What's your thoughts? Non-hunters purchasing a hunting liscense?

[Billy Goat]

This happened with the grizzly tags of course. I can't see that I have a problem with it. It will alter the projected kill numbers from the tags issued of course, but I think after a few years that would go away, or be accounted for. The money from the tag sales go back into the wildlife departments.

What is the consensus here? I can't see it being a long term concern, maybe I'm wrong. I don't know how you can prevent it. I know many states of course require Hunter Ed or something similar to hunt, but that is while hunting, not for being a tag holder.

 

[cnelk]

Thats the main reason the Colorado Parks Wildlife went to adding PP fees. They found out that lots of non hunters applied when it only cost $3.

 

[Wapiti1]

It represents the rare occasion that an anti-hunter monetarily contributes to the wildlife they say that they love. Let them buy the tags.

As you say, the game departments will adjust accordingly since the management plan still needs to be executed.

Ultimately, I think it is a short term fad. They'll organize and do it a few times, the hunt will end up happening anyway, and they'll stop. I'm hypothesizing that a grizzly hunt is going to happen at some point in the not too distant future. Either by sneaky legislation or court order. Obamacare didn't just make health care more problematic, it delisted the wolf in a very effective fashion. I love pork when it's cooked right.

Jeremy

 

[Billy Goat]

It represents the rare occasion that an anti-hunter monetarily contributes to the wildlife they say that they love. Let them buy the tags.

As you say, the game departments will adjust accordingly since the management plan still needs to be executed.


Jeremy

These two lines are pretty much my exact thoughts on it.


As a hunter we always have the right to choose if we burn our tag on a legal animal, or hold out for a "trophy". It's kinda the same thing as trophy hunting, in a weird, weird way. Passing animals to grow , hopefully they are able to mature. Of course you still plan to harvest one trophy hunting.

 

[kiddogy]

a fool and their money are soon parted.

I have no issues with them donating to our cause!

 

[brsnow]

They don’t spend their own money and they don’t fade away. Well funded and organized. Not sure if it has an impact, but I highly doubt it will go away. It will increase if they feel they are making an impact.

 

[Btaylor]

I have always thought if you dont vote, you should not have anything to say about your elected officials. Feel the same here too. If you dont buy a license, you shouldnt have anything say about wildlife management decisions. Gut feeling is it's not likely to ever amount to much because they can protest for free and in some cases successfully influence decisions.

Rather than worry about that, I think every state that hunting and fishing is not a constitutional right should be worked on by the resident hunting and fishing population.

 

[TrlRunHunter]

Let’s assume this does play out long term, and non-hunters purchase a bunch of tags every year that don’t end up in the hands of active hunters. All else held constant, I’d think you (and wildlife management officials) would see increasing wildlife numbers, and would therefore issue more tags, thereby somewhat offsetting non-hunters’ efforts.

Personally I’m not strongly against people doing this as they are putting their money towards something they believe in, which at its core is a love for wildlife/outdoors... just like a hunter paying for the same tag. The only issue I could have with it is if it were to become pervasive enough it makes it more challenging for wildlife officials to manage numbers... that’s true of both predators but also cervids in the age of CWD.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ucsdryder]

If they want to take a hunter safety class then they’re welcome to apply for a tag. Heck, maybe they’ll actually learn something!

 

[cnelk]

^^^^ You dont need Hunter Safety to apply do you?

 

[ODB]

Let’s assume this does play out long term, and non-hunters purchase a bunch of tags every year that don’t end up in the hands of active hunters. All else held constant, I’d think you (and wildlife management officials) would see increasing wildlife numbers, and would therefore issue more tags, thereby somewhat offsetting non-hunters’ efforts.

Personally I’m not strongly against people doing this as they are putting their money towards something they believe in, which at its core is a love for wildlife/outdoors... just like a hunter paying for the same tag. The only issue I could have with it is if it were to become pervasive enough it makes it more challenging for wildlife officials to manage numbers... that’s true of both predators but also cervids in the age of CWD.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

They are doing it to spite hunters. They do not need to buy tags to add to the wildlife management pot. PETA also puts money toward something resembling animal welfare that we all supposedly care about, shall we afford them the same regard?

Keep giving your enemies the keys to the gate, but don’t cry when one day you show up and you find the gate locked with you on the outside.

 

[jspradley]

It's a donation to wildlife and if it does continue then tag allocations will increase to offset the lowered harvest percentage.

I'm all for it, worst case scenario it cocks up a few seasons before the states start to adjust tag allocations.

 

[jspradley]

^^^^ You dont need Hunter Safety to apply do you?

Depends on the state, I don't need it to buy a license in TX but I did in GA

 

[Carr5vols]

This is what's going on in Canada to stop hunting.

How to stop trophy hunting? Buy up all the licences | The Narwhal

How to stop trophy hunting? Buy up all the licences | The Narwhal

Brian Falconer is more than happy to admit that he and his colleagues at Raincoast Conservation Foundation have dismal records as guide outfitters.

thenarwhal.ca

 

[ODB]

This is what's going on in Canada to stop hunting.

How to stop trophy hunting? Buy up all the licences | The Narwhal

How to stop trophy hunting? Buy up all the licences | The Narwhal

Brian Falconer is more than happy to admit that he and his colleagues at Raincoast Conservation Foundation have dismal records as guide outfitters.

thenarwhal.ca

My point exactly. Get someone with Uber cash involved and you have just seen the last of it.

 

[Middleofnowhere]

There is an organized effort here in california where animal rights activists are buying tags to prevent hunters from getting them. They have to do hunter safety and they have to buy the license in order to apply for a tag. It’s a win for wildlife management. I hope more anti hunters start buying licenses and tags.

Maybe they can be convinced to buy guns and archery equipment too, to keep those “tools of death” out of the hands of hunters. The anti-hunter contribution to the “Pitman-Robertson” Act would be greatly appreciated

 

[Billy Goat]

^^^^ You dont need Hunter Safety to apply do you?

Ifi remember correctly I needed to provide it in Nevada to buy a liscense in order to buy points. Don't think I needed it in Wyoming. Don't remember needing it in Colorado for tags. Need to have to hunt about anywhere, but not to hold a tag necessarily.

 

[jspradley]

It's not like the game agencies can't up the tag allocations to compensate in the extremely unlikely event that the anti's remember to do this more than once...

 

[mproberts]

It's not like the game agencies can't up the tag allocations to compensate in the extremely unlikely event that the anti's remember to do this more than once...

My fear would be them just checking in fictitious kills, because how many western states require kills to be checked in person? If the kill data stays the same it would likely be a lot harder and take a lot longer to allocate more tags to offset the problem.

You could put some law in place saying tag holders have to attempt to hunt, but this would really only keep them from publicizing their true intentions. There are similar laws for waterfowl blinds in my home state, where a riparian land owner can keep others from hunting public water near his land so long as he builds a blind and "hunts" it at least once a year. This now amounts to a $20 donation to the state agency a year for the annual blind tag, but one blind effectively cuts off half mile of public water. Certain large areas of public water are now are completely unhuntable because of it.

 

[Btaylor]

^^^^ You dont need Hunter Safety to apply do you?

Pretty sure I have to put my number in when oredering a NR Colorado license. Actually dont remember a state where I didnt need it as a NR. May have been one or two but I dont recall it.