ROTFALMAO ...Glen you're being Californicated for the most part ,not "easterners".
But I will say most western states get a very large portion of their operating budgets from the fees they charge non res. hunters. That and the fact non res. sportsmen pump billions into the western economy without which people couldn't make ends meet.
I don't have a problem with limited license allotment provided states use a point system towards the applicants. But I do have a problem with the outrageouse increases for out of state hunters and the outright rape by outfitters.
As example a 3 or 4 years ago one would book an antelope hunt for say $850 for a 5 day hunt. Today that same hunt might be $1250 and only 3 DAYS. Almost a 50% increase for the hunt and a 40% decrease in time allotted for the hunt. Any way you try to explain that one can't justify such an increase with the time reduction.