I don`t have the numbers right here in front of me, but I do remember, for certain, that in 2001(the first year for limited NR tags) that 2000 people were turned away because the tags were sold out.

There were, and still are 12,843 NR archery tags for sale annually. The first year(2001) it took almost 7 weeks to sell out.

In 2002 it took 3 weeks and 5 days to sell them all.

This is just a guess, but I would think that anyone planning on going with an outfitter would surely have gotten their tags on time.

I don`t know why an outfitter would want a higher tag price, which would possibly drive potential clients away.

On the flip side would be the resident hunters who don`t like the outfitters leasing up ground that they have had the privilege of hunting for free for years.

Now raising NR tags to the point of driving non-residents away, that would seem to fit in nicely!


And yes, my eyes are good. I probably, no, I do spend more time bowhunting Illinois than the average resident does. And have made many, many good friends and aquintances along the way.