Zim

bob d,

With all due respect, your logic, and I don't know how to say this more politely, is just plain ignorant. When will people learn?

"i make several trips out of illinois a year and i pay the non resident fees so it only makes sense to me that illinois should get a higher fee too."

Where exactly "out of illinois" do you go and pay $500 for a whitetail tag anywhere in the world? You don't, because there is no such place. In fact, there is no place with a whitetail tag price even 60% of that. Bighorn, elk, mulie are not whitetail, the most prolific game animal in north america. This is setting the bar way, way too high. And in essence, tells all nonresidents, except rich ones, to go pound sand. Do you not see other states will also follow this with reciprocal rates? Do you know less and less of these fees are being returned to wildlife, instead ending up subsidising completely unrelated general fund entitlements? Do you see how this hurts all hunters......me, you, and our kids? Would you like your kids to be able to affford to hunt out of state someday?

How could any hunter anywhere possibly be in favor of this? And if so.....WHY? Your reasoning sounds like "hey.....they are screwing us so let's screw them even more" without any thought of the repercussions......or what animal we are talking about.

The answer is to pay attention to what is going on, instead of being greedy. Write your legislators and join wildlife groups who object to this raping. Write other states as well. Educate your fellow hunters. I do all of these things.

kevin1

I had toyed with the idea of deer hunting Illinois ,
but between your new higher non-res fees and lack of access y'all just priced me out of the game . Sorry .

dayna0306

Last year I bought a n. r. alaska moose tag for $400 AT WALLMART for $500 you can buy a brown bear tag. Montana charges $640 for year round fishing small game and birds; an elk tag and a deer tag . Ohio charges $140 for a yearly deer tag. Illinios dnr and politions are run by antihunters to charge $500 for an archery only deer tag this will only spread like wild fire out of the midwest. This will be the down fall of hunting as we know it enjoy it be for its gone.

Double Creek

I agree that some changes probably needed to be made in order to limit the amount of NR hunters in certain areas of the state such as the "Golden Triangle". But IMO raising prices to $500 was not the answer.

Zim

Double Creek,

Bingo!

All hunters, both Illinois resident & nonresident, lose.

silentassassin

I have made my last trip to the Midwest. The tag prices are getting out of hand and I refuse to be taken advantage of. The good news is that after hearing the news of Illinois deciding to molest the NR's really got me looking for some lease ground which I am about to close the deal on. So, I will just spend that money on leases and food plots instead of pouring it into the Illinois economy. The bad news is that I have already paid my deposit for this year[:@][:'(]

t roy

i would bet that if the tags were raised to $500 they would still sell out in a short time. I myself would never pay $500 to hunt any animal, greed is a bad bad thing. of course pay hunters have brought this on themselves, they have created the demand.

Zim

t roy,

Legislation has passed the IL senate that would eliminate the NR cap for this year and increase the fee to $500. We will see, but I highly doubt they will sell the previous cap quota of 15,000. There are too many other options. I have a slammer spot I found on public land there after several years worth of scouting, and it's only 60 minutes from my door. However, due to the price, I will pass on it and go to Iowa this year. I have the preference points and this is a good year to burn them.

t roy

i dont think another $250 to a guy already paying the landowner $1-1500 per week will make a huge difference; seems like most of these guys have money to burn. sure guys like you who hunt public land probably wont be back, but you are in the minority. good luck in Iowa.

alwyshntn

I said it before..... Illinois politicians are sounding more like GREEDY outfitters all the time. We all as hunters should stick together and keep the cost within reason for all to enjoy. NOT JUST THE WEALTHY!!!! I would like my kids to have the opportunity like I have to hunt Illinois. It is no doubt a great state to hunt whitetail but a $500 deer tag is a little much. Hunting is suppose to be a fun and relaxing sport for all ages,genders,and incomes to be able to enjoy. The only ones they are putting the screws to are (US) the middle class workers who bust our a$$es to make ends meet with everything going up around us. I'm afraid Illinois has seen me for the last time if they raise their tags so dramatically. I will miss hunting there but I will not be takin advantage of.[:'(][:'(]