TEmbry

I have zero issues with actual tag costs...these lotteries are often geared towards cheaper alternatives to just buying outright a landowner tag/outfitted hunt. In the scheme of things, you still save a bundle of money by drawing these tags over buying them elsewhere.

My gripe is with the point accumulation costs. Want to buy a point for elk in AZ this year, and not even enter the draw? That'll be 158.75.
WY Bighorn is $100 for a point only, again with 0% chance of drawing.

These costs, and the concept of buying a hunting license KNOWING full well you will NOT be hunting that state that year, boggles me.

Oh well, like stated pay to play. I will be 4-5 states untilI graduate college, then I will likely bump it to near all species in near all states out west. Young and ambitious is a deadly combo.[&:]

salukipv1

Fronting money which 99% of us will get back in 3-6months later doesn't mean any additional money to a state.

And my point to reduce non-res fees doesn't mean less money to the state, just narrow the gap between residents and non-residents, to 6x instead of 10x or whatever that state's multiplier is.

My main point is just that if we were only charged once we drew a tag, that would allow most of us to apply for more tags, if you have to front the money for 3 sheep tags, that could be 5 grand or more out of pocket til you don't draw and it comes back to you. I don't think the average hunter can have 10k out of pocket at a time just waiting to get it back months later...which really only goes to reinforce wealthier individuals more opportunities. Or at least not to the younger hunter. I guess a goal to have and work towards at least.

Monie

lol...knock 'em dead, killer!

I don't mind so much paying for a license, it helps to pay Fish and Game salaries and preserve the land. What really chaps my butt is, as mentioned before, dishing out the entire cost of a tag just to get a preference point! How crazy is that? ...and yet some of us give in. What can you do? In Colorado you're looking at $5478 if you want to buy PP's for moose, goat and sheep! Arizona is the cost of the license $151 plus $7.50 for each bonus point. Yep...I'm putting in for BP's in Arizona! I might as well put in for elk while I'm putting in for Desert Bighorn! I thought I'd scope things out while I'm out there on a Coues hunt...might as well make the best of the hunt, right?

beech18

I can not say for certain but I would only assume. When paying for the fee's up front for an applicationand getting the money back in 3-6 months if undrawn. Yes, that does mean the Fish and Game has more additional money. I would only assume they are banking on the% of interest rates, figure all the money for tags foreveryonein a 3-6 month term CD or savings account, thats a bit of money that Fish and Game makesbefore they return your money.

Bob H in NH

One possible issue with making you not front the money is that it may actually raise the costs for F&G, If it costs less to apply, more people will apply in more places, if more people apply, some percentage of those drawn will not take the tag because they now could get drawn for more tags than they can afford to take, sort of a scattergun approach.

this causes more processing by F&G which costs money. Online is far from free, it's free for us to use, but it is far from free to setup, create, manage and run, plus the costs of an ISP and web site itself.

I do think some of the tags are outrageous, but supply and demand says they are not overpriced, because people keep buying them.

Monie

Unfortunately for most of us, it's the guys with the moolah, who demand. [&:]

ColoradoElk

The Colorado DOW does not "make" a significant amount of money from applicants that purchase preference points/have no chance of drawing. Most of the application cost is quickly returned. The only "cost" to get a point is the time value of money while you wait for a refund. The draw information is available on the DOW website. Many of the units managed as "trophy" units issue 25 - 35 tags per season.

I imagine every elk hunter has seen images of the "elk" meandering around Estes Park (Rocky Mountain National Park) and envisions a 6x behind every tree. Hence the desire to hunt the 20. For the 1st combined season (2nd rifle) in 2008 the DOW shows 135 (111 resident and 21 non-resident) applications for 25 tags. The draw results were 15 tags allotted to residents, 7 to non-residents and three to landowners. About 8% of resident applicant drew while 33% of non-residents did??? The numbers vary but the ratios remain fairly consistent across the seasons.

Like many have said, if you want to hunt the draw units, it makes sense you should have to "pay to play", but your odds of drawing are still better as a NR than a resident. Colorado has NR allocations for the draw. It seems by eliminating the "pay to play", you would have MANY more NR apps chasing the same number of tags. As a resident, it doesn't bother me, but how is that good for NR applicants?

Redclub

I go to CO. every year for something, Granted you have to pay up front but if you don't draw, you get your money back. Its getting to be quite hard to draw a tag there. Being 67 I have to take what I get. ML bull elk used to take 0 points now its 3 and by the time I draw (went last year) will be over 5 points. So this year its either archery or second season rifle (and thats very crowded). Physical limitations are a concern for archery.
I was very fortunate to hunt a lot of prime area's there when points were way down. I went to unit 61 with 0nly 2 points now its about 15 or so. lots of folks appling.
Redclub

hunting junkie

I like the kentucky way for elk it cost you ten dollarsto apply thats it no points nothing.They say36,000 people
applied last year, it's cheap and they keep the money either way.I guess the only down fall it is the amount
of people, verses tags.