Brainstorm Solutions for the Western "Tag Crisis"

[wind gypsy]

After the initial shock from the increase a few years ago, AZ residents seem to have calmed down. I haven't seen a complaint about the cost of an Elk tag in a while.

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Holy crap. 7x what MT residents pay!

 

[omicron1792]

Property tax and paying for wildlife are two separate things

Hunting priorities are so far down the totem pole on most peoples list. Things could always be handled better. But some of the thoughts here are pretty laughable IMO.

 

[BuckSmasher]

Stop catering to landowners so much. If you want to introduce wolves and Grizzlies because "they were here originally", then the same can be said for elk being in farm country. You bought land in the natural range of these animals, deal with it and figure it out.

Lot of folks that don’t read herd management plans don’t know this, but ‘depredation’ and ‘managing conflicts’ keep a lid on WAY more elk populations than wolves or anything else.

 

[jmez]

Is there a tag crisis? Depends on your perspective and sense of entitlement. Not many residents complain about tag opportunities. If hunting is that important to you move to a state that offers the best opportunity for what you would like to hunt. Can't do that, wrong, no such thing is can't, only won't. And yes, I do understand. Don't expect the same treatment as those that live there.

Is there a quality crisis? Depends on your perspective and sense of etitlement. Not many meat hunters complain about opportunities. If trophy hunting is that important to you, get better at hunting trophies. Giants are killed all around the country every year. Don't expect the meat hunter to give up opportunity so you have an easier time finding what you like. Newsflash some really don't care about the horns or size. Some really do.

 

[wind gypsy]

Lot of folks that don’t read herd management plans don’t know this, but ‘depredation’ and ‘managing conflicts’ keep a lid on WAY more elk populations than wolves or anything else.

Pretty location specific. Lots of area in wolf country where wildlife conflict and depredation is less of a thing.

Which is why when wolf huggers say things like "there's more elk in MT now than there was pre-wolf re-intro" its a misleading claim. They dont say a word about where that population growth has occurred - outside primary wolf/bear country.

 

[Idaboy]

Lot of folks that don’t read herd management plans don’t know this, but ‘depredation’ and ‘managing conflicts’ keep a lid on WAY more elk populations than wolves or anything else.

100%. Like in Idaho the "meeting objective" doesn't mean the herd is best for hunting. FG has to balance private land owners, farmer/rancher and hunters etc