Wyoming HB0002, max nr app fee of $75

[StuckInTheEast]

The "some folks" you reference above is the state government. Take Wyoming, for instance:
$12M in 2020,
$20M in 2024.

Just on preference point fees. Easy way to make a lot of money.

Let's not forget about outfitters and guides...which I have no issue with to a degree...but way too much money and politics involved there anymore as well.
Hell it's getting bad everywhere as far as access. Everyone wants to lease every square inch. There are hunting leases under 10 acres around here...guess if someone is willing to pay it that's how it'll go.
I dont have much complaint about fees/tag expense. The available access to decent hunting areas is far more of a rub than an extra $75-150 in fees a year. That affects residents and NR alike. I'll pay the tag costs but all the land getting leased out to outfitters that play gate keeper for an extra $3-10k just to access it is what I'm getting at. Most folks can eat the tag expenses but the access expenses are getting prohibitive.
I've got nothing against good outfitters/,guides to an extent. Loved the last one we used...but there's gotta be more effort to keep walk in/privately owned public access areas open and increasing with all this revenue they are taking in.

I don't know enough about internal workings of Wyoming fish and game but as long as the funds are used for conservation and increasing public hunting opportunities I'm not sure I've got much gripe there...but the point system as a whole is a different story.

 

[Maverick1]

Let's not forget about outfitters and guides...which I have no issue with to a degree...but way too much money and politics involved there anymore as well.
Hell it's getting bad everywhere as far as access. Everyone wants to lease every square inch. There are hunting leases under 10 acres around here...guess if someone is willing to pay it that's how it'll go.
I dont have much complaint about fees/tag expense. The available access to decent hunting areas is far more of a rub than an extra $75-150 in fees a year. That affects residents and NR alike. I'll pay the tag costs but all the land getting leased out to outfitters that play gate keeper for an extra $3-10k just to access it is what I'm getting at. Most folks can eat the tag expenses but the access expenses are getting prohibitive.
I've got nothing against good outfitters/,guides to an extent. Loved the last one we used...but there's gotta be more effort to keep walk in/privately owned public access areas open and increasing with all this revenue they are taking in.

I don't know enough about internal workings of Wyoming fish and game but as long as the funds are used for conservation and increasing public hunting opportunities I'm not sure I've got much gripe there...but the point system as a whole is a different story.

It’s all just a money grab.

 

[Only_A_Little_Lost]

I think I am reading that wrong, I am reading that as 75 dollars for all my species applications? I would think it's 75 dollars per species?

 

[StuckInTheEast]

Resident hunting is still affordable.
If you can’t afford NR hunting so be it.

Everyone crying wolf on Nr hunting privilege.

I'm not crying wolf about a thing. Not sure where you came up with that from what I said. Resident tags are cheaper for sure, as they should be...should NR be 12-35 times the cost? Absolutely not, but if people will buy them at those prices then that's what they'll be.
Just don't forget your resident hunting is impacted by many of the same things that impact NR hunters as well especially when it comes to access...and NR dump a bunch of money into the coffers for fish and game management while typically sitting at the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to opportunities and access, and most take it with a smile and ask "may I have another".
If every person in wyoming bought a resident elk license it would only generate 1/3 more revenue than just the preference point system does. Non residents generate over 4 times the revenue for wyoming Game and fish as residents do... they give up or go away and then there's a real problem. No one wants a pat on the back, but continually driving the knife in and twisting it a bit is gonna start to run alot of those funds off.
Seriously, non resident revenue of over 40 million vs under 10 million from residents, not to mention the extra cash inflow to outfitters, lodging and local communities from those nonresidents. No one is crying wolf, some just feeling rightfully a bit used and unappreciated when this kind of stuff comes out.

 

[LongWayAround]

Price increase or not, Wyoming is still one of the cheaper states to apply in. You don't have to buy a $200 license. You pay an app fee and loan them some money for a few months. Either you play the game or stay home.

It costs what they say it costs. Don't like it? Too bad. I will happily take you spot in the draw odds.

 

[StuckInTheEast]

Price increase or not, Wyoming is still one of the cheaper states to apply in. You don't have to buy a $200 license. You pay an app fee and loan them some money for a few months. Either you play the game or stay home.

It costs what they say it costs. Don't like it? Too bad. I will happily take you spot in the draw odds.

Not a tear shed, buy my points and apply either way every year. They'll all run this game till the table turns, not just wyoming. Simply pointing out a small $40+million reason why some folks might scoff at increased fees and decrease licenses that seem sure to be coming down the pipeline. Just doesnt seem like a long term sustainable approach. Guess time will tell.

 

[Only_A_Little_Lost]

Price increase or not, Wyoming is still one of the cheaper states to apply in. You don't have to buy a $200 license. You pay an app fee and loan them some money for a few months. Either you play the game or stay home.

It costs what they say it costs. Don't like it? Too bad. I will happily take you spot in the draw odds.

If it's 75/species I would rather have it be the 200 dollar license. Wyoming is cheaper to apply but with that change it would be one of the more expensive ones. Especially if you put the preference points on top of that application fee.

 

[LongWayAround]

If it's 75/species I would rather have it be the 200 dollar license. Wyoming is cheaper to apply but with that change it would be one of the more expensive ones. Especially if you put the preference points on top of that application fee.

That's a valid point.

There's still nothing obligating one to buy points and play in. Pay the app fee, pray for a hit in the random, if it's a big deal. Or choose your priorities.

 

[BRTreedogs]

I'm not crying wolf about a thing. Not sure where you came up with that from what I said. Resident tags are cheaper for sure, as they should be...should NR be 12-35 times the cost? Absolutely not, but if people will buy them at those prices then that's what they'll be.
Just don't forget your resident hunting is impacted by many of the same things that impact NR hunters as well especially when it comes to access...and NR dump a bunch of money into the coffers for fish and game management while typically sitting at the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to opportunities and access, and most take it with a smile and ask "may I have another".
If every person in wyoming bought a resident elk license it would only generate 1/3 more revenue than just the preference point system does. Non residents generate over 4 times the revenue for wyoming Game and fish as residents do... they give up or go away and then there's a real problem. No one wants a pat on the back, but continually driving the knife in and twisting it a bit is gonna start to run alot of those funds off.
Seriously, non resident revenue of over 40 million vs under 10 million from residents, not to mention the extra cash inflow to outfitters, lodging and local communities from those nonresidents. No one is crying wolf, some just feeling rightfully a bit used and unappreciated when this kind of stuff comes out.

No doubt they need the NR money.
But it’s not going away. When they almost double the tag price they didn’t go away.

Saying it’s a rich man’s sport is crying wolf imo. NR hunting is a luxury, you gotta pay to play. If you can’t afford NR hunting it sucks but it is what it is. If you need affordable hunting stay in your own state.

People that actually need meat to survive just do what they need to do. But that isn’t traveling NR hunters.

 

[wapitibob]

Apply for all species in January and the bill at checkout will be $75. Modify after quotas come out. Only issue with that is you cannot switch draws; regular to special.
You can also start an app and add others, and the total at checkout will be a max of $75.

Points don't have an app fee.

All dependent on passing and it's getting some pushback. When reduced price doe tags are cheaper than the app fee, things are a bit out of whack.