WYObowfisher

AAAI understand why you are frustrated with the high costs of tags and it taking forever to draw a tag but what would you consider doing diffrent? Like i said you lower the cost of a tag and dont charge a fee the whole country would be applying for these tags and taking even longer to get a tag. Sure you can go buy a over the counter tag and not have to worry about paying the fees or waiting to draw the tag but be ready to deal with the zoo ofpeople who do the same thing. Like Rybo said when their is a high demand for alimited number of tags its going to be expensive. If people are going to pay the Game and Fish to applyand high prices for a tag their going to charge it.

Rory/MO

hope this all works out for ya

AAA

Firstly, I don't know of any over the counter tags for non-residents in any western states. If you do, please let me know. I'm not asking for prices to be reduced exactly, it's just that going from approx. $470 last year to $590 this is a bit much. Also add in that because of the recent point system they are guaranteeing an addition $60 ($45 point and $15 processing fee) per year because the issue tags to people with the most first. Let me give an example, last year Region G non-res special draw 77 tags were issued. 390 applied. If only half those people put in for points, there are still 195 people that will get tags before me. OK, thats only one year, 2009 118 people will get tags before me. 2010 I might have a chance. All this only works if things don't change. Now that means my $590 tag cost me $770 or more. High costs are inevitable, I know that.

You asked me what I would change, I would change the way points are used to issue tags. A point should only give you an additional chance at the draw. Not guarantee it in X years or exclude you for X years. I would also not charge extra for points. If they truly need that extra money, add it to the price and be done with it.

pats102862

Colorado has otc bow tags for nr in some areas. In montana, a outfitter sponserd combination elk,deer tag cost $1500 plus the cost of a outfitter. For the cost of the tag I can buy a new sako 85 and a good leupold to go on top of it. I am putting for lottery tag this year

SWOSUMike

Let me ask you all a question. If game departments do not charge hunters for tags, permits, etc. what are they supposed to do to sustain themselves and conservation work in that state? I'm just asking. They got to have money, and I for one, though I don't like to pay high prices to hunt, am glad that hunters foot the bill for conservation. Guys, the fact that our money pays the conservation bill in this nation is a very valuable stronghold for us. Get rid of hunting (or the fact that hunters pay the bills) equals an end to conservation as we know it. I am not saying DNRs should rip anybody off or that it should become an elitist sport. I am just saying that if we don't pay for our sport and the expenses it takes to make conservation happen, then nobody else will. I think hunters need to protect the fact that they fund conservation. It's like a constantunarguable reminderto antis, animal rights activists and others who think hunting is wrong that we as hunters do as much or more than anybody else for wildlife. It's nice to look them in the eye and be able to say that we huntersare actually the ones paying for the well-being of wildlife, not them. What can they say to that?

petasux

The thing about that is, they sell out the out of state tags every year.And they have a lot of people that dont get drawn for one as well that will keep re applying.As long as theyre selling the out every year theres no reason not to raise the price.

The only way prices will go anywhere but up is if people quit applying for the tags and actually put a dent in the income they generate from them.

pats102862

I have a hard time buying into, montana needs one thousand four hundred dollars per sponsered tag to run thier conservation programs. 300 dollar increase over last year. the price of the tag in 9 years doubled while the guy I hunt with kept the price the same in that 9 year peroid. Its a supply-demand thing. They are charging what they think the market will pay. I am going try for a montana lottery if I get one , good, If not then off to colorado on DIY archery hunt.

kevin1

The only way to beat this game is not to play it. The ever escalating costs of hunting outside my own state have all but guaranteed that I won't be doing it again any time soon, so I changed my focus to hunting other types of game within my own state. I'm discovering opportunities and challenges that I never knew existed, and since I have a lifetime license I'm saving a ton of money for other more worthwhile pursuits.

pats102862

With all the Multi millionares and billionares buying up the ranches and land in montana, I really think what I and guys like me pump into the local economy, couple grand a year means nothing to them. at least that the impression i'am getting. Kevin your right, I got huge whitetails and blackbears in my own back yard. I should put more time and money in my own states hunting economy.

petasux

Something to consider, Im not familiar with Montana so Im gonna go with Iowas increases.In the last decade like it not theres been a huge increase in the number of people wanting a big set of antlers on thier wall.Trophy huntings taken off like a rocket.Big whitetails dont live everywhere, the areas that have them in number get the most pressure from non resident hunters, land leasing, NR property owners and increased pressure on public grounds result.

As a result you have more people hunting the same amount of accesible ground for what is actually a scarce commodity, truely big whitetail bucks.In response the DNR needs more public ground to keep everyone happy, more personel to maintain these grounds, and more man power to police these growing numbers of hunters and acres of land.

With timber land and unfarmable acres being recognized as hot spots for hunting big whitetails the prices of the land itself have gone up considerably costing the DNR much more money to aquire new ground each year.

So the price went from 150$ to 450 for example, an increase of 300$ overall.What exactly does $300 do for the DNR?Maybe put gas in one truck for a month, buy a 1/5 of an acre of public ground, maybe run a lawnmower for one summer.

Theres an increasing demand on the DNR from hunters for more and more every year, yet we expect them to operate on the same budget they have for the last 20 years.And many of the areas that have increased these prices have been playing catch up for that very reason, they havent raised prices in years, suddenly they do it in one lump sum or several large increments and everyone acts like theyre being robbed.

With all this going on they have to seriously take into account the fact that theres not an endless number of these trophy deer, elk, moose, bear or whatever the target species may be and regulate the number of hunters based on those populations.Going overboard and wiping out the trophy size animals will in short order stop non residents from coming to the state and once again hurt them financially.

Its a balancing act between being able to function and keeping everyone happy, the reality is they cant keep everyone happy but they can keep functioning with the proper revenue.