Caribou Gear

Idaho hates NRs.

as a idaho non-resident,,im not against a little price increase,,but what they are talking about is literally robery!!,,goog thing i drew my elk tag there this year as it will most likely be my last idaho tag..several years ago montana upped there prices consideralbly and guess how much they got from me???in several years 10+ a big fat $0,,,,these days a non -res really has to consider the best bang for the buck in this economy..idaho will go way down in my list,close to montana for applications next year to where ill probly have my budget already spent.sorry idaho,,but these n r price increases are gonna inpact your tourism$$$$
 
Reference to the 'kings elk' made me chuckle.:LOL:

I appreciate the rise was before the current Covid outbreak, but I'm sure there are many people in the same position I find myself in, a lot less disposable income this year directly due to Covid.
Idaho and all states need to take the blinkers off now, they need to attract NR hunters in the future, not that I can see a reduction in fee's but things will be tough in the future, big picture is NR bring a big injection of cash into the local economy, last time I came over there were 4 of us visiting Montana, when I paid my credit card bill after I returned home I got a bit of a shock!
17,000 NR tags in Montana if I'm not mistaken? I wonder what the take up will be in 2021?

So all things considered I have started to look at other options, New Zealand is a long way (I'm sure @Kiwi or @kiwi hunter could lend me a gun ;) ) but they have access to free public land, or even closer, Scotland!
But the draw of Montana will always be in the back of my mind, but if I go the same way as my father in a few years I don't think money will have anything to do with it!

No doubt I will find the cash from somewhere (maybe I shouldn't have bought the rifle I just did recently!) and find my way back to big sky country one day.

Cheers

Richard
 
Reference to the 'kings elk' made me chuckle.:LOL:

I appreciate the rise was before the current Covid outbreak, but I'm sure there are many people in the same position I find myself in, a lot less disposable income this year directly due to Covid.
Idaho and all states need to take the blinkers off now, they need to attract NR hunters in the future, not that I can see a reduction in fee's but things will be tough in the future, big picture is NR bring a big injection of cash into the local economy, last time I came over there were 4 of us visiting Montana, when I paid my credit card bill after I returned home I got a bit of a shock!
17,000 NR tags in Montana if I'm not mistaken? I wonder what the take up will be in 2021?

So all things considered I have started to look at other options, New Zealand is a long way (I'm sure @Kiwi or @kiwi hunter could lend me a gun ;) ) but they have access to free public land, or even closer, Scotland!
But the draw of Montana will always be in the back of my mind, but if I go the same way as my father in a few years I don't think money will have anything to do with it!

No doubt I will find the cash from somewhere (maybe I shouldn't have bought the rifle I just did recently!) and find my way back to big sky country one day.

Cheers

Richard
We will look after you Richard. It’s a long trip from the UK but I’m sure it would be worth it. We have lots to offer here in addition to the hunting & fishing.
 
Just out of curiosity. How much of that S.Carolina has public access? Wout having to lease land or owning land / having family friends to give access, A non-resident traveling there....realistically how much public lands hunting can we do? **same question applies to most easter states. Thnx
Northern Wisconsin = similar to public land percentage as an area like around the bighorns. Mix of national forest, state lands, county forests and lots of forest program properties where in exchange for a big tax break on their land, landowners agree to a management plan of their property for timber harvest and regeneration. These properties can also be enrolled as either "open" or "closed" where "open" allows public access.

1598356321922.png

Southern Wisconsin = similar to hunting like northeast east Wyoming. Mostly state wildlife areas

1598356259415.png

Do I need to point you to Randys opinion of hunting Northeast Wyoming?

Basically if you come to Wisconsin and can't fill your deer tags its because you either didn't try, you aren't a very good hunter or you're being really selective on which deer you shoot.
 
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as a idaho non-resident,,im not against a little price increase,,but what they are talking about is literally robery!!,,goog thing i drew my elk tag there this year as it will most likely be my last idaho tag..several years ago montana upped there prices consideralbly and guess how much they got from me???in several years 10+ a big fat $0,,,,these days a non -res really has to consider the best bang for the buck in this economy..idaho will go way down in my list,close to montana for applications next year to where ill probly have my budget already spent.sorry idaho,,but these n r price increases are gonna inpact your tourism$$$$
You'll run out of western states pretty soon there fella if you're looking for bargains. Prices are rising everywhere. You have to pay to play.
 
Demand drives the price, licenses will not be going down in price ever I bet and plenty of folks will take them.
 
Northern Wisconsin = similar to public land percentage as an area like around the bighorns. Mix of national forest, state lands, county forests and lots of forest program properties where in exchange for a big tax break on their land, landowners agree to a management plan of their property for timber harvest and regeneration. These properties can also be enrolled as either "open" or "closed" where "open" allows public access.



Southern Wisconsin = similar to hunting like northeast east Wyoming. Mostly state wildlife areas



Do I need to point you to Randys opinion of hunting Northeast Wyoming?

Basically if you come to Wisconsin and can't fill your deer tags its because you either didn't try, you aren't a very good hunter or you're being really selective on which deer you shoot.

thanks, good to know. i'll keep WI on my list for when i want a little road trip adventure. as an Adult-onset hunter (late 30's) and 2020 will be my 2nd season hunting. i have some catching up to do. so while i'm lucky enough to live in CO, last year i also hunted WY and NE. i figured i will only continue looking at more and more states where hunting opportunities are plentiful to Non-Residents.
that hopefully will include ID in the near future too :)
 
thanks, good to know. i'll keep WI on my list for when i want a little road trip adventure. as an Adult-onset hunter (late 30's) and 2020 will be my 2nd season hunting. i have some catching up to do. so while i'm lucky enough to live in CO, last year i also hunted WY and NE. i figured i will only continue looking at more and more states where hunting opportunities are plentiful to Non-Residents.
that hopefully will include ID in the near future too :)
For whitetail hunting, I don't understand why Wisconsin isn't at the top of everyone's list. Look at this map of deer densities:

1598370650451.png

Now look at this trophy density map:

1598370692568.png

Ample public land to hunt. Ample farmers willing to allow you to hunt their land. Do I need to say more? lol
 
For whitetail hunting, I don't understand why Wisconsin isn't at the top of everyone's list. Look at this map of deer densities:

View attachment 151589

Now look at this trophy density map:

View attachment 151590

Ample public land to hunt. Ample farmers willing to allow you to hunt their land. Do I need to say more? lol
This is great !!, i literally just looked up WI NonRes fees, and to help offset what western states are doing (raising fees) WI offers a First Time NR discount on licenses. how great is that.
i'm already googling how long of a drive it is for next season :) :) i'm 75% serious

any idea if CWD is a problem at WI? and what % of deer is it found in?

since 2019 was my first year, i decided that all my Elk/Deer (Moose one day) will get CWD tested. so would be good know know if WI doesnt have this problem

ok its about 15hr drive from Denver to North Central WI. about 15 hours. doable but a bit of a haul.
 
For whitetail hunting, I don't understand why Wisconsin isn't at the top of everyone's list. Look at this map of deer densities:

View attachment 151589

Now look at this trophy density map:

View attachment 151590

Ample public land to hunt. Ample farmers willing to allow you to hunt their land. Do I need to say more? lol
Baiting, crossbows, no trophy management - what could possibly be amiss :unsure:

I jest - I think it’s a fine place to hunt.
 
Baiting, crossbows, no trophy management - what could possibly be amiss :unsure:

I jest - I think it’s a fine place to hunt.
Baiting is just about gone although there are many that don't follow. Honestly, until December, baiting doesn't really make a huge difference.

I used to be against crossbows until I saw the statistics of pre-crossbow era to post-crossbow era. Harvest only slightly went up. It really wasn't the game changer I thought it would be.

Don't quote me on this but I'm pretty sure Wisconsin has more properties enrolled in with QDMA than any other midwest state. Thus why there are so many booners taken in Wisconsin.
 
For whitetail hunting, I don't understand why Wisconsin isn't at the top of everyone's list. Look at this map of deer densities:

View attachment 151589

Now look at this trophy density map:

View attachment 151590

Ample public land to hunt. Ample farmers willing to allow you to hunt their land. Do I need to say more? lol

Gosh those maps are depressing . . .#southflorida . . ugh.
 
Just out of curiosity. How much of that S.Carolina has public access? Wout having to lease land or owning land / having family friends to give access, A non-resident traveling there....realistically how much public lands hunting can we do? **same question applies to most easter states. Thnx
South Carolina has 1,099,420 acres of public land. Most of that is USFS and throughout the state. Some in the mountain unit, some in the Piedmont, and a good chunk near the coast. I know it's not a lot by western standards but the mountains are thick forests and few like to explore them. Same with the coastal public lands.
 
Don't quote me on this but I'm pretty sure Wisconsin has more properties enrolled in with QDMA than any other midwest state. Thus why there are so many booners taken in Wisconsin.
Take a look at the harvest rate of yearling bucks in WI per the QDMA. Wisconsin far and away leads the nation in that regard. The booners here are the result of the habitat and the tenacity of the Wisconsin hunter.

Wisconsin would be a great place to come and hunt if people would lay off the 1.5 olds. Especially, given how much love we show to nonresidents with the way we practically give our tags away.
 
Ya'll can come to PA and shoot a whitetail buck, 2 turkeys and hunt all the small game you want for $101.90!
Of course you need to know someone with private property. I've never seen a state with so little public land. I've seen hundreds of rigs parked up and down the HWY to hunt a tiny section of state land. It's awful, not to mention dangerous.
 
Of course you need to know someone with private property. I've never seen a state with so little public land. I've seen hundreds of rigs parked up and down the HWY to hunt a tiny section of state land. It's awful, not to mention dangerous.
Not exactly. There is plenty of public land in the middle of the state that doesn’t get hunted overly hard. I can assure you that you would see less hunters during a week of PA archery than say Colorado archery all on public.
I had a friend shoot a 150” 10 point off a section of state land last week. He sees more deer there than he does on private.
 
Not exactly. There is plenty of public land in the middle of the state that doesn’t get hunted overly hard. I can assure you that you would see less hunters during a week of PA archery than say Colorado archery all on public.
I had a friend shoot a 150” 10 point off a section of state land last week. He sees more deer there than he does on private.
The area I lived in was just a ton of Private. After almost being shot on a Bear hunt, I decided to be done hunting in PA and did a lot of Bass fishing instead. Thank God, I only had to live there 3 years. I grew up out west, so it's a big difference. Getting back out west was a top priority and glad I did :)
 
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