WY Commission tag data

[BuzzH]

Apparently a new Wyoming based group is taking on the issue of WGF Commission licenses.

Many sportsmen in Wyoming have been biting around the edges of the issue for a long time, but this group has clearly put the leg work in and compiled one hell of a comprehensive report.

I would expect some changes to happen. There is a detailed link in the article with past purchasers, where the hunt are taking place, etc.

Some key findings from the report:

• Commissioner Licenses generated upwards of $8 million for the recipient organizations with an average sale price of over $11,000.

• At least 116 of the Commissioner Licenses sold/auctioned/raffled were donated to organizations without conservation, hunting, fishing, or wildlife missions, including agricultural organizations, industry groups, veterans groups, hockey and baseball groups, county and town government entities, churches, food banks, etc. This generated at least $1.25 million in total revenue for these non-hunting, non-conservation organizations.

• Multiple Commissioner Licenses were donated to nonprofits located outside of Wyoming.

• Records on the tag species, and the dollar amount generated by the license auction or raffle are not complete.

• Organizations receiving the donated Licenses were not required to specify how the money raised would be spent, or account for its distribution after the fact.

• Elk tags are by far the bulk of the tags being donated by the Commissioners. Completed records from 2008-2018 indicate 474 elk, 103 deer and 5 antelope tags were donated. 125 tags did not have a species designated.

• 96 of the Commissioner tags purchased 2008-2018 were used for Area 7 (Laramie Peak) bull elk.

• Nonresidents purchased 564 of the 701 Commission License offered from 2008-2018, or 80.5%.

• The Wyoming Wildlife Federation, Muley Fanatics Foundation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation and Wyoming Game Warden Association have all received in excess of $300,000 in funding via Commissioner License donations and subsequent tag sales/auction/raffles since 2008.


https://www.mtnpursuit.org/mountain...oming_g_f_commissioner_complimentary_licenses

 

[406LIFE]

125 tags did not have a species designated.

I wouldn't mind a tag with a species not designated.

It certainly seems like there needs to be some reforms here. Is there oversight here, or does the commission just give out as they please?

 

[BuzzH]

I wouldn't mind a tag with a species not designated.

It certainly seems like there needs to be some reforms here. Is there oversight here, or does the commission just give out as they please?

Very little over-sight other than per chapter 44 regulations, which are pretty broad.

 

[el unit]

Interesting. Thank you for posting this.

 

[PrairieHunter]

Buzz,

What's your take on Muley Fanatic Foundation?

 

[BuzzH]

Buzz,

What's your take on Muley Fanatic Foundation?

While remembering the issue here is Commission tags, and hopefully there will be no derailment of the thread....

Here is what I know, they raise a lot of money for mule deer management that also benefits more than just mule deer. Many of the things they fund, partially fund, etc. benefit habitat and conservation efforts. They have, and continue to fund good work.

I really can't/won't go much further than that, only to say that I haven't always seen eye-to-eye with every issue they are engaged in, but that's just the way things are in the conservation world.

The link I provided did discuss the charity navigator ratings and MFF was mentioned.

As indicated by the (*), we were unable to find financial data for four organizations: Wyoming Game
Warden Association (31 Commissioner Licenses with $316,400 total revenue from these licenses),
Bowhunters of Wyoming (15 Commissioner Licenses, $93,650 revenue), Society of Wildlife Forensic
Science (11 Commissioner Licenses, $121,448 revenue), Wyoming Stockgrowers Association (10
Commissioner Licenses, $107,200 revenue). They were not evaluated in terms of financial,
accountability, and transparency scoring as outlined by Charity Navigator.

Of the remaining 11 organizations, five were already rated by Charity Navigator: the Rocky Mountain Elk
Foundation, Trout Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited, and Safari Club International. These
organizations all received three out of four-star ratings from Charity Navigator.

Our analysis yielded a higher rating for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (four out of four-stars) and a
lower rating for Safari Club International (two out of four-stars). We concluded that this discrepancy is a
result of updated financials from the time of Charity Navigator’s assessment and our assessment.

Muley Fanatics Foundation received the lowest score with zero out of four-stars. 35.7% of their annual
revenue is paid to two of their executives - each receiving a $102,000 salary out of $570,000 total annual
revenue for FY16.

National Bighorn Sheep Interpretive Association received the second lowest score with one out of fourstars. They did not report any executive compensation for FY16. 501(c)(3) organizations are required to
report compensation via IRS Form 990 for all current officers, directors, and trustees.

 

[Dinkshooter]

"Tags were donated to groups with questionable charitable status in violation of the statute, and to multiple groups with no connection to hunting, fishing or conservation.

I need to get a quick charity going and get my app in for the 2019 year!

 

[LopeHunter]

Thanks for posting this. Accountability is good for tags that are not part of the draw. I about fell over seeing the elk tags mostly being used for one GMU. Several GMUs in WY that hold big bull elk so perhaps is a handshake deal where an outfitter in that GMU arranges to bid on the tag for the hunter then outfits the hunt. Just a hunch for why one GMU got so much extra action.

 

[PrairieHunter]

While remembering the issue here is Commission tags, and hopefully there will be no derailment of the thread....

Here is what I know, they raise a lot of money for mule deer management that also benefits more than just mule deer. Many of the things they fund, partially fund, etc. benefit habitat and conservation efforts. They have, and continue to fund good work.

I really can't/won't go much further than that, only to say that I haven't always seen eye-to-eye with every issue they are engaged in, but that's just the way things are in the conservation world.

The link I provided did discuss the charity navigator ratings and MFF was mentioned.

As indicated by the (*), we were unable to find financial data for four organizations: Wyoming Game
Warden Association (31 Commissioner Licenses with $316,400 total revenue from these licenses),
Bowhunters of Wyoming (15 Commissioner Licenses, $93,650 revenue), Society of Wildlife Forensic
Science (11 Commissioner Licenses, $121,448 revenue), Wyoming Stockgrowers Association (10
Commissioner Licenses, $107,200 revenue). They were not evaluated in terms of financial,
accountability, and transparency scoring as outlined by Charity Navigator.

Of the remaining 11 organizations, five were already rated by Charity Navigator: the Rocky Mountain Elk
Foundation, Trout Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited, and Safari Club International. These
organizations all received three out of four-star ratings from Charity Navigator.

Our analysis yielded a higher rating for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (four out of four-stars) and a
lower rating for Safari Club International (two out of four-stars). We concluded that this discrepancy is a
result of updated financials from the time of Charity Navigator’s assessment and our assessment.

Muley Fanatics Foundation received the lowest score with zero out of four-stars. 35.7% of their annual
revenue is paid to two of their executives - each receiving a $102,000 salary out of $570,000 total annual
revenue for FY16.

National Bighorn Sheep Interpretive Association received the second lowest score with one out of fourstars. They did not report any executive compensation for FY16. 501(c)(3) organizations are required to
report compensation via IRS Form 990 for all current officers, directors, and trustees.

Buzz,

I appreciate the info.

 

[Trial153]

BOW has done a good job getting sportsman access to their raffles for the tags. Hopefully that translated into putting the money to good us.

WY is only the tip of the iceberg for tags like this. I nbn think if we looked at the states we be shocked at the totals and where these type of tags are going.

 

[Zim]

More shameful mismanagement and lack of accountability of public funds. Why am I not surprised? Wyoming has the second most auction tags in the US, next to only the ultra-corrupt Utah. Corruption ALWAYS follows the money.

 

[Steve O]

Bowhunters of Wyoming breaks out and shows how the funds they raise from the commissioner’s tag are used to go back to the wildlife.

Blows my mind that literally the little league baseball team can get a commissioner license to raise funds for itself.

Ridiculous.

 

[Deleted member 18333]

Would be interesting to know which Commissioners gave tags to which groups. I didn't see that info in the report, perhaps I missed it.

 

[mtmiller]

Would be interesting to know which Commissioners gave tags to which groups. I didn't see that info in the report, perhaps I missed it.

For 2019
https://wgfd.wyo.gov/commlicenses/CommissionLIcense.aspx

Edit, 2019 is only a partial so far. Here all recent years which should give a better idea from all commissioners.

https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Apply-or-Buy/C...-Licenses/Commissioner-License-Authorizations

 

[Four22]

Hey Buzz... trying send you a PM but your box is full!

 

[JM77]

A few of those groups given tags already this year raise eyebrows.

 

[BuzzH]

Hey Buzz... trying send you a PM but your box is full!

Try again...cleared out a bunch of messages.

 

[Deleted member 18333]

For 2019
https://wgfd.wyo.gov/commlicenses/CommissionLIcense.aspx

Edit, 2019 is only a partial so far. Here all recent years which should give a better idea from all commissioners.

https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Apply-or-Buy/C...-Licenses/Commissioner-License-Authorizations

Thank you!

 

[Khunter]

For 2019
https://wgfd.wyo.gov/commlicenses/CommissionLIcense.aspx

Edit, 2019 is only a partial so far. Here all recent years which should give a better idea from all commissioners.

https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Apply-or-Buy/C...-Licenses/Commissioner-License-Authorizations

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13Qtimn2haZoO_q_o5HcWimaIKf3loxguFziGiVARMmc/edit#gid=0

The above weblink was provide dinthe report and is much easier to review, can sort by year, commissioner, organization selling the tag, etc...for 2008 to 2018.