Fixing Western Hunting

[Nick87]

I'll say one thing the fact that we can have this thread tells you we live pretty damn good lives in comparison. First world problems. God bless America.

 

[TOGIE]

Honestly this is no lie, I'm donating less this year. My wife and I reviewed our budget and based on how I'm made to feel on this forum, I'm pulling back. There was $1000 we set aside to donate to organizations like Wyoming Wildlife Federation and the Wyoming Mule Deer foundation because it's a state I truly enjoy visiting and want to preserve. Instead we are spending that on raffle tags in other states since Wyoming residents apparently don't want my money to help.

No i think you actually just proved buzz right through and through with publicly announcing this stunt.

 

[perma]

This is a sign for me to take a break. Good luck in the AZ draw, everyone!

 

[Trial153]

One thing I must give credit to the OP for is at least saying what he wants. It’s unrealistic, but at least it’s spelled out. At least @Trial153 admits he wants to go full send on a market rate $$$ game.

I can’t speak for the OP but speaking for myself I think you’re missing something important in my message. When you said I want to full send one “ market rate game “
That’s not what I want at all. However that is what I am going to be forced to do and advocate for. When my other options is get less and less quality opportunities and experiences at greater and greater cost. I would be fool not leverage disposable income to equal the playing field for access to opportunities and quality experiences.
I am not alone in this and there are plenty of hunters with means greater than me. You keep forcing hunters hands in this and making them nothing but a spectator and revenue provider then you better believe they will start supporting more and more market base solutions that gets them in the game.

 

[Nick87]

There is a mixed message on this forum from residents of western states about this though. Non residents claim and feel they contribute significant portions of money through NR license fees, memberships to organizations, raffles, auctions, etc. all with the feel good that our money is being used to help the resource. Looks like you are preaching for more on top of that. Then when these discussion start on here, local residents blast away saying they dont need our money, they can hold their own and just pay more and what they really need is the NR to travel and help with projects and attend meetings in their state.

Honestly this is no lie, I'm donating less this year. My wife and I reviewed our budget and based on how I'm made to feel on this forum, I'm pulling back. There was $1000 we set aside to donate to organizations like Wyoming Wildlife Federation and the Wyoming Mule Deer foundation because it's a state I truly enjoy visiting and want to preserve. Instead we are spending that on raffle tags in other states since Wyoming residents apparently don't want my money to help.

Are you still going to apply in wyoming?

 

[Archer86]

There is a mixed message on this forum from residents of western states about this though. Non residents claim and feel they contribute significant portions of money through NR license fees, memberships to organizations, raffles, auctions, etc. all with the feel good that our money is being used to help the resource. Looks like you are preaching for more on top of that. Then when these discussion start on here, local residents blast away saying they dont need our money, they can hold their own and just pay more and what they really need is the NR to travel and help with projects and attend meetings in their state.

Honestly this is no lie, I'm donating less this year. My wife and I reviewed our budget and based on how I'm made to feel on this forum, I'm pulling back. There was $1000 we set aside to donate to organizations like Wyoming Wildlife Federation and the Wyoming Mule Deer foundation because it's a state I truly enjoy visiting and want to preserve. Instead we are spending that on raffle tags in other states since Wyoming residents apparently don't want my money to help.

How many of these threads have been started this year? It's always nr wanting more opportunities in western states.

It gets old on here when you look at and I know for a fact I can get tags every year out west even if I didn't live here and it's always the same argument that eventually comes up we pay more taxes it gets old

How much do nr hunter contribute to state programs? My guess is not much but i am not sure on that maybe buzz can anwser that. everytime my family applies for a tag we do a 20 dollar donation to wyoming access program for each individual that's applying in our family so yes nr pay more tag fees but residents contribute in everything else as well and that will not change for me based on the number of tags I can get.

Your last example will be our biggest hurdle if the animal only has a value if you have a chance at killing it since you said your only going to donate to raffle tags. With all this kind of talk going around it has motivated me more then ever to teach my kids more about why we need the animals on the landscape and how to enjoy them if we can't hunt them.

It's funny how much buzz has gotten under your skin that drives your hate for wyoming. like him or hate him you can't deny what he does for wyoming wildlife and hunters residents and nr. the fact he is straight to the point sure hurts some people's feelings though to bad everyone is getting so soft

 

[ccc23454]

I find it funny how Wyoming always becomes the target of these conversations, and its it's probably the most pro-NR western state. Its no wonder why some people who have spent tons of time and effort to keep it that way take it personally when people crap on it. Reading the be honest about your wyoming app thread, sure seems like a lot of people talking out both sides of their mouth...but i guess thats the internet

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I can’t speak for the OP but speaking for myself I think you’re missing something important in my message. When you said I want to full send one “ market rate game “
That’s not what I want at all. However that is what I am going to be forced to do and advocate for. When my other options is get less and less quality opportunities and experiences at greater and greater cost. I would be fool not leverage disposable income to equal the playing field for access to opportunities and quality experiences.
I am not alone in this and there are plenty of hunters with means greater than me. You keep forcing hunters hands in this and making them nothing but a spectator and revenue provider then you better believe they will start supporting more and more market base solutions that gets them in the game.

I mostly see your point, and I think you could well be right, particularly in the medium to long term. We probably don’t agree on who is forcing who’s hand, or what constitutes reasonable access to opportunity.

 

[Trial153]

WY becomes the target because it has the most liberal and generous amount of tags for its residents.
And it also has the fairest allocation ratios between residents and nonresidents of any western state. And yet some of local overly vocal forum members from WY are reaching for others small slice of the pie while their mouths are full and they have a full plate in front of them.

 

[Nick87]

I find it funny how Wyoming always becomes the target of these conversations, and its it's probably the most pro-NR western state. Its no wonder why some people who have spent tons of time and effort to keep it that way take it personally when people crap on it. Reading the be honest about your wyoming app thread, sure seems like a lot of people talking out both sides of their mouth...but i guess thats the internet

I was thinking about this and the NR special piece increase. What other state can you hunt both archery and rifle on the same tag for four weeks. Then if it's still not filled there are opportunities late season to fill said tag with a cow. (besides Montana which doesn't hold a candle in terms of quality, unfortanately). Whether it not you can actually afford it or not those extra weeks to hunt is different for everyone. Nonetheless the opportunity is there. When you break it down on a per day/basis or per opportunity basis it's actually a hell of a bargain.if I actually had PTO I'd be in the special every year amd taking at least two weeks minimum to soak up that tag.

 

[TOGIE]

Wyoming always becomes the target of these conversations, and its it's probably the most pro-NR western state.

Whoa whoa whoa there. We just had to sacrifice children’s souls to get down to 25% for 2024 and we still offer unlimited NR otc elk hunting

 

[ccc23454]

Whoa whoa whoa there. We just had to sacrifice children’s souls to get down to 25% for 2024 and we still offer unlimited NR otc elk hunting

*based on harvest data...lol

 

[Deleted member 16014]

Whoa whoa whoa there. We just had to sacrifice children’s souls to get down to 25% for 2024 and we still offer unlimited NR otc elk hunting

Whenever CO does what they have to do, I expect that:
1)the volume of these conversations will go way up
2)it will be the new favorite object of dissatisfied angst

 

[Archer86]

Whenever CO does what they have to do, I expect that:
1)the volume of these conversations will go way up
2)it will be the new favorite object of dissatisfied angst

Oh it will be a train wreck for a few months when nr otc elk is eliminated in colorado even though you will still be able to hunt regularly but the perceived change that it will be harder to get will cause some to lose their minds

 

[ccc23454]

Whenever CO does what they have to do, I expect that:
1)the volume of these conversations will go way up
2)it will be the new favorite object of dissatisfied angst

When CO gets rid of NR OTC is going to be like they killed a puppy on the internet... everyone will forget about every other western state

 

[Archer86]

When CO gets rid of NR OTC is going to be like they killed a puppy on the internet... everyone will forget about every other western state

The dislike some have for buzz will keep wyoming in the conversation.....

 

[Trial153]

There is no comparison between co/wy. Wy is managed for quality experience, CO isn’t.
People have to understand it’s not the same baseline.

 

[3855WIN]

We talk about residents and non residents. We need to remember that it’s OUR land where much of this hunting is occurring on. The rest of us are subsidizing a hunting club for the residents of a Western state.

 

[brocksw]

I do have concerns, and wonder about the impacts of increasing tag prices. How is that going to affect advocacy for the resources, and participation? But I am more concerned about the outright privatization and shrinking of the resource (both critters and habitat). And I do wonder if increasing tag prices and harder to obtain tags, will accelerate privatization in some ways. Perhaps that’s already a known fact.

But if I could wave a magic wand to fix some of those things (privatization/habitat), changing general NR allocations or tag prices wouldn’t be very high on my to do list in terms of large scale changes to help those things.

I will say what really turns me off about some of these NR conversations is that the discussion always starts with the same sentiment. “Fixing” western hunting so I can get a tag more. It’s the same sentiment I hear in lots of conversations, even when NR’s aren’t a part of, or subject of, the conversation. The selfishness is a big turn off for me.

 

[idahohuntr]

And that doesn't even address where my comment was really directed. People who don't need to work anymore, or can work from anywhere. Sell there house is So Cal and retire at 45 in Pinedale. #winds #greatviews #gottalovethewest

Agreed. In addition to the remote work and other flexibilities that significantly reduce barriers to moving historically, also keep in mind getting residency typically only requires ~6 months in state per year. MT, WY, etc. get a lot easier to be a resident if you are only there May-Nov.

I definitely believe residency will be the new "app strategy" as NR opportunity dwindles.