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

[wind gypsy]

Colorado had a 57000 jump in applications between 2019 and 2022. Vast majority NR as resident hunter numbers have been declining.

Makes me wonder how much of the applications and point buying has increased due to loss easily accessible tags. A decade ago a guy could get a MT or ID tag at their leisure, WY was an every other year, CO OTC probably sucked a lot less, so lots of people didn't even play the points game. I hunted MT general tags for 2 or 3 years before i even considered a bonus point or applying for the LE units.

 

[ridgerunnerrron]

Keep on dinging the non-residents constantly. If you won't pay it, there's the next guy that will.

 

[Sanchez]

...Yeah, also enjoying the hell out of all our white privledge

Exactly.

 

[RyanT26]

Eventually everyone gets price out and for ever hunter that quits hunting Montana that’s one less continuing family that will most likely be sympathetic to helping fight anti hunting legislation in Montana.

Hope I’m wrong but that’s trend I shaw when Colorado’s recent lion and wolf legislation. I talked to a lot of hunters in states like TX, Okla, Kansas, Nebraska that no longer hunt there due to cost, they were not the least bit open to donating to help fight the legislation. Decreasing hunting number mean decreasing support.

I am falling into this category more every year. 10 years ago I was donating $1,500 a year between state based conservation org’s and western states walk in hunting programs. Not a lot in the grand scheme of things but sure felt like I was helping.
After years of G&F agency’s milking NR’s for every penny they can get that amount has dropped to zero. Hindsight I would have enjoyed spending that 15,000ish on hunts or private land access for myself and got a hell of a lot more out of it.

 

[Flyjunky]

I am falling into this category more every year. 10 years ago I was donating $1,500 a year between state based conservation org’s and western states walk in hunting programs. Not a lot in the grand scheme of things but sure felt like I was helping.
After years of G&F agency’s milking NR’s for every penny they can get that amount has dropped to zero. Hindsight I would have enjoyed spending that 15,000ish on hunts or private land access for myself and got a hell of a lot more out of it.

You’re not the only one. With rising costs of NR tags and the attitude that they couldn’t care less about NR’s, maybe it will come back to bite them one day.

 

[mt terry d]

You’re not the only one. With rising costs of NR tags and the attitude that they couldn’t care less about NR’s, maybe it will come back to bite them one day.

Funny how virtually everything "just happens" to make hunting more difficult,
more expensive, access more difficult, number of huntable animals decreases,
animals "possibly" unfit to eat, more and more predators that we cant shoot or trap, etc.

How many coincidences all in the same direction before people realize
these aren't just coincidences?

They won't be bitten.
It's not an unintended outcome.

 

[WoolOverAll]

Funny how virtually everything "just happens" to make hunting more difficult,
more expensive, access more difficult, number of huntable animals decreases,
animals "possibly" unfit to eat, more and more predators that we cant shoot or trap, etc.

How many coincidences all in the same direction before people realize
these aren't just coincidences?

They won't be bitten.
It's not an unintended outcome.

Completely agree here. At some point all of these policy changes and cost increases will lock out the average person. Conveniently, the wealthy won't have to deal with these issues. It only takes one or two generations of people not understanding they can gather their own food to completely change the perception of hunting. I already see this attitude in Texas of all places where me hunting rabbits is somehow barbaric despite all my critics eating meat.

Montana raising prices for NR is just one step in many to erode all of our hunting abilities.

 

[peterk123]

Completely agree here. At some point all of these policy changes and cost increases will lock out the average person. Conveniently, the wealthy won't have to deal with these issues. It only takes one or two generations of people not understanding they can gather their own food to completely change the perception of hunting. I already see this attitude in Texas of all places where me hunting rabbits is somehow barbaric despite all my critics eating meat.

Montana raising prices for NR is just one step in many to erode all of our hunting abilities.

No different than skiing, golfing and a host of other activities. It's not geared towards the average Joe anymore. The entry fee starts at upper middle class. And it goes up from there. The world has changed. It's truly become about the haves, not the have nots. And there is nothing left in between.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Yeah it’s pretty wild how unaffordable it is to hunt anymore. Wonder if there will be a big surge in the more affordable hunting like say some midwestern states?

 

[LostArra]

No different than skiing, golfing and a host of other activities. It's not geared towards the average Joe anymore. The entry fee starts at upper middle class. And it goes up from there. The world has changed. It's truly become about the haves, not the have nots. And there is nothing left in between

I don't ski or golf but I don't think there are non resident/resident fees. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Hunting is not expensive if you stay home in your own state to do it.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

I gave up on MT a number of years ago when I realized I could buy all my tags here in WA (deer-elk-2 bear-cougar) plus 4 deer tags for my land in MO and a deer tag in WI all combined for less than a single deer tag in MT. No thanks. My money is going elsewhere from now on.

 

[Lawnboi]

I don't ski or golf but I don't think there are non resident/resident fees. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Hunting is not expensive if you stay home in your own state to do it.

In a state with plenty of public land, sure.

 

[wyosam]

I don't ski or golf but I don't think there are non resident/resident fees. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Hunting is not expensive if you stay home in your own state to do it.

Unless your own state is AK, though I guess the tags are free/cheap, logistics are expensive though. No nonresident fee for skiing per se, until you need to book lodging anywhere near a decent ski resort.


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[LostArra]

In a state with plenty of public land, sure.

Unless your own state is AK, though I guess the tags are free/cheap, logistics are expensive though. No nonresident fee for skiing per se, until you need to book lodging anywhere near a decent ski resort.


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So in both cases, skiing and hunting, the non-resident is paying for access to something they don't have at home or which is better than they have at home.

 

[jtevanMT]

Since this thread resurfaced after a
1 year pause……the actual legislation that passed changed the Montana NR Hunting License from $15 to $50 (not to $100 or 500%) as noted on the thread title.

I am not justifying the increase, simply ensuring the readers comments are put into perspective with the actual increased cost for a NR due to this legislation was $35.

The bill also designates $40 from the NR license (the entire increase) to the Block Management Program, providing public access to private lands.

Anyone who has hunted Montana regularly understands the importance of the Block Management program which proves public access to 7.3 M acres of land.

I feel that residents should also bear some of this additional cost, but at least the funds being raised are used to improve access for all hunters.