homers brother

"15 whitetails a year"? Uh-huh. Didn't even catch that. Maybe if you hunt 15 different states!?

My wife's a city girl, she romanticizes about owning a ranch (more specifically, owning HORSES), but oh you should see her face when she steps in a cow patty or a road apple....

She's thinking about taking hunter's safety this fall, though. She'd probably think about it more seriously if she weren't so terrified of all the mountain lion sign we continue to run across more frequently than we used to.

Virginia Mike

Don't worry Homer, Like all of us good Republicans I will come with a truck full of money and I NEVER count on ANY Government to help me with my problems. I have rifles and I can dig a hole and I can keep my mouth shut. Wolf and Bear problems solved. I won't move out west until I can live and hunt and manage my land the way I choose, which would be how your old friend was, to allow the public, that I choose to be able to hunt. You would obviously become my closest hunting partner. I have to add Wyote and Engine to the list too. My wife already doesn't like you guys, so you are on the same standing as my current hunting buddies. Maybe you guys need a trip to the Commonwealth for some good old Whitetail hunting?

enginegrunt

Thanks. I think we could go round and round about hunting and politics all day and then have a beer on me. Oh yeah you think hunting big game in Wyoming is expensive. Wait to you see what people pay to hunt the whily ellusive(Hopefully speled right with my grade school education and ALL) Pheasant.

leehop

I have read all these threads and we seem to be missing the true problem. It isn't the feds controling states hunting, or the big four game animals. It is pure and simple the control of prejuditial treatment of states against the non resident hunters. Though the feds can't control hunting on state land, they should be able to on federal land. The high rates for nonresidents is just one more step in the ladder to make hunting a rich man's sport and pricing out the little man, thus one who can't afford to take junior or the spouse or whom ever on a hunt to another state that has the game not in his state. To have to pay so much more to hunt than the resident is grossly unfair. We also have overlooked the revanue the the nonresidents brin into another stae in the way of gas, lodging, food, and othr sundry expenses.

homers brother

Lee - respectfully, I disagree with you.

If USF&W is willing to establish a hunting license program and manage wildlife on federal lands, maybe it'd work. But that's not how things are set up today, and I don't have a lot of hope for convincing Congress that a particular federal agency needs to be bolstered by a sudden hire of management and enforcement personnel. Seems we have other funding priorities at the national level right now?

So until then, it falls upon the states to fund the management and enforcement programs.As well, there's nothing stopping you frombecoming a resident right now. I made the tough decision between "money" and "quality of life" years ago. Hunting and the outdoors were more important to me, so I moved back to Wyoming. There's plenty of room here for you, too. If I were barely making ends meet somewhere else, I'd sure consider relocating, since there are some decent paying (given the cost-of-living) jobs here. If I had (or my lifestyle needed)a good-paying job elsewhere, I'd probably not think twice about a hunting lease at home, or a nonresident tag fee in a western state.

You might think about what's preventing you from moving to where you can hunt different species, or what's preventing you from hunting at home? Are there some actions you can take to solve those issues? Or is it easier to blame the western states?

Virginia Mike:

I'm with ya. Maybe you're not a resident in presence, but you are in spirit!

engine:

Much as I'd like to hunt pheasant in South Dakota, I think I'll probably try caribou in Alaska again. I think it's cheaper?

chainsawlaskowski

It is really a shame that the fees are turning hunting into a "rich mans" sport. Many States are over $400.00 for a non-resident deer tag, if you are even lucky enough to draw one. Sheep tags- forget it! I live in Wisconsin and we are still reasonable for non-resident deer license. ($160.00 for either archery or gun). I keep hearing that our young people aren't going hunting anymore. These high fees don't help! I have heard of some States that charge non-residents whatever fee that their home State charges for non-residents. I would like to see Wisconsin adopt this policy if the other States don't lower their fees. Maybe then, hunters from Iowa and Illinois etc. would pressure their States to lower their fees. It's getting hard enough to find a place to hunt. With the fees going up all the time it's no wonder that a lot of people don't get into hunting. I know some well-to-do folks think that's great because there will be less competetion in the woods. However, the less hunters out there, the less lobbying power we all have. There are enough people out there against us already, we need all the support we can get! Jeff Laskowski

georgiahick

Sounds like a good idea, but Im a republican, I believe in smaller govt, more power to the state...that is what republicans are supposed to believe....believe it or not... We all thought that lower intrest rates a few years ago ment the economy was doing better, look at it now...whoever set the intrest rates then has really caused a dry economy now.....so long story short... I say complain to the states let them know how we feel keep presure on them till they fix it.....

homers brother

Chainsaw,

You're nailing my argument, but you're buying into the smokescreen that it's high non-resident prices that are the problem.You said it though, "it's getting hard enough to find a place to hunt". Why is that?

Really, what is the ONE thing that compels you to hunt in another state rather than your own?