auction tags?

[jmez]

Uh, no its not even close to the same.

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

Funny, now you're trying to spin it back on me, the one flaw to your charge is that those who bid on tags at the auction do so on their own free will, and they choose the price they pay. That is free market at its finest.

I understand it is willingly relinquishing their money to bid on auctioned tags but the principal still applies. What you're saying is let the rich foot the bill.
Free market at it's finest? Hell why don't we put every tag up for bid then and while we're at it let's crown Obama king and then he can let whatever aristocracy he choose hunt the kings land and perhaps by his grace we might look upon the trophies of nobility.

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

Uh, no its not even close to the same.

Explain to me the difference.

 

[Hardstalk]

I saw that the Colorado bighorn tag auctioned for $130k and the Colorado goat tag went for $15k. Anybody know what the other states tags went for or do they not auction them all at the same place?

Did you expect this much involvement with the original post Smitho?

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

Lol ya didn't exactly mean to highjack the thread. I made a comment and it just kind took off.

 

[smitho]

Yeah I was pretty surprised to see how this thread took off.Its good to see some healthy debate about something we are all passionate about. Its gets too quiet around here this time of year. Lots of good points being made too.

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

Glad you're cool with it

 

[jmez]

I can draw no parallels between an elected official changing laws and a private citizen attending an open public auction and outbidding everyone else for an item.

 

[realunlucky]

Jmez I guess I can't see your point of view on this. This is not a public tag, it was created by a group of elites to circumvent the rules that everyone else has to play by. They said it was for conversation so it must be good right. This trend as carried over and now has became a major part of funding for some states departments managing fish and game. Here we auction any and all tags to raise money for any group that can be declared a non profit conservation group. We should look at fixing the funding problem not creating a system that craters to 2% of sportsmen. These tags also bypass many of the states own guidelines ie. Funneling money to one species. This was one of the originating goals of wsf and was very beneficial to sheep. My problem was instead of amending the operating guidelines they bypassed them. Some groups still do an out outstanding job of raising and distributing the money. The problem really lays in the amount of money these bring and the corruption that comes with it.

 

[wapitibob]

Actually, they were created by the Game dept. to raise funds without pulling tags from the public draw tag pools.
There's a world of difference between the Western states handful of auction/raffle tags, which don't come from those public pools, and the abomination going on in Utah, created by SFW, sold to and bought into by the buffoons in that states Game dept.

 

[realunlucky]

Actually, they were created by the Game dept. to raise funds without pulling tags from the public draw tag pools.
There's a world of difference between the Western states handful of auction/raffle tags, which don't come from those public pools, and the abomination going on in Utah, created by SFW, sold to and bought into by the buffoons in that states Game dept.

I will agree no other organisation is like that evil. Has it tinted my view on auction tag yep, now I see the glass as half empty. I'm saying it is a slippery slope with the amount of money that is generated

 

[realunlucky]

My point all along was these are special tags for a special group. At many levels this just doesn't sit well with me no matter the good things the money raised does

 

[jmez]

I'm not familiar with the ins and outs of all these systems, I can't afford and auction tag short of winning the Powerball. I don't keep up on them.

If a tag, or anything else, is sold at public auction, then I fail to see how it is not a public item. The final cost and who and how it was created are not relevant to the fact that anyone is allowed to bid on the item. I see that as pretty black and white. If there were a set number of people/names on a list and they were the only people allowed to bid, then I would agree, not a public tag.

As far as changing laws, seasons etc. That is already done and happens with other tags and hunts. There are special youth seasons, within those seasons youth are allowed to take game that would otherwise be antler restricted. There are special handicap regulations, allowing those to use means to take game that are not allowed by others. The Game and Fish doesn't operate under a blanket set of rules and restrictions. They change things for what would hopefully be the betterment of the sport.

 

[colonel00]

Are these tags tax deductible too?

 

[realunlucky]

Are these tags tax deductible too?

Yes they are

 

[colonel00]

Thanks. Just making notes for when I can blow a half million dollars.

 

[realunlucky]

I don't see it that black and white. Guess I'm too cynical. It's been interesting to hear others thoughts on this looks like I'm in minority/ silent majority. Guess time will unfortunately tell the tale on how these tags change the hunting culture in this country.

 

[realunlucky]

Thoughts on why RMEF has spoken out against auction tags this past year?

 

[wapitibob]

I will agree no other organisation is like that evil. Has it tinted my view on auction tag yep, now I see the glass as half empty. I'm saying --it is a slippery slope with the amount of money that is generated--

I agree 100%.
The revenue being generated can be very tempting.

 

[wapitibob]

Thoughts on why RMEF has spoken out against auction tags this past year?

I haven't seen that specifically but have seen where they will turn back all proceeds and not hold back a commission from their sale.