Montana Proposed bill to raise Non resident base hunting fees over 500%

Legend

WKR
Joined
Jun 13, 2017
Messages
973
This is being proposed by 3 Republicans spread across MT. So consider it already signed.

Honestly, if they are worried about money maybe they will forgot about the Governor's agenda....privatizing wildlife for the benefit of his wealthy buddies.
 
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wind gypsy

"DADDY"
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Dec 30, 2014
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LOL Montana. They already have the biggest resident to non-resident tag cost discrepancy in the west, maybe not counting Alaska when residents dont have to pay for a tag.

NR Currently can expect to pay $1278 (base fee plus 2 preference points) for a general elk tag.

Residents pay $20 for an elk tag.

Pretty pathetic that resident hunters that act like they care so much about their hunting cant stomach to pay more than that to pursue their prized critters.
 
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Apr 26, 2022
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Not the case at all. I moved to Bozeman Montana in 98, it was actually affordable. Then the Yellowstone club took off and the billionaires moved in driving prices sky high. This drove me to NW Montana 10 years ago, you could still get a house or a lot for a good price, now the billionaires have started moving in. Now prices in the valley have almost tripled. We have lost a huge portion of the work force, restaurants service sucks, no labor for construction, and a dam burger is $20. The working class residents of Montana are not wealthy, we are struggling. We all ask ourselves is it worth being poor to live in a place that has so much recreation or do you move and visit a few times a year. Currently I am choosing to pay high prices for everything local so I can have the opportunity to recreate in this state. If the non resident tag seems to much start applying in Wyoming.
Sorry to hear that. Its truly country wide too. The rich get cozy playgrounds full of food, families, & fun. Everyone else works their fingers to the damn bone making them rich, our kids work to make them rich. we get a week of their lives each year and weekends if we are lucky.
 

fatlander

WKR
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Feb 11, 2016
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Annnndddd there will still be the same amount of nonresidents at the trailhead but I bet they’ll pay for a co-op butterfly study or some other useless shit. There won’t be any more game on the mountain and it won’t move the needle on access.


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Joined
Jan 2, 2025
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LOL Montana. They already have the biggest resident to non-resident tag cost discrepancy in the west, maybe not counting Alaska when residents dont have to pay for a tag.

NR Currently can expect to pay $1278 (base fee plus 2 preference points) for a general elk tag.

Residents pay $20 for an elk tag.

Pretty pathetic that resident hunters that act like they care so much about their hunting cant stomach to pay more than that to pursue their prized critters.
I agree, our elk tags cost could increase and help fund our wildlife. Our out of state politicians know it would be political death for them.
 
Joined
Jan 2, 2025
Messages
47
Sorry to hear that. Its truly country wide too. The rich get cozy playgrounds full of food, families, & fun. Everyone else works their fingers to the damn bone making them rich, our kids work to make them rich. we get a week of their lives each year and weekends if we are lucky.

Future new residents, the Yellowstone Club of the NW.
 
OP
V
Joined
Jun 22, 2015
Messages
95
LOL Montana. They already have the biggest resident to non-resident tag cost discrepancy in the west, maybe not counting Alaska when residents dont have to pay for a tag.

NR Currently can expect to pay $1278 (base fee plus 2 preference points) for a general elk tag.

Residents pay $20 for an elk tag.

Pretty pathetic that resident hunters that act like they care so much about their hunting cant stomach to pay more than that to pursue their prized critters.
Why are you blaming the residents??? The residents hunters didn't introduce the bill but at the end of the day it works the same in Montana as it does everywhere else. Montana doesn't owe nonresidents any tags for the hunting in the state and no one is forced to hunt outside of their own state.
 

Broomd

WKR
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Sep 29, 2014
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North Idaho
Curious how closely Idaho is watching this development. After all, the Gem state is #1 with many, many non-resident hunters. Ton of revenue being left on the table.

Gotta get the revenue somehow; so many boondock, kill, leave...
 

LR5Ranger

FNG
Joined
Dec 1, 2024
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Location
N Idaho
Curious how closely Idaho is watching this development. After all, the Gem state is #1 with many, many non-resident hunters. Ton of revenue being left on the table.

Gotta get the revenue somehow; so many boondock, kill, leave...
Hopefully they are. A few years ago they doubled the state park fees for nonresidents.
 

LostArra

WKR
Joined
May 9, 2013
Messages
3,732
Location
Oklahoma
What are "base hunting fees"?
An application fee or a small game license that is required for a big game tag?

Edit: I think I found it. It's just a fee to apply. So, like Wyoming, they are sucking $ from the unsuccessful applicants because there are so many more of them.
 
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