enginegrunt

What!! That is absolutely absurd. Has to be spolen from an from someone on the east coast where there is no public land. The western states are mostly public. I'm from the Wyoming originally and alot of the state is Checker board BLM and Forest.Canyou say that aboutthe East. Probably not.
QuickQuestion. So now I want to go down south or back east and huntwaterfowl or Deer. Do I havethe same chance has someone going to Colorado orWyoming. No!!! These states relyon the Out of staters willing to pay.

goos_blues

I believe he is talking about federal, not state land.

enginegrunt

Last time I looked BLM and Forest are federal, unless I missed something and they changed those to State lands. Don't see much yellow(BLM) on the maps once you get east of the Missouri. FOrest yeah, but I would guess put money that there is more national forest and Grassland in the west then the East Also!!

omarrh

Although I see your point in reference to public lands, all this bill is proposing is a FAIR license rate for out-of-state hunters. As for Florida's non-resident rates, I think they are pretty fair ( http://myfwc.com/license/) as opposed to hunting in a state like Wyoming, for example,forMountain Goats, Elk, Moose, etc. ( http://gf.state.wy.us/fiscal/license/index.asp)

We cannot help the fact that these species do not roam the Everglades and should not be unfairly taxed (licensed) for hunting them in land that we pay taxes to maintain.

enginegrunt

Just responding back to the comment. As for being fair that the western states have animals that Florida does not. Well thats just it. Elk used to thrive throughout the lower 48, but do to human population they now have retreated to the higher elevations.
So I throw this out there. Government steps in and contols hunting in the Western States Bread and Butter. Now should the Federal Government Regulate the tourist traps around the Country for there high prices. Let's say Disney World!!

wyote

It doesn't cost anyone, anything to hunt on federal land.

BUT..............the states and it'speople own the game. Each state can and does manage their own game herds as they see fit. It's that way in every state, and the federal goverment should stay out of the states affairs.

This has been taken to court and all the courts stand up for the states rights to manage their own game herds.

Do you guys remember several years ago when USO outfitters (George Taullman) tried to dosome thing very similar to thisincourt. It failed big time and he was black balled by all the hunting community.

younggun308

I think this country has suffered too much from attempts to bring change, it's time people face reality, hunting, is generally expensive, and travelling anywhere, by car, is expensive, let's face it, the world is much more expensive than it used to be, that's just the way things are.

Of course, if we had hybrid cars and planes, the travel costs would be less, and weight restrictions on airlines would be lowered, since that's the reason they lower them, the more weight, the more energy required to keep the objects flying.

I think that there's other solutions to this problem, like alternative fuels, which would lower the cost to get to theWest in the first place, so then that gives you more money to be able to spend on the game tag.

Josiah

TNHagies

I agree, this seems to be the most logical solution to me.Put a cap onthe fees to FEDERAL land and let the state control the amount of hunters.

From what I'm reading it seems like most talk is about the Easterners coming out west and stealin' guys elk and mule deer but on the reverse, I'd like for some of my family and friends that live in CO be able to come out to VA and hunt w/me and not cost them an arm and a leg.

Virginia Mike

TN, for $120 in VA you can purchase a NonRes Sportsman's license and that includes Rifle, Muzzle loader, Archery, Crossbow, big game, small game and a fishing license. You can shoot and reel until you need a chiropractor for $120. And as for no Fed Land in the east, VA has over 2.5 million acres of National Forests called the George Washington NF and the Thomas Jefferson National Forest. The western states are not protecting anything except their budgets. They are gouging out of stater's and it goes up every year. I guarantee you that it would be a different story on here if the Feds didn't let hunting on the BLM and other Fed. Land out west. I agree that I don't want the Feds getting involved with hunting, but it just is not fair that I pay taxes to maintain and operate Fed land and parks, but I pay 20 times more than a person that lives in that state. How about VA, MD and DC start charging everyone from out west $500 to visit all of the Fed. Monuments and parks here in our area? What would all of the tourists say? NOT FAIR, I pay for those! That is what they would say. Just make this a little more fair. Don't ask for $755 for an Elk tag for Non-Res and $50 for a Resident.

TNHagies

VA Mike, I think you might have misunderstood me. I think we agree on this.I realize how expensive licenses are in VA, I grew up and lived for 21 yearsin Craig county which issomething ridiculous like 80% NF.My point is, despite the fact that its cheaper for someone to come east and hunt rather than west, if its federal land I think the price for a license/tagshould be the same. Others may disagree and that's fine that's what makes America so great.