idahofishnhunt
Well-known member
I respect your opinion, you made the choice (presumably) to live in a state where you can hunt the species you want locally. I didn't, so if I want to hunt elk (which I do), I am at the mercy of the non-resident systems.
I assume you make this statement taking into account the $$$ non-resident tag fee contribute to your G&F budget.
I don't know what it is, but I would want to know if I were you.
I'm sure these numbers are available, and we can get them. I think the more important thing is raising license and tag prices to improve revenue. I can sympathize with you that you have to go somewhere else to hunt some of these species. I'm sure this is the case for many, but unfortunately it doesn't outweigh the passion I feel for my own state and how locals should not have to lose opportunity because of having to rely on outside sources. These numbers...yes, I am interested in them.
Recently I asked IDFG for the numbers regarding raising the extra tag prices for the season, instead of keep them at the lower rate as they did last year...for the entire year. Here are those numbers...to date.
"This year, the discount period went through Aug. 31. Through Aug. 31, we had sold 2220 NR 2nd tags (revenue at that point, $441,800). However, people have continued to purchase NR 2nd tags. As of Oct. 16 this year, we had sold 2703 NR 2nd tags (revenue as of Oct. 16, $586,700). Last year, for the period of Aug. 1 - Dec. 31, we sold 3386 NR 2nd tags (all at the discount), for a revenue of $673,800. It remains to be seen where we will "end up" this year at the end of Dec., but it appears we may be on track to have similar revenue from NR 2nd tags for both years." Which kind of boils down to...same amount of revenue, but less tags bought. So residents are contributing to quite a bit of revenue in buying these tags as well.
I still stand by my point though, because I am a resident of Idaho, that the most important thing to me is being able to continue fair drawing odds for residents...which include the children that are growing up here, the opportunities that now exist should exist in the future for them.
Our legislature needs to find a better way of improving revenue for our state without trying to push their political agendas in other arenas. IDFG should not have to answer to them, and maybe more of these things would get done correctly.