Brainstorm Solutions for the Western "Tag Crisis"

[wind gypsy]

I look at it a bit different I think. We haven't gotten to the point where non-resident tags just can't be had but we are heading that way. I am not a big fan of the fact that Idaho 'general' elk tags are on a draw now. I understand fixing the cluster that was the 'queue' but still.

The way I see it, cutting into demand with a somewhat higher price helps joe six pack plan for an elk hunt and actually get a tag. Especially if he actually wants to get an elk. Maybe we haven't gotten there yet. I do remember buying, and have bought, Montana general tags at wal-mart AFTER flying up and about to go on my hunt.

What is a "somewhat higher" price point that is going to kill demand? A NV bull tag is going to cost a NR $1400ish. I have 10 points and the easiest to draw bull tag is less than 2% odds last looked. Thats kind of expensive but the demand is there.

Did the demand for WY tags drop when they drastically increased tag prices? If they did, not enough to make a difference.

Joe six pack can plan on going elk hunting in multiple places right now. I think MT general tags were 60% last year with 0 points? Just going elk hunting isn't that hard. Getting an overhyped premium tag is getting increasingly difficult.

 

[fatlander]

Rokslide is on page 1 of google when searching "elk hunting resources"

I just typed in "DIY Idaho Elk". A Rokslide thread was the 3rd result. A unit number can be added, and you'll get a thread specifically about that unit. If the unit number was in the thread and has since been removed, it still shows up in a google search that specifies the unit. Many of these threads are direct accounts of NRs from other regions, detailing the process for applying and drawing a tag, e-scouting, and the successful hunt.

Y’all do realize that google tailors results for you, based on the data that is captured from your online presence. Rokslide pops up for you guys because you’re here.

Google the same stuff with your wife’s phone and RS
won’t come up. . .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BuckSmasher]

What is a "somewhat higher" price point that is going to kill demand? A NV bull tag is going to cost a NR $1400ish. I have 10 points and the easiest to draw bull tag is less than 2% odds last looked. Thats kind of expensive but the demand is there.

Did the demand for WY tags drop when they drastically increased tag prices? If they did, not enough to make a difference.

Joe six pack can plan on going elk hunting in multiple places right now. I think MT general tags were 60% last year with 0 points? Just going elk hunting isn't that hard. Getting an overhyped premium tag is getting increasingly difficult.

Point taken. Just 'pick up a tag and go hunting' isn't dead yet but it is on life support.

If all WY elk tags were 2k not just 40% of them I think it would have made a difference. Maybe not.

For me personally, especially in those states where I am playing the premium tag game, I would gladly pay 3 or 4K to just draw my hunt and be out of the point creep misery.

 

[wind gypsy]

Point taken. Just 'pick up a tag and go hunting' isn't dead yet but it is on life support.

If all WY elk tags were 2k not just 40% of them I think it would have made a difference. Maybe not.

You're probably right. And unfortunately it would have been a step too far for some budgets IMO.

For me personally, especially in those states where I am playing the premium tag game, I would gladly pay 3 or 4K to just draw my hunt and be out of the point creep misery.

I'm not that up to speed with going rates for landowner tags, but if what i have seen in NM or CO is any indication $3-4k is well below market for more desirable tags but still enough to dissuade a lot of folks from going hunting. I'd pay that too if it were an option but i'd rather we dont price lots of other folks out of the game just because it would make things easier for me.

 

[RyanT26]

Point taken. Just 'pick up a tag and go hunting' isn't dead yet but it is on life support.

If all WY elk tags were 2k not just 40% of them I think it would have made a difference. Maybe not.

For me personally, especially in those states where I am playing the premium tag game, I would gladly pay 3 or 4K to just draw my hunt and be out of the point creep misery.

Good Lord, don’t give Wyoming any more ideas. Given today’s credit card society I don’t think 2k would make a difference at all. Wy would still sell out every last one of them.

It might stop people from even getting in the game in that state. Just talking through it out loud makes it sound crazy. So what you gotta do is buy points for five years hopefully the point creep isn’t too terrible maybe six or seven years and you’re gonna draw the tag for 2k and that’s only if they don’t hit it with another price increase between now and the next 5-7 years. Who wouldn’t wanna get in that game.

Edit to add-you always have a chance in a random but Wy could go 90/10 between now and then and your chance and random would shrink even smaller.

 

[Chris in TN]

Tragedy of the commons - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[BuckSmasher]

Just talking through it out loud makes it sound crazy. So what you gotta do is buy points for five years hopefully the point creep isn’t too terrible maybe six or seven years and you’re gonna draw the tag for 2k and that’s only if they don’t hit it with another price increase between now and the next 5-7 years. Who wouldn’t wanna get in that game.

I know I feel dumb.... lol

 

[BuckSmasher]

You're probably right. And unfortunately it would have been a step too far for some budgets IMO.


I'm not that up to speed with going rates for landowner tags, but if what i have seen in NM or CO is any indication $3-4k is well below market for more desirable tags but still enough to dissuade a lot of folks from going hunting. I'd pay that too if it were an option but i'd rather we dont price lots of other folks out of the game just because it would make things easier for me.

Maybe. But I am originally from Texas and where public land is scarce and $2k is considered a cheap lease. And that is to hunt in-state on resident tags.

Agreed on all points.

 

[RyanT26]

I know I feel dumb.... lol

I wrote that out and thought holy shit that’s me.

 

[robtattoo]

Do away with ALL non res tags in all 50 states for 3 years. That'll help with population growth, make the states realize how much they make off of us forriners & give the residents some peace & quiet.
Delete all non res preference points & all states go to 100% random draws for every tag. Residents get 1 otc tag for each species they want to hunt.

Just for 3 years.

 

[robtattoo]

Do away with ALL non res tags in all 50 states for 3 years. That'll help with population growth, make the states realize how much they make off of us forriners & give the residents some peace & quiet.
Delete all non res preference points & all states go to 100% random draws for every tag. Residents get 1 otc tag for each species they want to hunt.

Just for 3 years.

Or, each state allocates it's number of tags for non residents. Then pool them into a national 'All species, all states, no species choice' draw. Non residents enter 'The Draw' for a grand a time, paid up front(you only get 1 shot) If you draw, you're good to go hunt the species you randomly draw, in that state (no unit allocation, statewide) if you don't, you get $900 back.

It'll sort itself out real quick.

 

[wind gypsy]

Maybe. But I am originally from Texas and where public land is scarce and $2k is considered a cheap lease. And that is to hunt in-state on resident tags.

Agreed on all points.

Understand the perspective. Let TX keep their model, I'd like to avoid it as much as we can elsewhere.

 

[IdahoBeav]

Y’all do realize that google tailors results for you, based on the data that is captured from your online presence. Rokslide pops up for you guys because you’re here.

Google the same stuff with your wife’s phone and RS
won’t come up. . .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I thought of this beforehand and ran it on a different browser with no search history and without being logged into Google, but I'll give it a try on my wife's phone.

 

[HunterGatherer]

Maybe. But I am originally from Texas and where public land is scarce and $2k is considered a cheap lease. And that is to hunt in-state on resident tags.

Agreed on all points.

Texas is the perfect example of what happens when you privatize public lands. Hunting goes to hell. The more land and by extension wildlife that is privatized, the more it becomes a pastime only for the wealthy.

 

[HunterGatherer]

Do away with ALL non res tags in all 50 states for 3 years. That'll help with population growth, make the states realize how much they make off of us forriners & give the residents some peace & quiet.
Delete all non res preference points & all states go to 100% random draws for every tag. Residents get 1 otc tag for each species they want to hunt.

Just for 3 years.

It would probably only take one year and every game management agency would be shut down completely for lack of funding.

 

[Jason Snyder]

Do away with ALL non res tags in all 50 states for 3 years. That'll help with population growth, make the states realize how much they make off of us forriners & give the residents some peace & quiet.
Delete all non res preference points & all states go to 100% random draws for every tag. Residents get 1 otc tag for each species they want to hunt.

Just for 3 years.

Why? What does this “solve”?

Some folks need something to do. Go shoot.

 

[BuckSmasher]

Texas is the perfect example of what happens when you privatize public lands. Hunting goes to hell. The more land and by extension wildlife that is privatized, the more it becomes a pastime only for the wealthy.

110% agree. Public land was the biggest reason we left. Texas hunting model stinks. I could write a very long post about all the things wrong with hunting and hunting access in Texas.

 

[mt100gr.]

Mentioned here and elsewhere....

Hunt and kill predators in the state you wish to apply for and earn an application. Predator kills would be verified and documented and could even be correlated to the tags/applications. For example in MT: kill a wolf to apply for anything. Kill a few coyotes to earn a deer application. You want to hunt sheep? Kill a lion. Etc...

I know this would financially cripple the state game agencies, but there needs to be more intentional predator hunting.

 

[intunegp]

I think the "tag crisis" only exists for people who only want to hunt 350" bulls and 200" bucks across multiple states every fall. Plenty of opportunities to get outdoors chasing a variety of game of all shapes and sizes if you're open to the opportunities. I wish I had more time to pursue them.

If you just need another shoulder mount to complete the western wall in your game room then I think it is totally fair that you struggle to obtain the tag and/or pay dearly for that opportunity.

Big giant bulls and bucks have become so fetishized that many hunters can't see the forest for the trees. I've hunted for 20 years and never killed anything the average guy would call a trophy. Go shoot some squirrels and do some soul searching while you hike.