Rich Man's Sport

tdhanses

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You can believe whatever you want, but that doesn't change reality. You can mention all of the horrible things our federal government has done to education and healthcare and say you want them to do the same horrible things to managing animals...lol, I can't even respond to that! Hope you only enjoy hunting every 4 to 8 years when Republicans are in office!

And, my dude, you absolutely can come out to any western state and hunt for reasonable prices. You can hunt cows and does and small game and birds and have yourself a wonderful time and go home with plenty of meat for the freezer.... but let me guess: that isn't good enough for you, is it? You want antlers and you want them cheap. That's what this always boils down to.... it's ridiculous.

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I completely agree with you, if one wants to hunt for meat it is very affordable most places.
 

Marbles

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I do believe I have a right to hunt public land in another state at a reasonable rate. Is that more unreasonable than those states with public land (esp US land) raping out of state hunters? The end of that game may well be a new federal approach to land management. Why not? We have nationalized education, healthcare and many other activities that used to be the sole responsibility of the states.
I reviewed my prior post and see no no judgement as to weather or not I think federal regulation of state lands is a good or bad idea. Just that I consider it a right to hunt at reasonable prices. If the western states are not careful about their policies they may well find politically strong states taking a look at what is happening and thinking about it. I also recall that the US Department of Education was initiated under Ronal Regan of all people. The atmosphere around DC is far more socialist today than during the 80s.
States like Texas should create public land so I can come hunt it. The feds can nationalize some of it if needed. Why not? Oh, don't forget to keep the rates reasonable or those of us from other states might have a tantrum and come to take more. After all, it "is a right to hunt at reasonable prices." (Satire)

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?
People who lived on the land had a tradition of hunting. Back when most of America farmed that was a lot of people. Now there are a lot of urbanites who like to pretend they live on the land without the sacrifices.

Buy land. I grew up poor, 5 kids in a single wide trailer, eating beans and rice for lunch and supper, but we had 25 acres and I had an air rifle.

Make the choice on what matters to you rather than complaining that the things you clearly only sorta want are not given to you by others.

I have never traveled to hunt a state I did not live in. Hunting the state I currently live in can be an expensive proposition even for residents.
 

Brillo

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West Michigan
I am talking about hunting in the US in general.
I am wrong about Regan establishing the US Departmant of ED. It was Carter in 79. Regan appointed Bill Bennett as the first Education "Czar". The main point is that our federal gov't as it is currently constituted leans toward grabbing power. It is a factor unwisely ignored by any state gov't.
 
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I believe in the long run the outfitters, and other business that caters to hunters will suffer the most from issues such as point creep, cost of hunts, access to hunting grounds. It is a fact that landowners need to set prices and be paid a fair price for this to do a trespass hunt or access to hunt their properties and have no problems with that. It will eventually get to the point that even the better financed hunters will be second looking costs not to mention the time it takes to build points for a specific animal. The current economic situations in the country cannot continue to rise without repercussions on everything not just hunting. It's a vicious cycle that will eventually collapse. I hunt Wyoming and have had good experiences, looking forward to hopefully drawing tags. for the 2023 season on antelope and mule deer. Go into the hunt with the hope of a super trophy but just as happy with a nice representee of the animal I hunt, and if the hunt is a bust that's fine also it was the hunt that's important. I budget for two years for these hunts and hunt every other year. But with that being said this will be my last year due to the situations we all face with these type hunts.
 

cmahoney

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If you guys want the feds to do something for all Americans regarding public land here “out west”, you can start by letting your out east congressman know that the wild horses and burrows act needs to be addressed. Doing something about those things will get you more critters you can hunt.


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Reburn

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Central Texas
Just that I consider it a right to hunt at reasonable prices.

You can think how you want but as of this time you dont have the right. you have the privilage of applying and paying what the state says they feel is reasonable.

You want to pay less (resident cost) move there. I live here because I make more in my industry then people there by 50%+. I'll pay the higher NR fee to put tens of thousands more in my pocket and live here.
 

Rich M

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You believe you have a right to the game animals in another state at an affordable rate?
Do you hunt migratiry animals? Ducks, geese, sandhills?

Do you live where the elk and deer migrate across state lines?

folks need to lose the us and them thing. Federal $ comes from everywhere. And no, my state does not differentiate tags by res and nonres,
 
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Its super simple.
You can do what you want on the land within regulations.
The state owns the animals and can do what they want with them.
You dont have the right to the animals on the land. full stop.
That’s not true. A know it all blowhard who is now rightfully banned from this place just repeated it enough that everyone takes it for established fact.

https://www.umt.edu/bolle-center/federal-lands-wildlife/faqs.php

Yes, wildlife management is largely left up to the states. Yet the ESA is very much a thing and prevents WY/MT/ID from having a grizzly season. If what you are saying really was true, the ESA would have zero authority.
 

DunnCoHunter

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A lot of the cost can be attributed to people’s obsession with trophy hunting. Where I’m from in the Midwest, it’s mostly private land. But 30 years ago, all the woods were owned by farmers and nobody cared about where people hunted. My grandpa could walk onto the neighbors land and hunt and they could do the same on his land. Then parcels of woods started being sold as hunting land so people could manage for big bucks. And when people pay good money for a chunk of woods they aren’t going to let anyone else hunt it
 

CorbLand

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1. You cannot directly compare eastern hunting opportunities to western. The demographics of the animals are completely different.

2. Compared to many sports that take place on western land, hunting is pretty cheap.
 

CorbLand

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That’s not true. A know it all blowhard who is now rightfully banned from this place just repeated it enough that everyone takes it for established fact.

https://www.umt.edu/bolle-center/federal-lands-wildlife/faqs.php

Yes, wildlife management is largely left up to the states. Yet the ESA is very much a thing and prevents WY/MT/ID from having a grizzly season. If what you are saying really was true, the ESA would have zero authority.
The ESA is the only thing one needs to look at when the thought of Federal management of wildlife is a good thing comes to mind.
 

Reburn

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That’s not true. A know it all blowhard who is now rightfully banned from this place just repeated it enough that everyone takes it for established fact.

https://www.umt.edu/bolle-center/federal-lands-wildlife/faqs.php

Yes, wildlife management is largely left up to the states. Yet the ESA is very much a thing and prevents WY/MT/ID from having a grizzly season. If what you are saying really was true, the ESA would have zero authority.

I agree with what you say.
The full stop was a bit much. Its 98% true. While the OP didnt say deer or elk I assumed that is what he meant.
Nobody words cheap and grizzly hunt together.

But you make a argument for a bear. Same argument could be made for a wolf.

I will refrain from digressing into the ESA and my feelings on it.
 

Rich M

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The increase in population has led to a loss of land, more hunters, and more affluent hunters. As population increases, opportunity decreases.

I do know a guy who makes $40k a year who hunts a $5k lease. Its all about priorities. Myself, i quit going out of state for whitetails when lease plus travel went over $3500.

Bottom line, hunting is a hobby. Some live in areas with a lot of opportunity, others not so much. Have to deal with that best we can.

@CorbLand
Thevwestern hunting is gonna learn what eastern hunters have dealt with for many years. It all comes down to population density.
 

CorbLand

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@CorbLand
Thevwestern hunting is gonna learn what eastern hunters have dealt with for many years. It all comes down to population density.
I have been saying that for years. The west has sat around and laughed at all the other states about the things that have happened or they have done. While we were laughing, the same things were happening to our state.

It’s going to be worse for western states when it comes to hunting. Western states simply do not have the animal populations nor are western animals as resilient as whitetails.
 
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The ESA is the only thing one needs to look at when the thought of Federal management of wildlife is a good thing comes to mind.
Not saying it’s a good thing, not at all.

But this trope that “the Feds have no authority” is patently false, people need to quit repeating it.

States are playing fire when they pass more and more draconian restrictions to nonresident hunting IMO, and the faster they realize it the better off we all are.

States are playing to their base when they restrict nonresidents, but in reality loss of habitat is the root cause of the issues 99% of the time.

The restrictions/mismanagement get bad enough, there is nothing stopping the feds from coming in and managing wildlife on federal land.

I’m not saying that’s a good thing, but I wouldn’t be shocked if that’s what ends up happening if we continue on our current path.
 

Weldor

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z
I have hunted West Texas for 12 yrs. I do like hunting there, but it is not cheap. Of course going out of state never is. Their MLD tags are a good deal, but that being said prices have almost doubled in 10 years. Inflation right now is costing ranches and landowners more to accomodate hunters and feed for the animals. Most states don't have millions of private acres with feeders on them. Not to mention water. Kind of like the prices of New Mexico's landowner tags. it's along list.
 

RedSnow

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May 15, 2019
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Michigan
The thought of the feds taking over control of state resources is outright dangerous. The MFers running the show now would rather have wolves than anyone with a freezer full of meat.

I do agree that hunting is becoming a rich man's sport but that is only for people who want a certain scoring set of antlers. For good reason too. That type of animal is less and less common with increased demand.

I bet you could pig hunt year round for pennies down there in Texas? I'm not familiar with public land in Texas but pig hunting is really fun! Take your kids out and start whacking pigs.
 
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