Utah Price Increase

[hoosierhunter11]

Holy ****. I just dove into the Utah points system last year. I honestly think I’m out. $$ likely is better served elsewhere. Seems like about $340 just to buy points for elk and deer.

 

[JBHunt_3]

This leaves a bad taste in my mouth, as someone who loves to hunt I apply in states across the west. Every states draw process is different and you have to play them differently. As a non resident Utah is mostly a long game, which I was fine with since I started applying in my early 20’s and have accumulated 8 or so points. I viewed the app fees in Utah as a donation for wildlife knowing I potentially wouldn’t be drawing for 20+ years. But increasing the application fees ~400% in 5 or 6 years seems ridiculous. Now I’m in a position to where I continue applying at these new extremely high costs or walk away and forget about the money I’ve already spent to accumulate the points I have.


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[PredatoronthePrairie]

Slightly off topic.

But I honestly think 406hunter has never added anything beneficial to this forum.

All he can due is hit the laugh emotion. Don't think I've ever seen an actual post. Must not know english, or is a twelve year old. One of the two.

 

[Chad E]

When MT doubled the price of deer/elk/combo tags, NR's freaked out and you could by tags OTC for a number of years. Once again it takes 2-3 years to draw now. People will still buy them.

While I agree with the basic premise of your post comparing montana to utah is apples to oranges. The leftovers in montana coincide with a big time downturn in the economy( same with the idaho slow sales during that time period). The montana system essentially garuntees a tag at 3 points with no qualifying license to purchase those points. Your are essentially garunteed a return on your investment. Wyoming is the other state that has seen large price increases on the special side. Again there are low point options and the ability to burn your points and get a tag to recoup your points is doable even though it may not be what you'd hoped for when you started.

With this proposal you would be into utah $240 a license and $32 species app fee to build points. Limited deer or elk tags are currently high teens to max points to procure without beating less than 1% odds.
Speaking only for myself here I apply in Utah for the random shot of drawing a limited entry tag while utilizing the general deer draw as a way to get some return on my investment. With a already purchased license I also take a shot at a couple oil species just incase lightening strikes. There's not way I could justify doubling the upfront investment for the radom low odds and with the general deer tag going to over $800 that's no longer a solid move either. By the time a guy would pull a limited entry tag he'd be into his tag 3 to 5x the tag fee in just points and licenses.
Demand is far out pacing supply on western tags so we haven't seen a huge drop in apps with recent price increases but I think this increase would test the system in a way that hasn't been yet. The question is does it make demand drop enough to continue to justify the investment for the improved odds?

 

[wapitibob]

It's unfortunate people are actually buying a license every year, especially when it's not needed to hunt big game in Utah.

 

[Timberline001]

Which Walmart can I go buy a general season deer tag at?

Let me know when you find out

 

[NRA4LIFE]

While I agree with the basic premise of your post comparing montana to utah is apples to oranges. The leftovers in montana coincide with a big time downturn in the economy( same with the idaho slow sales during that time period).

I'm not referring to leftover tags in that period. There were fewer people applying than they had tags, hence essentially OTC.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

This leaves a bad taste in my mouth, as someone who loves to hunt I apply in states across the west. Every states draw process is different and you have to play them differently. As a non resident Utah is mostly a long game, which I was fine with since I started applying in my early 20’s and have accumulated 8 or so points. I viewed the app fees in Utah as a donation for wildlife knowing I potentially wouldn’t be drawing for 20+ years. But increasing the application fees ~400% in 5 or 6 years seems ridiculous. Now I’m in a position to where I continue applying at these new extremely high costs or walk away and forget about the money I’ve already spent to accumulate the points I have.


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That's what they're banking on, they probably figure there's enough people invested in the long game that'll keep going.

 

[CorbLand]

Let me know when you find out

Probably one down in St George. Must be how all those people get them Pine Valley tags.

 

[Maverick1]

Slightly off topic.

But I honestly think 406hunter has never added anything beneficial to this forum.

All he can due is hit the laugh emotion. Don't think I've ever seen an actual post. Must not know english, or is a twelve year old. One of the two.

80 posts in just over two years as a member.