alwayshunting
Active member
North Dakota recently raised their tag fees. Resident deer from 20 to 30. Nonresident deer from 200 to 250. The state gives a very limited number of nonresident tags though.
License Fee increase bill
- Thread starter BuzzH
- Start date
North Dakota recently raised their tag fees. Resident deer from 20 to 30. Nonresident deer from 200 to 250. The state gives a very limited number of nonresident tags though.
publichunter1
Well-known member
I help fight against selling off any public lands even though I am from Mississippi. Whether most people out West think about it or not we fight these battles with even less public land in the East as well. So I help fight so that it doesn't make it easier to sell off anywhere in the US.
With that being said and only getting to start hunting out West this past year, it is really hard seeing every state continually raising non-resident cost every year. I have two little boys that I hope to take elk and mule deer hunting one day but at the current rate of increase that probably wont be possible. I understand raising license fees to cover reduced federal funding but increasing resident cost from $50-52 while raising nonresidents by more than the total cost of a residents tag is crazy. And no saying that other states are even higher doesn't help. That means that those states have already priced themselves out of the range of the average guy.
Just depressing that it is becoming a situation where you either have to live in the state or be semi-rich to afford to hunt these animals. Took me two years to save up for this past year and that was an unguided OTC public land hunt.
With that being said and only getting to start hunting out West this past year, it is really hard seeing every state continually raising non-resident cost every year. I have two little boys that I hope to take elk and mule deer hunting one day but at the current rate of increase that probably wont be possible. I understand raising license fees to cover reduced federal funding but increasing resident cost from $50-52 while raising nonresidents by more than the total cost of a residents tag is crazy. And no saying that other states are even higher doesn't help. That means that those states have already priced themselves out of the range of the average guy.
Just depressing that it is becoming a situation where you either have to live in the state or be semi-rich to afford to hunt these animals. Took me two years to save up for this past year and that was an unguided OTC public land hunt.
teamhoyt
Well-known member
I See the discussion arise all the time about guys from wherever losing their motivation to fight for keeping federal lands federal and having an increase in tag fees. I understand the tag increases being a burden. But as much as we want to correlate these two items there are major differences. The States own the wildlife basically. The Animals we pursue regardless of the land they stand on are the states. The Federal lands that we are currently fighting to keep federal are our lands. The States need to do what they need to do to keep the dept afloat. If this land goes to the state or worse yet to private no one will need to worry about what a tag will cost. I will say that state residents need to pay more for tags than we do
Northwoods Labs
Well-known member
The increases will likely hurt younger folks. People in college, just out of college with debt, just starting a family, will be hurt the most. Between increases in non-resident fees and tough draw odds for certain species and tags, hunting may well become even more of an older mans sport than it already is. I feel when one has to wait years to save up for a tag, or even draw one, the average younger hunter will lose interest. There are a lot more average hunters than more "hardcore" hunters who will do anything to save up for a tag
sbhooper
Well-known member
Agreed. I am in the old category and I am starting to lose interest, partly due to tag costs. I lived in NM for over 10 years. After leaving, I went back a couple times to hunt cow elk. Now, they have no cow permits for nr hunters and a poor draw chance. I am done even trying for those tags. Other states are just as bad. Az demands that you buy a hunting license just to apply, with no refund if you do not draw and do not have reduced-price cow tags.
The bottom line is non-residents get pounded and residents get low cost tags. It has always been that way and probably won't change. It will continue as long as people are willing to dump gobs of money to do it. Boycotts don't work, because hunters will not get together to make a boycott stick.
It is what it is. We deal with it or quit.
HighWildFree
Well-known member
Most of these increases seem reasonable but the 75℅ increase of bison tags and 150℅ archery stamp increase?
TheJason
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I like the built in inflation adjustment. I don't like the initial adjustments for resident vs. non-resident. One would think a resident hunter would be willing to pay much more for the elk hunting opportunity they have.
I wouldn't even bat an eye at paying 100 bucks a year for an elk tag as a Wyoming resident.
I wouldn't even bat an eye at paying 100 bucks a year for an elk tag as a Wyoming resident.
BuzzH
Well-known member
Update to this bill, it passed out of the house TRW committee with amendments.
The house stripped the commission authority to increase license fees, as well as the increases based on consumer price index. There were also some upward adjustments in Resident fees. The biggest change was an across the board fee increase to $150 for resident sheep, moose, and goat.
This one has legs and is likely to pass in some form.
The house stripped the commission authority to increase license fees, as well as the increases based on consumer price index. There were also some upward adjustments in Resident fees. The biggest change was an across the board fee increase to $150 for resident sheep, moose, and goat.
This one has legs and is likely to pass in some form.
Topgun 30-06
Active member
Thanks for the update BuzzH! Maybe the G&F is finally going to get the needed fee increases to help them out since it will be about ten years since the last increase passed.
JohnCushman
Well-known member
I don't mind paying a bit more for what Wyoming has to offer, but some of the increases are ridiculous. The archery stamp going from 28 to 70 kinda grates my nuts since I'm an archery hunter. Yes, I'd be willing to pay more, but that's a huge increase. Some of the other increases would be better done a little at a time instead of all at once. But, that's just my opinion.
TheJason
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Any word as to why they removed the inflationary adjustment?
BBwheelgunner
Member
$4,400 for a bison license
uhfff... yeah that would definitely price me out of applying for a bison tag for the foreseeable future
uhfff... yeah that would definitely price me out of applying for a bison tag for the foreseeable future
BuzzH
Well-known member
John, I hear what you're saying and I agree.
Not that I'm defending the huge increase in the archery license, but I guess one way to look at it, is that in Wyoming, if you pay the $70 and don't connect on an elk, deer, pronghorn, etc. you can come back and use the same tag and rifle hunt (or continue to archery hunt if you choose). Most states don't allow that, so paying an additional $70 to be able to hunt another 30+ days with the same tag may not be that bad of a deal.
BuzzH
Well-known member
That was the place where the commission would have the authority to raise the NR fees.
Stay tuned...this bill is going to get interesting I think.
JohnCushman
Well-known member
That's a cool way to look at it. Thanks for a different point of view.
BuzzH
Well-known member
John, its still out of hand.
I think the inexpensive archery permit, combined with being able to come back with a rifle, sort of set Wyoming's elk, deer, and pronghorn tags apart from the rest of the States.
Sort of a step backward, as many will likely weigh options and decide the extra $70 just isn't worth it. Hard to know for sure.
I think the inexpensive archery permit, combined with being able to come back with a rifle, sort of set Wyoming's elk, deer, and pronghorn tags apart from the rest of the States.
Sort of a step backward, as many will likely weigh options and decide the extra $70 just isn't worth it. Hard to know for sure.
TheJason
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Roger. I'll admit I didn't read all the text of the bill. I assumed it would have been written into the bill that there SHALL be a yearly increase if the CPI dictates it.
marksjeep
Well-known member
Here's a link to the latest engrossed bill. https://legiscan.com/WY/bill/HB0288/2017
I'm in the same boat as many here, I don't mind paying a little more for the tag to support the agency and it's mission. The extra 100 dollars for an elk tag, when factored into the total cost of a NR hunt in Wyo, is pretty minimal. It's roughly equivalent to an extra tank of fuel.
However, the resident fees/increases are as silly as Colorado's resident fees. They are insanely low.
The PP fee cap is also penciled in to go up to $75....so elk PP's shouldn't be far behind. Why are the PP fees not addressed in this bill, just the fee cap?
I'm in the same boat as many here, I don't mind paying a little more for the tag to support the agency and it's mission. The extra 100 dollars for an elk tag, when factored into the total cost of a NR hunt in Wyo, is pretty minimal. It's roughly equivalent to an extra tank of fuel.
However, the resident fees/increases are as silly as Colorado's resident fees. They are insanely low.
The PP fee cap is also penciled in to go up to $75....so elk PP's shouldn't be far behind. Why are the PP fees not addressed in this bill, just the fee cap?
