The future of NR hunting in Wyoming

[Coopsdaddy]

2000 for a tag is just stupid,ill stick to my whitetail,squirrel hunting and make the most of it.
Between points and price its just not for blue collar people anymore.Maybe if that’s all you did,yo

Here is another thought.

So in 2024, I draw an bull elk tag in the special for the General OTC units, I am into this thing $2000 ish.

$2000 for tags
$1000 in fuel
$500 in lodging getting there
$500 in meals
$6000-7500 for a guide for unit 60.
$500-1000 for tips

So $10500-12000 for a non-resident to hunt unit 60.

Versus
$7500 for a 10 species Namibia hunt
$2000 for flights
$750 for tips
$300 for hotels in Windhoek or Joburg if you end up staying the night
$11500 plus shipping and taxidermy 3-8 months later

I had not done the math on this as a whole package. It doesn't make as much sense as I thought it did.

Probably keep doing antelope.

Yes!and my cheap squirrel and whitetail is a way better option.

 

[KurtR]

Eeesh, the future of nonresident, and likely resident, hunting is about to take another hit in South Dakota. Sounds like the nonresident archery tags on public land are going to a draw.

Why would that be bad for residents here? I dont archery hunt but talking to my friends that do out here something had to be done with the amount of nr archery hunting. With deer numbers being as bad as they are i would think changes should happen with rifle seasons to.

 

[Fatcamp]

Why would that be bad for residents here? I dont archery hunt but talking to my friends that do out here something had to be done with the amount of nr archery hunting. With deer numbers being as bad as they are i would think changes should happen with rifle seasons to.

I don't hang with the bowhunting organizations here but the worry from such folks seems to be that while they are limiting non-residents on public land, there will still be unlimited tags sold for private. Just another example of guides and private land owners getting what they want, and certainly more incentive to "check cattle" the day before the season starts and every Friday.

The elephant in the room in South Dakota is transferable tags. That would be bad.


ETA: I heard from numerous people and saw it myself this year, far more pressure on public lands by archery hunters, even during rifle season. Acquaintance with a Slim Buttes tag said a buck couldn't bed without being stalked.

 

[Cedarsavage]

What's the regular elk tag gonna cost?

 

[william schmaltz]

I'm sitting on 9 points for elk/deer/antelope. I'm hoping that a good portion of people with 10+ burn em up over the next couple of years and leave me standing on top of the mountain. I don't really think that will be the case. The type of person that's willing to wait 10-20 years for a tag they want and pay in that long into a point system has the foresight and determination to plan for an extra $1,000 or whatever for a tag. I don't think people are gonna play for 10 years and then settle for a marginal tag to save a little bit of $$$. Maybe if we were talking $5k-$10k increase. With young kids, I won't be able to make Wyoming work for about another 5 years. When I do commit, I plan to try and get all 3 tags in the same fall and take 6-8 weeks to hunt. After that, I'll probably be done. But we will see, points are pretty dang cheap IMO.

I think $2,000 is fair for a nonresident elk and Wyoming owes me nothing. If in the next 5 years they change the rules and go to 95/5 and it pinches me out, that's their choice. So be it, I won't cry about it. I wish my current state had the stones to listen to their resident's concerns and limit NR hunters.

 

[KurtR]

I don't hang with the bowhunting organizations here but the worry from such folks seems to be that while they are limiting non-residents on public land, there will still be unlimited tags sold for private. Just another example of guides and private land owners getting what they want, and certainly more incentive to "check cattle" the day before the season starts and every Friday.

The elephant in the room in South Dakota is transferable tags. That would be bad.


ETA: I heard from numerous people and saw it myself this year, far more pressure on public lands by archery hunters, even during rifle season. Acquaintance with a Slim Buttes tag said a buck couldn't bed without being stalked.

Slim Buttes was like that 10 years ago when i went out there. If winter keeps the pace it is it all might be a moot point as lots of deer are going to be dead and already low deer numbers will be north dakota like and non existent. I have not heard about the transferable tags.

 

[SummitsCalling]

Here is another thought.

So in 2024, I draw an bull elk tag in the special for the General OTC units, I am into this thing $2000 ish.

$2000 for tags
$1000 in fuel
$500 in lodging getting there
$500 in meals
$6000-7500 for a guide for unit 60.
$500-1000 for tips

So $10500-12000 for a non-resident to hunt unit 60.

Versus
$7500 for a 10 species Namibia hunt
$2000 for flights
$750 for tips
$300 for hotels in Windhoek or Joburg if you end up staying the night
$11500 plus shipping and taxidermy 3-8 months later

I had not done the math on this as a whole package. It doesn't make as much sense as I thought it did.

Probably keep doing antelope.

It's what the outfitters want and WY. Outfitters own the state.

This is how the bubble bursts.

Gonna be tough for a lot of these hunting camo companies to justify all this gear without hunters as an example.

A multi billion $ industry is gonna have a huge correction once people stop going shopping for gear several times a year. Or stopping over in town X to buy last minute items on their way to go hunt.

 

[Fatcamp]

Slim Buttes was like that 10 years ago when i went out there. If winter keeps the pace it is it all might be a moot point as lots of deer are going to be dead and already low deer numbers will be north dakota like and non existent. I have not heard about the transferable tags.

During rifle season?


He seemed to think it was different, and been hunting it for decades. Idk, I saw waaaay more people this year.

This storm is gonna be bad if it happens how they say. For SE SD anyway.

 

[74Bronco]

Top 2 threads right now. Less NR tags in Western states. And which Western States should I move to.? These 2 issues are related, with a whole host of other factors. But making it tougher for NR, makes some of them become R. Careful what you wish for...

 

[KurtR]

During rifle season?


He seemed to think it was different, and been hunting it for decades. Idk, I saw waaaay more people this year.

This storm is gonna be bad if it happens how they say. For SE SD anyway.

Been out there helping during archery and rifle season its always been busy.

That storms going to be bad for deer and goats in the whole state its already icing up here. Good for the waterfowl hatch next year though we need the moisture in a bad way

 

[wytx]

Top 2 threads right now. Less NR tags in Western states. And which Western States should I move to.? These 2 issues are related, with a whole host of other factors. But making it tougher for NR, makes some of them become R. Careful what you wish for...

No problem, with more resident hunters we'll get more resident tags set aside.
There will not be a huge influx into Wyoming, just come visit this week during our blizzard and you'll know why.
Folks move up and move out all the time. Low paying jobs and the weather are too much for most.

 

[74Bronco]

No problem, with more resident hunters we'll get more resident tags set aside.
There will not be a huge influx into Wyoming, just come visit this week during our blizzard and you'll know why.
Folks move up and move out all the time. Low paying jobs and the weather are too much for most.

Dakotas are getting the same blizzard. Supposedly. We will see how bad it is on Thursday or Friday. For the most part we get similar storms to MT, WY with a few arctic blasts from Canada. Less snow typically. But I can't imagine Wyoming or Montana is concerned about people from the Dakotas moving in, because nobody lives here either...
but we are full to if anyone is asking. Same reasons, potential income and weather. Now if someone was to tell me that residents can go deer, antelope and elk hunting every year, and save $5k on tags and fuel, I would think about that...

 

[ScreamingPotato]

I work from home and wife loves the snow, our problem is I can't leave the coast. I'll just run around up there and let yall cuss at my Texas plates.

 

[SuperDUECE22]

@Hunt the Top In my opinion I don't think western states are ever going to be able to price out NR from hunting. Of course, there will be guys who drop out but when they do there are 10 more that take his place. Look at all the outfitters who are booked years in advance with mostly NR. Every fall when the waves of DIY NR show up at the trailheads they all are well equipped with:
$50,000+ truck
$20,000+ toy hauler
$20,000 UTV
$500+ backpack
$1,000s in camo
$1,000 binos
$3-400 rangefinders
$800 sidearm
$2,000+ bow or rifle
$300 boots

The way it looks to me is that most everybody has enough disposable income to throw at a $2k NR elk license and the people who don't will do whatever it takes to make it work & go hunting!



Another serious question I have for you @Hunt the Top
In your initial post you said :

I can’t help to think how social media has played a significant role in this higher demand

As someone who creates content on YouTube like yourself and you are promoting public land DIY hunting do you feel like you have played a role in creating a higher demand?

 

[Mojave]

No problem, with more resident hunters we'll get more resident tags set aside.
There will not be a huge influx into Wyoming, just come visit this week during our blizzard and you'll know why.
Folks move up and move out all the time. Low paying jobs and the weather are too much for most.

Houses are the same $500,000 for something decent in most of Wyoming.

You are right, Wyoming has a revolving door of people coming and people going.

 

[Lawnboi]

Iv heard enough about winter now. Like nowhere else has crap winters. You guys sound like my grandma. Meme time!

 

[unclericco]

Yeah i went elk hunting in Wyo with friends up there for the first time in 20+ years this past fall. Everyone in camp was apalled by how much i spent on my tag? Drop in the bucket when I'm carrying around $10,000 + on my person when i leave camp lol

 

[william schmaltz]

Iv heard enough about winter now. Like nowhere else has crap winters.

Flipping between threads and reading these guys' descriptions of how tough their winters are is like eavesdropping on a bunch of preschool boys talking about how tough their dads are. I'm surprised everyone in Wyoming and Montana hasn't migrated to the greener pastures of Antarctica yet.

 

[farmermail]

Western hunting is going to change, regardless of tags or fees for said tags. Anyone who has spent time in the field out west (insert state name here) can attest to generally sub-optimal range/forest conditions, increased development on winter range, drought, etc. All of this impacts game populations, and not in a good way. Like anything else, supply and demand. Less supply with same/increased demand, prices go up.

 

[Rich M]

Western hunting is going to change, regardless of tags or fees for said tags. Anyone who has spent time in the field out west (insert state name here) can attest to generally sub-optimal range/forest conditions, increased development on winter range, drought, etc. All of this impacts game populations, and not in a good way. Like anything else, supply and demand. Less supply with same/increased demand, prices go up.

The F&G departments are supposed to manage the game at X level. Shouldn't be a supply issue. The problem is that they issue a tone of doe tags every year, drought, bad winter, etc. doesn't change it much.

If they had some stones to close doe hunting for a coupel of years, the numbers would rebound better.