IDFG PROPOSAL RAISING NONRESIDENT FEES, REDUCING TAGS FOR OUT OF STATE HUNTERS

[kiddogy]

The last time they raised hunting license prices, which was the first in almost 20 years, people moaned and complained about 5 bucks. They aren't gonna pay an extra 50.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

sure they will.
but if I am wrong and they don't, so much the better.

 

[CamoPirate]

Fish and game departments learning from the video game franchises...pay to win baby, pay to win.

 

[bluetick78]

I don't know that that's true anymore. People are fed up with out-of-state hunters. I realize that there are some quality NR hunters who come here, some good guys. But overall, locals are sick of it.

I know many Idahoans that would pay more for less NR presence. Idaho is the only state left worth two cents with over-the-counter tags, everyone else has f*cked it all up. We will eventually.

This topic came up in my workplace a few days ago. Out of 21 people, including 4 women, 20 of them said that they would be willing to pay the current NR tag fees to not have NR competition in their respective hunting areas. These areas vary from extreme Eastern Idaho to the Weiser and Selway zones. Seems that residents over a large portion of the state are tired of the influx of NR hunters, and would be willing to pay far more to protect their states resource. A few will always cry about a ten cent price increase, but I think the majority of sportsmen see hunting (and fishing) slowly getting worse and worse and are poised to go to extremes to correct the situation.

 

[Rob5589]

This topic came up in my workplace a few days ago. Out of 21 people, including 4 women, 20 of them said that they would be willing to pay the current NR tag fees to not have NR competition in their respective hunting areas. These areas vary from extreme Eastern Idaho to the Weiser and Selway zones. Seems that residents over a large portion of the state are tired of the influx of NR hunters, and would be willing to pay far more to protect their states resource. A few will always cry about a ten cent price increase, but I think the majority of sportsmen see hunting (and fishing) slowly getting worse and worse and are poised to go to extremes to correct the situation.

That is surprising. Not likely to be the majority of hunters, however. If a majority of residents feel that way, they should place pressure on the IDFG & legislature to move in the direction of either severely limiting or eliminating non resident hunters. Pressure from residents is how all this came about so there is power in their voices.
I wouldn't want that to occur but, I don't live there so it does not really matter what I, or any non resident, thinks.

 

[UpNorth89]

Everyone wants to blame the non residents for all of the crowding simply because it's the easiest finger to point. Nevermind the fact that the resident numbers have grown substantially while the state non resident cap has stayed the same. Something should be done to spread everyone out more evenly like putting a cap on all zones but just bashing non residents isn't the answer.

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

 

[BullElk]

id be willing to pay A LOT more for my tags than i currently do! F&G is not hurting for $ at all especially after visiting their brand new building in nampa a few weeks ago.

 

[sneaky]

A cap on all zones, on residents and NR is the only way to spread pressure. This BS about residents ponying up more money isn't going to fix anything. It's an exploding resident population with no caps on resident tags in a lot of zones that's causing a lot of the problems that are being blamed on NR. You can't add 30-40k more residents to the rolls and then blame crowding on the same amount of NR that have been hunting for the past decade. I would take the bet that a great majority of Joe Schmo regular folks would NOT pay NR rates to hunt the same places they've been hunting for cheap their entire lives. You have to be naive to believe that would ever fly.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[String&stick]

As a side note for those who say that NR dollars are the saviors of western state game agency budgets:
12,815 NR paying $571.50 (the current fee+ license) equals $7,323,772.50.
100,000 residents paying $52.50 (current fee + license) equals, $5,250,000.
A difference of $2,073,772.50
If every resident paid an additional $20.74 per elk tag we could replace NR dollars.


And with the increase:
12,815 NR paying $833.25 (the proposed new fee+ license) equals $10,678,098.75. Although the reason for the fee increase is because fewer tags are expected to sell.
100,000 residents paying $52.50 (current fee + license) equals, $5,250,000.
A difference of $5,428,098.75
If every resident paid an additional $54.28 per elk tag we could replace NR dollars.

In either example I would be willing to pay the increase to resident tag prices.

Running some sketchy math here. You say this increases would replace the non resident income, but the numbers you utilize show and increase that would make NR = R.

In the first example residents would need to pay about $73.24 more and with the new prices about $106.78 more to "Replace" NR fees.

I wouldn't want to replace NR income as it is so large. I would advocate as a resident to cap units.

Also if you eliminated NR hunting, there is a good chance that other states would not allow Idaho residents to hi t in their state.

Overall as a NR I'm fine with the changes and recognize that Idaho will eventually recognize it's exploding resident hunter population and will have to with go to a draw system, or cap all zones.

 

[87TT]

I can see a cap on Zones with a fixed % NR per Zone. But I will fight like Hell to stop a total draw or point system.

 

[txhunter581]

Mine does but by comparison it is a bargain. Texas NR license is $315. With that license you can shoot 5 whitetail and 1 mule deer, 4 turkeys, unlimited exotics. And you can hunt from Oct 1 thru first weekend in Jan. Don’t need a license to hunt hogs any more.

 

[Rob5589]

I can see a cap on Zones with a fixed % NR per Zone. But I will fight like Hell to stop a total draw or point system.

Totally reasonable.

 

[Spencer Lillywhite]

Is there any data on the resident vs non-resident hunter numbers per zone? I wonder if something like a "10% -OR- 50% reduction of the 5-year average non-resident number" would work better?

For example, last year the Pioneer Zone had 2368 archery hunters (according to the website); and let's just assume its a zone with a lot of out-of-state crowding. Was it like 30% (710 hunters) or more like 60% (1420) non-residents? If it really is like 60% that high; capping that zone to 10% NR would push basically 1200 more non-resident hunters into other zones that maybe haven't seen much non-resident pressure.

Hard to say what's the best solution without the data.

As a non-resident, I'm not that concerned about the impacts on me. If I want to hunt a specific unit next year, I'll buy a tag early and plan on hunting it in September. Idaho is also the cheapest state for non-residents so increasing the price some really isn't outrageous. And if this reduction in non-residents eases any tension at the trailhead with locals, I'm all for that.

The unit I deer hunt at home gets a lot of pressure from out-of-towners so I can definitely empathize with the locals frustration. It sucks.

 

[Elktaco]

If the number of NR tags issued has been the same for the last how many years how is there suddenly more NR hunting???? Am I missing something I thought they have been capped around 15k for the last 20 years or so???

 

[Rob5589]

If the number of NR tags issued has been the same for the last how many years how is there suddenly more NR hunting???? Am I missing something I thought they have been capped around 15k for the last 20 years or so???

There really cannot be more, based on the limit that has been in place for years. It stems more from the increase in resident hunters. But you can't realistically tell residents that there are too many of you hunting so we are cutting your numbers.

Certainly there are zones that are over crowded, especially if that zone is not capped. And certainly some have a large number of non residents hunting.

So the solution being proposed is raising prices and the ability to cap zones at no less than 10% for non res in order to spread things out some and lower the non res hunter numbers in totality.

 

[idahohikker]

If the number of NR tags issued has been the same for the last how many years how is there suddenly more NR hunting???? Am I missing something I thought they have been capped around 15k for the last 20 years or so???

Reread my last post. Clarifies the increase in pressure. The other factor that others have mentioned here is that resident pressure has increased so it feels like more pressure in general and the ire is always going to be pointed towards nonresidents.

 

[100percent]

If the number of NR tags issued has been the same for the last how many years how is there suddenly more NR hunting???? Am I missing something I thought they have been capped around 15k for the last 20 years or so???

A lot of the Idaho guys on here just like to bitch! Although, this is a good thing for all! I wish it were more stringent.

 

[String&stick]

If the number of NR tags issued has been the same for the last how many years how is there suddenly more NR hunting???? Am I missing something I thought they have been capped around 15k for the last 20 years or so???

I think beyond the increase in residents, you also have the "Eastman's journal" and the "gohunt" effect. When they say "unit xyz is awesome" you will see a heck of a lot more NR guys in that unit the next year. So even with the same number of NR statewide in 2018 as there were in 2017, unit "xyz" might have 400 more non residents.

You put 400 more residents in a zone with 2000 people hunting it and you notice really quickly!

 

[Joe Schmo]

I wish that as soon as you opened this thread there was a sad violin playing in the background. For both sides.

 

[Joe Schmo]

By the way I have a $300 deer tag in my pocket that I probably won't use this year but I'm still happy to give to a great state where I own a shitload of public land. You're welcome.

 

[GregB]

The last time they raised hunting license prices, which was the first in almost 20 years, people moaned and complained about 5 bucks. They aren't gonna pay an extra 50.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

If an $50 increase it what will keep the fat road hunting ATV trolls home I will gladly pay it.

I'll gladly pay a fee increase.

I find it odd though that some people are for reducing opportunities, when its proven that access and opportunity are what is hurting hunting the most.

Not one mention of making the method of take more difficult...... not to stir the pot too much but we can't all have our cake and eat it too.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

I'm hunting w/ a recurve this year. Does that mean in the future I will have to club them over the head with a stick. I wish Idaho would do a trad only season even if it was only a week.