Rich Man's Sport

Joined
Nov 3, 2017
Messages
1,600
Location
AK
, does NE, KS, or OK have nonresident elk tags? ND?
ND doesn't have NR elk, moose, pronghorn, or mountain lion tags. If you're lucky, you can draw one of the 1% of NR deer tags they offer. I have ten points since leaving ND and probably won't have a realistic chance of drawing for another 5+ years. They don't even offer a NR antlered deer tag in the unit I grew up in.

We have family land that we've spent years feeding those animals on that I cannot hunt. Spent two years trapping and collaring lions there too and I'm not allowed to hunt them. No hard feelings from me. Glad they're taking care of their residents first.
 

Fatcamp

WKR
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May 31, 2017
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Sodak
ND doesn't have NR elk, moose, pronghorn, or mountain lion tags. If you're lucky, you can draw one of the 1% of NR deer tags they offer. I have ten points since leaving ND and probably won't have a realistic chance of drawing for another 5+ years. They don't even offer a NR antlered deer tag in the unit I grew up in.

We have family land that we've spent years feeding those animals on that I cannot hunt. Spent two years trapping and collaring lions there too and I'm not allowed to hunt them. No hard feelings from me. Glad they're taking care of their residents first.

Ya, when I researched it the juice wasn't worth the squeeze. If I was from the east I would play, I think there are some archery tags that aren't soul crushing.
 

Fatcamp

WKR
Joined
May 31, 2017
Messages
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Sodak
Arkansas has elk

450 with 18 tags on public land. Resident only.

Turns out Minnesota does as well, landowner only tags.

And Missouri, 180-200. 5 resident tags.

Now these are public populations. Lots of high fence private options.

Like I said, lots of small populations with impossible odds.

No mule deer though.
 

3forks

WKR
Joined
Oct 4, 2014
Messages
884
The elk populations in non-Western states are transplants from Western herds where resident taxes were used to fund the state agencies that managed these herds.

I demand that I either have the same opportunity to hunt these midwestern and eastern elk as residents, or these non-western herds and land they live on should be sold off to reimburse we western hunters for the transplanted elk.
 

cmahoney

WKR
Joined
Jun 18, 2018
Messages
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Minden Nevada
Looks like there are some Midwest elk on NWS refuges, those are my US federal tax dollars and I demand a tag. I would also like to hunt DBH in Florida so I don’t freeze my ass off. Why doesn’t Florida have a hunt able population for me as a US citizen?


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Joined
Dec 7, 2014
Messages
845
The elk populations in non-Western states are transplants from Western herds where resident taxes were used to fund the state agencies that managed these herds.

I demand that I either have the same opportunity to hunt these midwestern and eastern elk as residents, or these non-western herds and land they live on should be sold off to reimburse we western hunters for the transplanted elk.
I’m good with that. Eastern elk are about like pellet fed rainbow trout.
 

Iowafarmer

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 5, 2023
Messages
149
Guys,

I'm really struggling with where hunting is going. Western Hunting, in particular, is quickly becoming a rich man's game. Do you know that in the state of Texas - you can almost not afford to hunt if you are a low income household. Between the lack of public land, cost of private land, and insane lease prices - it's absolutely a rich man's sport. And im not talking about for places to kill giants. Where I live, 5K/gun will get you a lease where you are allowed one whitetail that will score 135-150. As tag prices across states with public land quickly rise, I fear for my kids opportunities. They shouldn't have to move to a western state to be able to afford to hunt.

Where have gone the days of hunting with brothers and fathers and not having to spend a life savings to do so. Is that not getting ridiculous. To harvest food that is God-given to our society to cherish as nutrition yet is it carries the price tag of a Kings table fare. What are we going to do to slow this madness? What are possible solutions?
Here in Iowa I’m usually willing to let people hurt my land seldom get a thank you after hurting season just resented permission from a guy that’s been here over 10 years all I would get from him was a text 2 weeks before deer season checking on permission
 

Thunt22

FNG
Classified Approved
Joined
Jun 9, 2022
Messages
51
Location
Western NY
Here in Iowa I’m usually willing to let people hurt my land seldom get a thank you after hurting season just resented permission from a guy that’s been here over 10 years all I would get from him was a text 2 weeks before deer season checking on permission
Incoming DMs…
 

sneaky

"DADDY"
Joined
Feb 1, 2014
Messages
10,112
Location
ID
Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana. A whole pile that don't have huntable populations of elk and Texas, which has game that's unavailable to most people.

Now those states might have a tiny population tucked away in some corner, but that doesn't really count for anything. Along with states I know have them but tags are almost impossible to get and are impossible for non-residents. No NR elk tags in SD, does NE, KS, or OK have nonresident elk tags? ND?

There are really only eight states that have populations of huntable elk. I get there are elk elsewhere and with lottery ticket odds you might get a tag, but there are really 8 serious destinations for elk hunters.
Missouri and Arkansas both have elk

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Rich M

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Joined
Jun 14, 2017
Messages
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Orlando
I hear people say that there is no unity among hunters but I am curious as to what makes people think that we aren’t united?
My experience comes from working with a federal NWR for a statewide hunt org that got started over 20 years ago.

Folks try to intimidate those working w the refuge in the field and online. They usually do it to my face when we’re ball deep in setting decoys. Those days we typically get checked by LEO on the way out. It gets old.

They refuse to participate in conversations regarding stuff thats happening but will contact the refuge and come against the organization and whatever is the hot topic.

The whiners wont participate in the public meetings held by refuge before passing new rules and then garner support amongst their buddies and go after the refuge and org for passing rules that have been publicly been discussed and negotiated over a 12-18 month period.

Down here we got deer duck hog gator turkey etc hunting walk in areas drive in areas deer & hog dog hunt areas swamp buggy and airboat areas, archery ML rifle and air rifle hunters. They all want their pet projects worked on and wont join forces or contribute to anything else. We tried to get the diff organizations to work together but none would.

Last guy down here who tried to get folks to participate gave up after about 2 yrs of public meetings and opposition from fellow hunters who wouldnt do anything but come against him for doing stuff to help everyone.

Curious, what makes you think that hunters are unified?
 
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Rob5589

WKR
Joined
Sep 6, 2014
Messages
6,299
Location
N CA
Here in Iowa I’m usually willing to let people hurt my land seldom get a thank you after hurting season just resented permission from a guy that’s been here over 10 years all I would get from him was a text 2 weeks before deer season checking on permission
That's so sad. Bourbon, home made deliciousness, helping out around the property, would be the minimum I'd do for a chance at something like that. And people wonder why they can't get permission to hunt private land any more.
 

LoggerDan

WKR
Joined
Jan 8, 2023
Messages
507
Location
AK
Up until internet hunting forums came along, I’d never met a hunter who was a complete sarcastic prick, to strangers. at least not in person. No, I don’t see sportsmanship, nor do I see sportsmen ever being unified.
 

KurtR

WKR
Joined
Sep 11, 2015
Messages
3,971
Location
South Dakota
Really any thing that’s a hobby is expensive. Walleye fishing 60000 dollar boat on the low end. Ocean fishing I don’t know but I bet it would make a person shit a brick. Dirt track racing you got 100 grand in it to win 300 dollars. Playing dog games spending thousands to win a 50 cent ribbon , I really do like those haha. Hunting is a hobby the days of feeding my family because it is cheap are long gone. Unless your Billy bob poaching deer off the back 40 it’s cheaper to just go to the grocery store. So that falls back on priorities what do you want to save to do. Everyone has ways to save money it’s just how much you want to sacrifice.
 

CorbLand

WKR
Joined
Mar 16, 2016
Messages
7,793
My experience comes from working with a federal NWR for a statewide hunt org that got started over 20 years ago.

Folks try to intimidate those working w the refuge in the field and online. They usually do it to my face when we’re ball deep in setting decoys. Those days we typically get checked by LEO on the way out. It gets old.

They refuse to participate in conversations regarding stuff thats happening but will contact the refuge and come against the organization and whatever is the hot topic.

The whiners wont participate in the public meetings held by refuge before passing new rules and then garner support amongst their buddies and go after the refuge and org for passing rules that have been publicly been discussed and negotiated over a 12-18 month period.

Down here we got deer duck hog gator turkey etc hunting walk in areas drive in areas deer & hog dog hunt areas swamp buggy and airboat areas, archery ML rifle and air rifle hunters. They all want their pet projects worked on and wont join forces or contribute to anything else. We tried to get the diff organizations to work together but none would.

Last guy down here who tried to get folks to participate gave up after about 2 yrs of public meetings and opposition from fellow hunters who wouldnt do anything but come against him for doing stuff to help everyone.

Curious, what makes you think that hunters are unified?
I don’t necessarily think we are holding hand, singing together unified but I don’t also don’t think we aren’t. People all have different ideas and preferences and because we disagree on something doesn’t mean we aren’t unified.

Anti hunters will always be better because they have one goal. Hunters don’t. We all have different little niches that we care about.
 
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