Brainstorm Solutions for the Western "Tag Crisis"

[Fetty Wapiti]

-get rid of land owner vouchers.
-end outfitting on public lands.
-highway crossings and speed enforcement.
-delist Grizz.
-increase grazing fees on public lands.
-invasive species control.
-ban tag and draw services.
-go back to paying upfront for apps.
-reduce non resident opportunity
etc...
etc.. etc.

 

[wind gypsy]

People in lots of Western states will struggle to draw a tag while the commissions do idiotic things like sell under priced tags to NRs while screwing over the residents.

Which states are selling the under priced tags to NRs while screwing over the residents? Would love to learn about them.

 

[wapitibob]

The opportunity to hunt is there, people tend to self impose restrictions (tag cost, amount of public land, only antlered) then complain about no opportunity. Yea, tags can be expensive and maybe you need to shoot a Cow instead of that 350 Bull, but the opportunity to hunt, have a great time, and fill tags is alive and well in several western states.

 

[PathFinder]

1. Ban or heavily regulate producing media for profit on a public resource. Charge for permits, tax it, whatever. Put more simply, everyone making money on media produced while hunting is exploiting a public resource for profit and giving nothing back. That activity should be taxed enough to discourage it and put money back into wildlife.
2. If the above can't be implemented, ostracize and persecute them until they quit.
3. Ban application, scouting services etc.

I hate government and taxes more than most. I hate modern market hunting more.

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[LCguy]

The largest landowner in the western US should do right by its stakeholders and start charging for access.

We already do pay for access. It's called federal income tax.

 

[BuckSmasher]

-get rid of land owner vouchers.
-end outfitting on public lands.
-highway crossings and speed enforcement.
-delist Grizz.
-increase grazing fees on public lands.
-invasive species control.
-ban tag and draw services.
-go back to paying upfront for apps.
-reduce non resident opportunity
etc...
etc.. etc.

I like most of that. Not to crazy about reducing non-res opportunity or ending outfitting on public lands though. I would like to create MORE opportunity.

 

[ShootOkHuntWorse]

The largest landowner in the western US should do right by its stakeholders and start charging for access.

We pay taxes?

 

[Chris in TN]

Maybe you underestimate the desire the western states' politicians have to liquidate federal ownership into state hands.

No, I’m pretty painfully aware of it.

 

[Chris in TN]

We pay taxes?

Yes. So?

The people that never set foot on public lands also pay taxes.

 

[Ten Bears]

Elk in row crop country will always lose out to big ag.

there isn’t much crops in northern michigan. that’s why it’s laughable.

 

[Will_m]

It’s not a crisis, but it is bad. And it doesn’t apply to western states only.

The only solution is to enjoy what you have now because it’s going to get worse. There’s just no going back unfortunately.

 

[idelkslayer]

Whereas
* We all know that western elk and deer tags are getting harder to get.
* Western hunting has surged in popularity the last 10-15 years,

Multiple threads going on about how fish and game departments are navigating what we are seeing with hunt opportunity. Lot of threads about the first Idaho non-res draw, Idaho kicking around short range weapons only, Montana cutting deer tags, etc. Here are a few ideas I have about how to help solve the crisis. Rokslide is a big community and I am sure we are more vocal to our respective agencies than most. If these ideas are good maybe they could get implemented?

1. Antler point restrictions. I was just starting to hunt CO as a kid when they instituted antler point restrictions. Theoretically an agency could issue an unlimited number of buck/bull tags and not worry about eliminating all males. Obvious con is that issuing unlimited tags crowds the woods.

2. Higher price. This one is super controversial and as an American without my own yacht or private jet and likes to hunt out of state I feel this one to. However, balancing price with demand could very well help your average Jimmy and Joe that wants to be able to plan on having a fun hunt every once in a while. What I mean is, would your average Joe want to pay $2k and come home with a dead elk or $900 and not lay eyes on a legal animal? Using Idaho as an example, your average guy is would get a better value paying $2k for a Diamond Creek zone tag than getting a Lolo or Selway tag for half that. Con to this one is turning hunting 'more into rich mans sport' and possibly it getting so way out of hand that we see a situation like LandOwner tags in CO and NM. A lot of which are $10+. So maybe not completely free market but better balanced than they are now.

3. Habitat Focus. States have the ability to set all kinds of policy that could benefit wildlife. Like requiring new development to account for critical habitat, (i.e. something like how wetlands banking is done?) zoning, etc.

What else did I not think of?

Addressing your points using your same numbering system.
1. No. This has been discussed many times. APR does not provide any long term benefit.
2. No. Deer/elk/etc. are a resource in the public trust, not a market commodity. I do not think that market principles should be applied. A drawing is a fair way to distribute the tags.
3. Yes. States should prioritize protection of migration routes, winter range, treatment of noxious weeds, and other habitat improvements.

This "crisis" will continue as long as there are more NR hunters than NR tags.

A better understanding of math and how points systems actually work, if anything, might discourage more hunters from buying points and getting in line for western tags.

 

[Radford]

1. Ban or heavily regulate producing media for profit on a public resource. Charge for permits, tax it, whatever. Put more simply, everyone making money on media produced while hunting is exploring a public resource for profit and giving nothing back. That activity should be taxed enough to discourage it and put money back into wildlife.
2. If the above can't be implemented, ostracize and persecute them until they quit.
3. Ban application, scouting services etc.

I hate government and taxes more than most. I hate modern market hunting more.

Sent from my Pixel 10 using Tapatalk

I’d love to see that. Great idea.

 

[Radford]

Weapon restrictions! More traditional archery, more straight case & open site rifle seasons. We all dream of the good ole days, well that’s what they were using back then. Antler, width or some kind of age restriction needs to happen.

Agree 100%. Traditional archery increases opportunity with low success rates.

 

[Pacific_Fork]

This single largest cause of supply issues is manufacturing the demand via social media. Rinella and Newberg are the top pimps, everyone else are the corner workers selling how to-dead and dying wildlife content for profit and “fame”

The largest landowner in the western US should do right by its stakeholders and start charging for access.

I agree, those damn Mormons need to let me hunt for a small fee.

 

[IdahoBeav]

This single largest cause of supply issues is manufacturing the demand via social media.

That would have to include Rokslide.

 

[IdahoBeav]

-increase grazing fees on public lands.

Why?

 

[Pacific_Fork]

That would have to include Rokslide.

Stop, this argument falls flat every time. Forums been around since the 90s. We ain’t Netflix or IG.

How many your non hunting friends/family come on hunting forums? Zero, none. Everyone is on IG/FB and Netflix

 

[IdahoBeav]

Stop, this argument falls flat every time. Forums been around since the 90s. We ain’t Netflix.

This place is one of the first stops for anyone looking to get into western hunting.

 

[Pacific_Fork]

This place is one of the first stops for anyone looking to get into western hunting.

They’re looking into it because of Netflix and SM platforms that service the entire population. Rokslide isn’t on your non hunting friends radar, ever. No one has heard of it.