There is only 1 reason that NR licenses are so expensive and that is b/c they can be and we still pay for them.MT determined the price of their NR guaranteed licenses by raising them until they didn't sell out, and that is where they left it. I am sure many other states have done similar things to determine their prices. IN did that for their deer licenses and turkey licenses. They are rediculous as well, so it is not all western states.