I totally agree I don't want to see hunting become a richmans sport, but I think that day is already here. So where do go from here when the Dow won't listen to public info. Raising tags has its purpose. For one I know why colorado did it a couple years ago was to limited the numbers of hunters in the field and pressure on game. But that back fired on them and they started to give out more tags and you could of bought a 2nd cow tag for a $100 bucks as a non-resident. Did they give the resident a cut on the tag nope because it was only $30.
Used to be a few years ago I would travel out of state for a deer tag it cost as much for a non-resident elk tag, so where was the fairness in that. 300lbs of meat is quite a bit more for the money. So I believe what they have the prices at now are somewhat fair. But future increases are not going to be good on anyone.
Is it really fair that someone moved to a state and pays taxes in that state has to give up their tag to someone that chooses not to live in that state. Nope. I hear all this hype about non-resident not getting drawn for trophy area. It is easier right now for a non-resident to draw a trophy unit in colorado right now than it is a resident. Especially in rifle seasons. Most of our residents are drawing in 8years while a non-resident draws in about 4 to 5 years. Of course some units are not that way but most are.

Colorado has been one of the most fair states to non-residents there is. But all that has been published over the last ten years is how bad Colorado's quality of bulls is. Go to nevada or arizona for a trophy bull. That's all in good they are killing bigger bulls but for all those people trashing how bad Colorado is, when you can't draw your tag in arizona or nebraska or where ever. Colorado still lets you in to hunt an over the counter bull tag. That's really being two faced.

Hunting pressure has to be controlled and that is the states best way is to raise license vs. limiting the number of hunters in a total draw and running into lawsuits like arizona did. The divisions of wildlife are trying their best to make it all work for everyone and maintain an elk herd or deer herd.

Lets put it right. If I wanted to hunt back east for deer or whatever my options are.

1. still go after a draw tag on quality deer states being a non resident.
2. pay upwards of 250 to $300 for a deer tag
3. pay a landowner a trespass fee or by chance have a buddy with farm ground.
4. hire an outfitter for a deer for around $2500 about going rate.
5. hunt state ground that is so small that is will be overrun by hunters.

Feel very lucky there are western states with tons of national forest to hunt on. And there are still some states where you can go hunt with out drawing.
If I had to pay $500 as a resident to hunt elk I would save up and do it every year. I love it that much. I bet most gadgets they buy every year for hunting they really don't need add up way beyond $500.

If you haven't looked around lately everything cost an arm and a leg anymore. Take your family to dinner and a movie and you've spent $50 to $100 in one night. What did your new truck cost $30,000 to 45,000 wow thats a chunk of change. A new atv you ride around on cost $7,000 and that's just the beginning. And trust me I have to save all year for my out of state trips while I starve for the love of hunting. I don't have a new truck or atv not that I would own one. The thing is how much you willing to give up for what you love to do. I'd give it all.

You want to keep the prices down and the draw less. Join the rocky mountain elk foundation or one of the deer foundations and keep putting them animals in good habitat and in states where they don't have them so there's more opportunity to hunt them.

So you can't draw a arizona tag I say that's arizona's loss. Hunt somewhere else.