MAjay and mouse-I know we had around 240000 applicants this year for big game tags. 10% were for non-residents and to get the draw done we allowed another 800 elk tags exclusively to non-res hunters. The USO suit mandates 100% equality in drawing thus non-res tags could be the majority based upon luck. If you want a bull elk tag as a resident the wait is usually over 5 years based on odds however some luck out and some don't. You are right that we get proportionate federal dollars. That is not the bulk of our funding. Our heritage fund from the state lottery and sales tax on local sporting goods purchases makes up the major funding. So why should a major out of state business that wants more bull tags get what they want? They are also well known for illegal use of aircraft to hunt elk. Is that who we should support? The big rub for USO is Arizona manages the herds for maximum utilization for all. We will not allow a private landowner to sell tags to outfitters on his property because the state owns the animals. The feds do not and that has been established legally.

I am supportive of giving more tags to non-res hunters up to a point but not to USO as a tag securing business. I am not supporting the privatization of hunting as someone with little money has every right to hunt without a bunch of rich boys lockin' it up. This is certainly not a move to lock up hunting in Arizona and I hope you both end up getting nice bulls at some future hunt.