2020 Application Numbers

[JFK]

More of a general question really, but what are your thoughts on number of applicants for out of state (non-resident) hunts this year in light of the covid and shutdowns across much of the country. Anecdotally, do you guys hear about more people not putting in due to health or financial concerns? I’m put in and waiting for results and when I was looking at draw odds I couldn’t help but feel this is a very unpredictable year. I didn’t assume anything would get easier to draw in my tag choices but just wanted to see what everyone’s thoughts are on this.

 

[realunlucky]

I haven't seen anywhere where the applications dropped this year.

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[Ben Allen]

The numbers for sheep and got in Colorado were all up in Colorado. That’s with the fee they started charging last year for points. That tells me that the rest of the draw, at least here in CO will not be affected by corona.

 

[WRO]

New Mexico had 10k new applicants this year, Nevada was up as was az..

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[elkhuntrr75]

Point creep in Wyoming nonresident elk draw higher than normal at least for the unit I applied for.

 

[NV HUNTER]

Nevada was said to be up 30%. Crazy when you think about that! I had a lot of friends not draw, so I feel thankful to have a cow tag and my wife and daughter drew doe deer tags.

 

[elkyinzer]

Heck the Trump Check Reverse Tax Anticipation Note was enough to apply in 3 or 4 states why the hell not put in! It's monopoly money, right?

 

[JFK]

This is what I figured. Continued increases in applicants. It is weird that all you hear about is falling hunter numbers across the country yet we continue to see year over year increases. I guess I also thought that the millions of people who are out of work right now would have put a downward pressure on more expensive non-resident tags. Guess I was wrong.

 

[Fatcamp]

This is what I figured. Continued increases in applicants. It is weird that all you hear about is falling hunter numbers across the country yet we continue to see year over year increases. I guess I also thought that the millions of people who are out of work right now would have put a downward pressure on more expensive non-resident tags. Guess I was wrong.

Same. Though we have yet to see Wyoming deer draw. A boy can dream.

 

[R_burg]

This is what I figured. Continued increases in applicants. It is weird that all you hear about is falling hunter numbers across the country yet we continue to see year over year increases. I guess I also thought that the millions of people who are out of work right now would have put a downward pressure on more expensive non-resident tags. Guess I was wrong.

Less hunters, but the ones that hunt are more committed.

This has been the plan, IMO by Rinella, TRCP, BHA, etc. They know a committed populous, even if its a severe minority, can retain enough political pressure to sway things their way. I support these groups. I am not involved well enough to know their end game - but I'd be interested to hear about it.

Certain western states are funding their Game and Fish through non-resident hunters. The tactic seems to work as demand is only increasing so I assume tags are only going to get more and more expensive. Some of it makes sense. In a state like AZ where tags are now relatively cheap, they should go up exponentially, in my personal opinion. I pay a much larger share towards my Game and Fish dept as resident than a resident of Montana does when we both hunt Elk - and they have much more ability to hunt. Then you have states like WY that wanted to deeply cut their non resident tag allocation.

Its a very interesting topic, for me at least. Especially when you think about opportunity in general and then add in point creep - and wrap it all around the public land issue and how public land hunters are the biggest proponent of that. More expense, less opportunity, etc - how does that effect the public land mission?

 

[idahohuntr]

Applications are up across the board - at least for everything I looked closely at. Idaho trophy species apps were up ~4-15%, depending on species. Several other states reported substantially higher apps this year...I think this is a trend that will continue - and it appears a global pandemic, maybe even recessions, will not change this trend.

 

[JFK]

Yeah definitely seems like the increase in applications continues regardless of any world events or lower draw odds. It’s a good thing guys are getting out hunting...just sucks that it’s getting so tough to draw a unit predictably with these giant increases in applications and point creep. I’m still waiting on my results, but all this talk about more applications in other states has me nervous now.