaper resident fees, but what would be the problem asking a resident to pay full price for a once in a lifetime tag?

Personally I would probably put, all bighorn sheep on this list, mtn goat, moose, ibex, Oryx, any other specie suggestions?

Anyone else thinks this makes sense? completely disagree?

skb2706

How about no. Since I can only assume you mean one very large trophy moose, big horn sheep or goat I'd still say no. The application process for a true trophy in a true trophy area can take many years, in some cases 15 or more. The cost to actually get a moose license or for that matter either of the other twois high even as a resident. States that don't necessarily have such trophy hunts still charge a premium for out of state hunters, why shouldn't mine.

stubblejumper

I totally disagree with non residents paying the same price as residents.Residents pay the taxes that pay the wages to manage the game in their state/province,they pay the taxes that maintain the roads and other services,and they support the local economy all year,not just for a week or two each year.As such, they shouldn't have to pay as much as non residents.

TEmbry

LOL. You can come here to hunt anything you want for under $300 dollars. An elk tag alone in nearly ANY state as NR is pushing $5-600. Want a sheep as a NR? Try $1500-2000 for tag alone.

I will pay, just makes it ridiculous if you want to play the game...how much you must front each year. You could buy a brand new BMW with the amount of money one would be required to front yearly to play in all the draws possible out west.


Let's not even go into the fact that many of these animals are found on FEDERAL land, meaning EVERY US citizen should have equal access to it....logically?

I can see SOME difference being fair for all species. But when you compare less than $100 for residents, when the same tag costs a NR $500-2000?? That is a bit ridiculous.

Saluk, I could be wrong...but I THINK those oryx and ibex hunts in NM are already structured that way where Residents and Nonresidents alike pay the same...double check me there though.

TEmbry

No, license fees pay those salaries.
Many roads are federally funded.
They only support the local economy out of necessity, that doesn't really make sense? Traveling sportsmans BOOST an economy from what it would be if only the locals were there.

Lets not loose sight that this price gouge ONLY applies to hunting. Hikers, Nature Watchers, Swimmers, National Park visitors, trail fees, etc...are all the same no matter where you live. Only the hunting licenses are out of whack, and not out of fairness....out of money. They see where they can greatly increase income revenue, so they exploit it. They realize nonresidents will continue to pay through the nose to get to hunt, pretty much to no limit....which is why the prices keep spiraling upwards.

Its sort of like the WY Nonresident wilderness law. Nonresident hunters can NOT hunt designatedwilderness areas, without the use of a guide. Resident hunters can. Resident birdwatchers and hikers can. NONRESIDENT birdwatchers and hikers can....ONLY nonresident HUNTERS are restricted from using these areas. (to supposedly save risking lives and unnesseary search and rescue missions) I guess every resident of WY and all nonresident hikers just have better survivor skills than some shmuck with a bow in hand?[&:] Its another bogus set of laws, meant only to exploit a situation and create money. NRs will still hunt these areas, only now they have to fork out an additional $5-6k to be accompanied by a local guide, funneling more money into local economy.

Don't think for a second it is about anything more than money.

beech18

I have no problem with the system as I hunt as a resident of my home state and accept the fact I have to pay more to hunt more when I go out of state. Its not just hunting, fishing licenses are the same. Residents pay a cheaper rate than non residents to fish, to bird hunt, etc or atleast the states that I am aware of? Its a benifit to being a resident of the state you pick to live in. I dont always agree with the price the non residents pay, howeversupply and demand I believe have set the rates being much higher.No shortage of people willing to pay.

caselesss5

i agree i have no problem with the system the way it is. i think residents should pay less because i am more likely to hunt at home every year than i am to travel to another state every year. i think it falls into the "its cheaper to service the customers you have than it is to go out and get new ones". i think the states figure they get more money keeping keeping residents in state. im afraid of what the tag fees would be if everyone paid the same anyway. i think it would be a huge increase for residents and that would stop a lot of people from hunting at all.

i would like the opportunity to hunt other states and the cost is a big reason i dont. time is another but mainly the cost. i like the idea though. maybe we could convice the states to have it so everyone pays resident fees. then i would be all for it.

stubblejumper

Where I live license fees do pay for part of the expenses,but tax dollars make up the difference,which is considerable.The Fish&Wildlife department needs buildings,vehicles,equipment,office supplies etc.as well as paying the C.O.s and biologists salaries,and license fees just aren't enough to cover it all.

And many roads are built or maintained by the state/province or local municipality.

Necessity or otherwise,they do support the local economy all year round,and that is what keeps the local businesses open.

Non Resident hunters do supplement the local economy for a few months each year,but they aren't the people that allow the local businesses to be able to operate year round.

CAelknuts

This subject has been debated for years. The reality is that it isn't going to change, and those who are willing to pay the price will draw the tags. Those who aren't willing to pay the price will largely be left behind. Do I like having to pay non-resident fees for the 60+ out of state tags that my son and I apply for each year, heck no! BUT, I realize that is whatI have to do in order for us to be able to draw great tags in multiple states as the years go by, so I diligently apply for nearly every species in nearly every western state. Perhaps that is why we've drawn Kaibab deer, early Muzzleloader elk in Arizona, unit 9 archery in Arizona, Monroe archery elk in Utah, and I could go on and on. Odds are, over the next ten years, my son and I will draw more quality tags than 95% of the people who big game hunt, and that will be the result of many years of diligently following an application strategy to put us in this position. My son is 21, and he has 13 desert sheep points in AZ, 10 bighorn points in WY, 9 for sheep in NV, and on and on. Wanna bet how many sheep hunts he'll get to enjoy be the time he's fifty?

bobcats40

It all comes down to math, if residents and non-residents paid the same price for tags, then the Fish and Game Department would have to increase the price of the tag. If a non-resident deer tag curently cost $350 and they droped the price to say $50 then the Fish and Game Department would have to sell 7 tags to recoup the same amount of money. That means allot more hunters for the same price which would impact the harvest. Most of the Western states could not absorbe adition hunting presure or harvest of our big game animals. I have no problem with the way the system is now designed. If you have a problem with the out of state fees then become a resident.