junior88
Well-known member
So the AZ Game and Fish Commission decided to do away with auction tags. Residents and non residents alike are about to see their fees go up. How else will they recoup the dollars that were raised by these tags.
AZ auction tags going away
- Thread starter junior88
- Start date
BOHNTR
Well-known member
I’m in favor of it. They ARE still allowing raffle hunts for the species to raise revenue. Time will tell if these increase in popularity.
Bigjay73
Well-known member
I'm not sure AZGFD gets much if any money from auctions, I was under the assumption that the auctioning party kept the funds, not sure it will affect their budget. Please correct me if I'm wrong, I usually am. Say bye bye to hundreds of thousands of dollars that go to habit and animal improvements from auction tags. I'm not saying I'm against getting rid of auction tags, they did always rub me as elitist and unfair, but everything action has its downside. Wonder why they don't just make them raffle tickets so almost anyone has a chance at winning one? Seems like you could still raise a bit of money for conservation efforts that way
Bigjay73
Well-known member
Are they taking tags that would have been auctioned and turning them into raffle tags, or just putting them back into the draw system?
AZGFD gets 100% of the sheep tag auction money and does a great job with how they spend it. The population and tag numbers consistently increase. I don’t know much about the other species, as far as % of proceeds that go to the state.
I support getting rid of the auction tag if there was a plan to replace the revenue.
The commision doesn’t have a plan, as far as I know.
My opinion is that we need to keep the aprox $400k a year flowing into the sheep program. If that’s from somewhere other than an auctuon, great, but what is it?
The funding solution isn’t a raffle. There is a raffle.
It’s desert bighorn sheep tag raised $87,500 last year.
In comparison the auction raised $380k last year and $430k this year.
Would another raffle tag even raise the same amount? I’m going to spend x amount on raffle tags. Say that amount is $200. It doesn’t matter if it’s for one raffle ticket or 40 $5 tickets.
Making such drastic changes without a plan really rubs me the wrong way. It’s just whining.
Drinkers still need built, the drought isn’t ending, water still needs hauled, helicopters still need fuel, collars aren’t cheap, M.ovi isn’t going away.
Whining doesn’t fix any of that. Solutions do. What are they? This should be an easy question for the commission to address. If it’s been addressed, I am unaware of it.
I wrote a public comment against it and got as many people as I could to do the same.
If there was a plan, I would have put more energy into getting the same people on board to support it.
The people I’ve spoken with in conservation orgs and even some outfitters feel the same way. They don’t care about the tag. They care about preserving the funding.
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Bigjay73
Well-known member
Thanks for the info. I agree completely, sheep need every penny possible, hope they can make that happen.
I should add, that it is possible the commission discussed a plan on how to replace the revenue, when they had today’s meeting.
I have not watched the YouTube link Junior posted and am tied up in work stuff and haven’t had a chance to talk with anybody that attended or listened in.
I have not watched the YouTube link Junior posted and am tied up in work stuff and haven’t had a chance to talk with anybody that attended or listened in.
The Hedgehog
Well-known member
This gives me warm and fuzzies all over - especially if the raffle will make a similar revenue to the jimmy john option.
“This video was removed by the uploader”
Are they as bad at YouTube as they are running a draw?
Me too. And I’ve guided auction tags.
Maybe the commision will surprise us all and actually present a plan to keep the funding the same. If that’s the case, then this will be an okay move.
I don’t think making a plan is hard, it’s just so disappointing that they don’t have one.
Personally, I’m fine with increasing app fees. If 20k people apply for sheep (I assume that’s in the ballpark), an increase of $20 per app fee covers the revenue gap.
The challenge will be actually getting them to raise the fees and then actually allocating it into the bighorn fund.
I hate this idea but sell a few more non resident OTC deer tags. With some of the quota levels some seasons are already closing before people even hunt. Least they could do after blowing those hunts out and then chopping them
Bambistew
Well-known member
There was ~27000 applicants for BHS last year in AZ. Raise the point fee $10-15 for sheep or add a "stamp" or some sort of mechanism so the funds can go directly to sheep. Surly a small increase in fees can offset the auction tag loss.
How do you apply for the raffle tag now? Is it through the game department or is it some private group?
I've always wondered why it can't just be a check box you add when you apply for your license, make it as convenient as possible when you're already dropping money on tags/fees/applications.
I can't say I'm sad to see them go away, I hope they all do. Pretending that without those funds game is doomed is pretty disingenuous.
The optics of some rich d-bag showing up in his private jet, driving up the mountain to shoot a ram that has been babysat for a month, taking a few pics and going home doesn't do anyone any favors. Those guys don't give two shits about those animals, its all about killing it. If they cared, they'd spend more than 24hrs on a hunt. I couldn't imagine how slimy I'd feel being a part of that. No thanks.
How do you apply for the raffle tag now? Is it through the game department or is it some private group?
I've always wondered why it can't just be a check box you add when you apply for your license, make it as convenient as possible when you're already dropping money on tags/fees/applications.
I can't say I'm sad to see them go away, I hope they all do. Pretending that without those funds game is doomed is pretty disingenuous.
The optics of some rich d-bag showing up in his private jet, driving up the mountain to shoot a ram that has been babysat for a month, taking a few pics and going home doesn't do anyone any favors. Those guys don't give two shits about those animals, its all about killing it. If they cared, they'd spend more than 24hrs on a hunt. I couldn't imagine how slimy I'd feel being a part of that. No thanks.
It really is that simple.
The fact that the commission won’t state that they’ll do this, is what bothers me.
They’ve been given ample opportunity to make a simple statement to say that they care about species specific funding and will do x thing to achieve y result.
They won’t say it.
Nobody brought anything to the legislature to adjust prices and earmark funds.
There’s no talk that anybody will. If they do, will it pass? Will an anti hunting gov Hobbs sign it?
I think the lack of a plan is a problem, but I’ve always thought that allowing people that are not avid hunters to be involved in wildlife management, much less on the commission, is a problem.
RoughCountry
Well-known member
Aren’t you just paying your tag fee and doing the same thing, killing it or are you going up the mountain and praying for it ? What difference is it if a guy donates $400,000 to kill a ram or a guy pays $700 tag fee to do the same thing? I think a lot of people just resent the successful rich guys.
BuzzH
Well-known member
Why is it up to the commission to replace the funding?
Ask the "conservation heros" to step up without giving them the best tags in the State.
I reckon we'll find out just how far their conservation efforts, caring about sheep, and hypocrisy really goes...
antlerradar
Well-known member
It is the lack of respect. Respect for the animal and respect for the hunt. People that hunt this way have neither. We have come a long ways form the days of Jack O' Connor.
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Bigjay73
Well-known member
I have to say, if I won the powerball tonight, and had the funds to buy a wyoming governors pronghorn tag, I'd buy it in a second. I'd also go guide free on public land, and have to imagine that some small portion of auction winners have the same love of hunting and of the species as I do. Like I said, I'm not a fan of the governor's/ commisioners tags, but I can't imagine some tags don't go to decent people. Being wealthy doesn't make you an asshole, theres plenty of assholes on all sides of the economic spectrum
Turkeygetpwnd38
Member
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2024
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Those few tags build a lot of drinkers and do a lot for animal habitat (particularly sheep). In places like AZ where the environment is harsh, that can make a big difference in animals numbers, which translates to overall tag availability.
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