What's up with UTAH???

[Hntnhrd]

Ok I understand that States Game departments need $$$$ to operate but what the heck is going on with the major rate hikes. I started building points in Utah a few years ago and it has been 5 bucks a year. No problem send them my 5 bucks that I will never see again. Last year heard it was going to 10. once again no problem I can swing 10 bucks and never see that again. Now I found out that I am going to be required to cough up 65.00 also for a hunting license . So we go from 5 dollars a year to 75. Have the gas companies taken over all of our game departments? Enough is enough. I want to go hunt quality units around the west but I can't justify shelling out 500 bucks a year in a hand full of states just hoping that in 10 years I have enough points in 1 state to draw a quality tag. I know that every state has done this lately ( Wyoming moose and sheep, I dropped out of the sheep. Montana non-resident outfitter sponsored license. Arizona from 113 to 150+ for a hunting license that won't get used ).
Am I crazy to just keep paying these rate hikes. Maybe a few thousand bucks for a landowner tag is not so crazy after all?

What does everyone think? will it ever end? Or at least slow down.

 

[schmalts]

no your not crazy. They are running hunting tradition into the ground. There isnt too many guys here that will be able to take their son to another state to hunt anything if this keeps up. Its bad enough to do it yourself much less take someone. Think about how a 16-21 year old kid who loves to hunt, how will he ever do it?

 

[carbonarcher]

I doubt it will ever slow down much to be honest. The unfortunate thing is there are enough guys willing to shell out the bucks to keep doing exactly what you've been doing to try and hunt one of those quality units. And now many of them, just like yourself, have 5+points that they don't want to give up so they go ahead and stick with the drawing and Wyoming continues to rake in dollars as does every other state. Supply and demand.

I dropped out of the Wyoming Moose when they jacked it up last year, but I was lucky I only had two points at the time, so really not much to lose. Otherwise I would be in the same boat you are, not wanting to give up my points, but not wanting to pay the exorbitant costs. To be honest, the added cost is what has me looking to book a Moose hunt in Canada next year. I figure if I stuck with the putting in for points for the next ten years to assure a high quality unit in Wyoming I would spend another $1000+ just getting points, then I'd probably burn another $1000 going back and forth to Wyoming to scout a couple times when I did draw. Then drop a month of work to go hunt as much as possible with a probably outlay of $1500 for gas and food/beer. Oh yeah, I'd be ten years older as well. And by then the wolves will have most likely ate all the Mooses anyway!

But I do hope you get lucky and draw one, but I'll be going next year to Canada, and be ten years ahead and not that much money behind.

 

[Dangerous Dave]

I know what you guys mean. My brother and I have been forking over $250+ for five straight years in a row to buy a Nevada hunting license we will never use... just so we can continue to collect so-called "bonus points." If we didn't love hunting certain areas of that state, we would tell them to stick it where the sun doesn't shine. Seems they got us coming and going.
I agree with you Schmalts: It's one thing being an old geezer like me who can usually afford to do what I want to do, but what about the kids? They'll have to rob a bank to afford to go hunting pretty soon. And without the younger generation getting involved with hunting conservation, we can all kiss wildlife management and hunting goodbye forever.
On one level I continue to burn through checks to go hunting out of state because I know it's good for the local economies and the Fish & Wildlife services... which in turn benifits wildlife. But one of these days, I might not be able to spead my money around so friviously. Why gamble when I can spend my money on a sure thing? Dave

 

[AZ402]

Looks like schmalts will have another expensive piece of ass-wipe in his wallet.

 

[schmalts]

also looks like i am done applying in UT when i burn my points

 

[Hntnhrd]

I thought about this again when I went to pick up my daughter. I am done applying in states where I have to buy a license. Good luck to those of you that still due. I am drawing the line. 2 points in arizona and nevada. Hope they choke on the money they got out of me. Once I draw in Wyoming I am done there too. I already gave up on sheep there. NM, CO, I'll still apply. If I want to throw money out the window I'll look into landowner tags. Then I can at least plan on going more than a month or two in advance. May look into Canada for moose soon also. At least Montana hasn't started to screw us as residents yet. My quess is though once these states have raped the nonresidents enough they will have no one else to go after than us.

 

[AZ402]

once these states have raped the nonresidents enough they will have no one else to go after than us.

The odds just got a little better in AZ and NV.....

 

[SneakyJake]

Call me stupid, but I haven't applied for anything that will cost me money. I refuse to support any system that will give benefit to the richer man. I am not poor, so do not get the wrong idea. I just don't agree with giving the upper hand to the man or some jacka%% who has money for the wrong reason. I'm not bagging on anyone paying for points, I just think that we should all have a shot at it. Not just the $50,000 banquet tag purchaser.

 

[Hntnhrd]

everyone that draws in NV and AZ can thank me when they draw for increasing their chances . Odds actually won't be any better, my luck is horrible when it comes to drawing any tags. One year there were 14240 people applying for 14000 antelope tags. Quess who was one of the 240 who didn't get a tag!!!!!

 

[Benchleg90]

The cost to apply out west is getting out of control. Its becoming about money only. I am 25 years old now and this will be the second year that I will be able to afford to apply for a few select states, points only. Some of the up front cost "even when refunded" are unreal! The younger generation will be in their 30's before they will be able to aford to apply for tags out of state.

At this point I can fly to the midwest and hunt Whitetails for less than the up front cost to apply for sheep and moose in most west coast states, thats what I will do again this year.|oo

 

[Dinkshooter]

It's called inflation. Just a economic fact.

Sell ur $45,000 extra cab duelly diesel pick-ups and you can afford to hunt in a 1990 single cab toyota I will make you a sweet deal on.

 

[Dangerous Dave]

Good points, everyone. As soon as my bro and I pull Nevada, we're gonna stop feeding the beast. On one level, we all know that not everyone can pull a tag for wherever they what to hunt and there are only so many animals to go around. It's very unfair to discriminate and favor hunters with more money in their pockets.
As soon as we draw Nevada, I'm only gonna concentrate on applying for landowner tags for the property I own in the north part of the state.

 

[Dinkshooter]

The cost to apply out west is getting out of control. Its becoming about money only. I am 25 years old now and this will be the second year that I will be able to afford to apply for a few select states, points only. Some of the up front cost "even when refunded" are unreal! The younger generation will be in their 30's before they will be able to aford to apply for tags out of state.

At this point I can fly to the midwest and hunt Whitetails for less than the up front cost to apply for sheep and moose in most west coast states, thats what I will do again this year.|oo

Which midwest state? Iowa is now at $425. That is the price of a elk tag in the west, hell a Dall sheep tag in AK is only $425. The price increases are not just in the west.

 

[Benchleg90]

Which midwest state? Iowa is now at $425. That is the price of a elk tag in the west, hell a Dall sheep tag in AK is only $425. The price increases are not just in the west.

Fulton co. Indiana. Last year its was 125.00 bucks for a buck tag and 80.00 for a doe tag, witch I diden't buy. Air fair runs me about 220.00. I can do this trip for around 500.00. I dont need to pay for lodging because I have friends their.

I think Ohio is going to be raising there tag fees also?

 

[1_pointer]

An individual, who does not want to hunt in the current year, may
still apply for a bonus point only, for one or more species, by selecting the
appropriate hunt choice or choices on the application and paying the $5
handling fee. The application period is January 17–February 16, 2007.

If I'm reading this right, one can still get a bonus point for $5. In just glancing over the proclamation, it still looks like it's just $5 to put in for the tags. I have heard they were wanting to up the $$ required to apply, but haven't heard that they did. Looks like it might be next year.

In regards to the escalating price of applications and tags, I agree it's getting expensive. Any time the demand for something is much greater than the supply, the costs are going to go up. I have yet to hear of a way to stop or slow down the increasing prices of tags yet that makes sense or will work. Any ideas out there? I don't like it much, but I REALLY want to hunt some of these critters in some of these states, so I play the game as much as my pocketbook will allow. Sure I'd like to be able to buy a new bow (current one is 15yrs old) and that neat new rifle or maybe even a new truck, but I don't because at this stage in my life I'd rather spend the money on applications/tags/hunts. For now, that's where my priorities are. Your milage will probably vary...

 

[mtmiller]

Any time the demand for something is much greater than the supply, the costs are going to go up.

Including public land grazing rates? Just kiddin', move along.

Tyler, get ready to guide me. I have 6 points, so the Henry's tag is basically mine. Heck, with my 5 goat points, I will probably pull one of those as well.

 

[1_pointer]

Funny man, huh???

Counting on me as a guide could be bad mojo.... But, I'll burn some leave to help you with either tag.

 

[Hntnhrd]

I understand inflation but when you go from $7 A year for a bonus point (wyoming sheep and moose) to $75 a year that is insane. Standard inflation is what around 3%? bonus points are now around 1500%. If you really need to increase fees that much in one year than maybe they need a business planner. Who's to say that in 3 mores years they won't double the fees. As it is now If Keep applying in all the states I would give away 1000.00 a year just to build points. Not anymore. I'll save it and just go someplace just as good everyother year or so.

 

[Dinkshooter]

How long ws it at $7. A few years there at 3% to make up. In addition to trying to limit the demand with the cost increase.