NR’s chance to put $ where our mouths are

[Deleted member 18333]

This devolved into resident vs nonresident real fast.

was their ever any doubt?

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

Look at all the money we spend on schools only to get litter boxes in the bathrooms and celebrations for alphabet people.

Anyway I'll donate with no intention of drawing and will probably buy some raffle tickets, etc.

 

[FI460]

litter boxes in the bathrooms

Never happened. It was a reddit hoax.

 

[TOGIE]

celebrations for alphabet people.

are these like... google employees? or something?

sounds like a monster from sesame street tbh

 

[thomas89]

was their ever any doubt?

You right, you right.

 

[WildWill]

When I feel the need to donate I do so through memberships, raffle tickets, and donations to worthy organizations like RMEF, NWTF, DU, RMBS, etc. State game agencies aren't charitable organizations and should be self sustaining. My home state's wildlife department turned in almost a half million back to our state treasury even though that money should be going back into wildlife. Why would I donate a dollar to them?

 

[TOGIE]

i've yet to apply for pronghorn in wyoming, i'll add a chunk to the wildlife crossing fund when i do. already did on my elk application as well.

 

[Falcon75]

I thought this was going to be a post about boycotting tag fee increases and cuts. Never works someone always buys the tag despite encouragement from Buzz and others (by Buzz and others). Hope it blows up in Colorado this year w antlerless. I wonder sometimes if going the DC route would be better for NR. Trying to get a if someone (NR) can't do it no one can on federal land rule passed. Shed hunting, wilderness hunting ect. As for wildlife organizations not increasing tags I would say RMEF has done an infinite job in the East as far as increasing tags. 0 to hundreds of tags. Now if we could just limit the point schemes with such a limited resource.

 

[D_Walt]

To the OP, you may view tag/application fees as a “donation” to justify it in your own mind (or your spouse) but to me it really isn’t a donation. Donations are something I can claim on my taxes, different category. For tag applications I am just trying to get as many “irons in the fire” as possible for some of those premier or OIL tags. Long term play. If you are donating to wildlife and/or hunting organizations, I would definitely be asking the question “How are you or have you put more animals on the landscape?” I would also look at what projects, advocacy, or investments are in your state or the state you prefer to hunt.

I agree; I’m not talking about tags, licenses, preference point fees that are already a part of my normal expenditures and are a part of departments’ annual budgets. I’m saying a voluntary extra donation to Agency’s and organizations in the hardest hit states (WY, CO, ID) that are tasked with managing the process rebuilding these herds.

Seems to me cutting tags in order to aide in population recovery will benefit all users, but it will definitely have an effect on license revenue generated by wildlife departments. Seems reasonable to help out.

 

[Scott85]

I’d rather give my money to NGOs.

 

[thusby]

Pick your favorite species and become a life member in the national and state level non-profits.

 

[Jbotto]

Not sure if this has seen daylight on HT yet but here’s another option.

Wyoming Hunter Asks Others To Sacrifice Deer Tags For Prize Drawings

An avid hunter from LaBarge, Wyoming has an idea to save a few deer this fall after a vicious winterkill: Turn deer tags into raffle tickets for expensive prizes.

cowboystatedaily.com

 

[Johnny Bravo]

I made all the same donations and actually applied to more states with absolutely no intention of drawing a tag. So I’m already buying a Hunting license or paying application fees in a state that I most likely will never step foot in this year.

I’ll play devils advocate here. Why would I is a nonresident of 49 states make donations to states that are making it harder and more expensive for me to draw a tag and have a hunting opportunity. Western states have made it very clear that they are going to maximize their profits off of non residents.

WY has more than 1 years worth of money in reserve....they will get by and I'm sure all other states have money too. I personally think it's absurd for R or NR to do anything more than they already do. I do love the "holier than now" people who have to tell us how great they are by still buying tags and not using them....etc...etc. to make themselves feel better....lol

 

[TheJason]

I’m not really sure how donating money to an agency is going to help rebuild a population after a winter kill event.

Big picture, the best thing you can do is find local organizations that do habitat improvements and or help with migration corridor enhancement projects. Outside of that, what is money going to do to increase fawn/calf recruitment?

It really shouldn’t take a catastrophic winter kill to motivate stuff like this, because at that point you are years behind the 8 ball in making a difference. Research projects that make large scale differences take years to complete and years more to implement.

Some of the petty, bitchy, pedantic arguing around here is getting really $*)Q!#@$ old. Some days I think I’m on 24 hour campfire instead.

 

[BackofBeyond]

Shooting an elk for less than the cost of a day ticket at a ski resort and acting like you’re a conservationist

I'll make you a deal, I'll cover your NR applications and liscense fees if you cover the pay cut I took to move to back to ID. That's a deal I'll make any/every day.

And if you want to talk about boots on the ground conservation work - not just buying a tag - I don't see a ton of Illinois license plates out helping us to pull noxious weeds, do trail rehab, or doing maintenance at camp grounds.

 

[D_Walt]

I’m not really sure how donating money to an agency is going to help rebuild a population after a winter kill event.

Big picture, the best thing you can do is find local organizations that do habitat improvements and or help with migration corridor enhancement projects. Outside of that, what is money going to do to increase fawn/calf recruitment?

It really shouldn’t take a catastrophic winter kill to motivate stuff like this, because at that point you are years behind the 8 ball in making a difference. Research projects that make large scale differences take years to complete and years more to implement.

Some of the petty, bitchy, pedantic arguing around here is getting really $*)Q!#@$ old.

My main point was, people who are interested in wildlife and conservation should consider doing a little more to help out this year.

There is always a lot of talk about Game Departments, etc. being self funded, largely through license revenue. This winter will have an effect on license revenue for years to come, and I would think reduced funding will have a negative impact on the resource. Perhaps the question would be better posed simply as “What can we do to help”? That shouldn’t be that controversial.

 

[perma]

With all the tag cuts in the West this year it seems that us Non-Residents have an opportunity to put our money where our mouths are and make a donation to a wildlife department or organization in a state that you won’t draw a tag in this year. Seems like a reasonable thing to do, some of you might have a better notion of the most effective ways to

I accept.

 

[Bullbrl]

I see your point but I would counter that most of the decisions that affect wildlife conservation and hunting specifically are made at the state level.

Let me correct this for you:

I see your point but I would counter that most of the decisions that affect wildlife conservation and hunting specifically are made by politicians and guide associations.

If our wildlife agencies had the only say in how our wildlife was managed we’d be much better off. As it is now politics, ballot box biology, and wealthy donors set the wildlife policy in most states.

 

[Deleted member 52098]

I thought this was going to be a post about boycotting tag fee increases and cuts. Never works someone always buys the tag despite encouragement from Buzz and others (by Buzz and others). Hope it blows up in Colorado this year w antlerless. I wonder sometimes if going the DC route would be better for NR. Trying to get a if someone (NR) can't do it no one can on federal land rule passed. Shed hunting, wilderness hunting ect. As for wildlife organizations not increasing tags I would say RMEF has done an infinite job in the East as far as increasing tags. 0 to hundreds of tags. Now if we could just limit the point schemes with such a limited resource.

we bitch and bitch on this site about ballot box biology and over legislation of wildlife... but your thought process to get more tags as a NR is to go to DC and open that Pandora's box?

 

[TheJason]

My main point was, people who are interested in wildlife and conservation should consider doing a little more to help out this year.

There is always a lot of talk about Game Departments, etc. being self funded, largely through license revenue. This winter will have an effect on license revenue for years to come, and I would think reduced funding will have a negative impact on the resource. Perhaps the question would be better posed simply as “What can we do to help”? That shouldn’t be that controversial.

Yes, many agencies are self funded and they are allowed to have account surpluses and deficits because of the dynamic nature of license and tag allocations. Budgets are created over a number of years and take into account projected employee costs, equipment costs, etc. The budgets are hopefully crafted to accommodate inflation and license fluctuations.

If you donate directly to an agency you probably would be best served to donate to the access program.

My point is, kicking in extra just because of a severe winter is driving down the highway looking directly in front of your hood ornament.