WY NR hunters bend over...

[BuzzH]

Well, looks like the Wyoming legislature is up to some old tricks....

If I were a NR I'd not be too happy with HB112.

Apparently, the Residents of Wyoming are done being generous with the number of permits that we give NR hunters.

This bill will do 3 things:

1. It will reduce the number of NR tags allocated to 10% of the total sheep, moose, goat, bison, elk, deer, and pronghorn. Thats a HUGE hit to the NR allocations, which are 20-25% currently.

2. It would shift the tags offered in the Special VS Regular price free schedule from what is now 40% Special fee 60% Regular fee to 60% of the available tags to Special fee and 40% Regular price free.

3. It would impose a 10% fee increase for Resident licenses.

This is the new "normal" coming from the WY legislature.

For your viewing pleasure:

HB 112...and those that are dreaming up this stuff:

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0112

Big and trophy game licenses.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Jaggi, Hunt, Loucks, McKim
and Piiparinen and Senator(s) Hicks

http://legisweb.state.wy.us/2014/Introduced/HB0112.pdf


A BILL
for
1 AN ACT relating to game and fish; amending resident big and
2 trophy game hunting license fees as specified; limiting
3 nonresident allocation of specified licenses; changing
4 allocation of special nonresident big game licenses; and
5 providing for an effective date.

 

[naturebob]

I guess I better start trying to burn points now . Bet lotsa guys put in now for deer and lope this year......BOB!

 

[BuzzH]

Good luck with that...when they reduce tags available to NR's to 10%, you'll be in a long line to burn your points.

From what I hear, the guts of this bill is not going to go away even if it doesnt pass this session.

 

[Oak]

Any kind of fiscal note? I'd be curious to see the numbers run with the proposed allocations and resident increase.

 

[BuzzH]

Thats the question I asked...and I havent seen a fiscal note.

What I'm hearing is that the bill likely wont pass since this a budget session.

However, what I AM certain of, is that Resident Hunters (which I'm not one that thinks this way), believe the NR allocations are wayyyy too excessive, in particular the sheep and moose allocations.

What I think will eventually come of all this, is a reduction of 10% for sheep, moose, goat, and bison for NR's.

I think that will pass next session for sure.

I also know, for a fact, that the outfitter lobby is behind the 60-40 split increase to Special Fee's VS. Random. Through the grape-vine I heard the outfitter lobby really just wants to "settle" for a 50-50 split on that issue.

Finally, I think there will be a reduction in the number of elk, deer, and pronghorn, but not to the extent of clear down to 10%.

I could be wrong and NR's could be staring at 10% of all available licenses and a 50-50 split between special and random.

If I were a NR I'd be making adjustments to my drawing strategy with the assumption that I'm going to be getting a smaller piece of the pie...and paying special fees to get that smaller slice.

I think there is a real risk of Wyoming losing their ass on sheep and moose point purchases...but again, thats just my take.

 

[naturebob]

I personally think they should keep Moose ,Goat and Sheep tags for residents. Question I have for You Buzz is there enough population of Wyoming residents at those lower license fees to support Game & Fish? I whould think they need more revenue? ........BOB!

 

[Blacktailbc]

Would make a little more sense if the product was better.. Some states can afford to stick it to NR hunters, because the demand will always be there, because the product is so good (Arizona). I see a lot of people dropping out of hunting Wyoming if this happens, which is too bad. I really like hunting there, and have a lot of fun when I go. There is a breaking point for everyone, and the 90/10 split would do it for me. I have 6 pts for deer, and can't draw much now, so what will it be when reduced to 10%? What are all the private ranches, outfitters, leases, etc gonna do when no NR can draw?

 

[LopeHunter]

WY is going to fall into the "Oregon" zone for me. Too few tags and too long to wait for a trophy class hunt. Deer in WY have been hurt by poaching with the gas/oil roads and harsh winters. Pronghorn is very good. Elk is okay but for opportunity can go to Colorado instead. That leaves Sheep and Moose which will cost $1000s in bonus points and decades (with 10% cap) to draw unless are now in top 4 or 5 point classes or are very lucky in random pool.

I am getting older anyway so am looking at dropping out of some of the 12 states where I apply each year. I am sure WY can make up for the $300 or so I spend a year on points and apps. I am sure I can hunt in other states. Looks like win/win.

 

[WapitiBob]

In addition to the 16% NR allocation we are allotted a minimum of 7,250 full price Elk licenses. I don't see that addressed in this Bill?

 

[elk_hunter]

Wow.................THANK YOU SIR, MAY I HAVE ANOTHER?!?!

 

[hunt1up]

Welp, at least my easy draw antelope hunts would remain intact. There's always plenty of leftover resident tags that flow over to the NR pool since it seems like the residents don't even get tags where I hunt.

And I'd be dumping my deer points and would just hunt dinks in the turd general units, if I'd even bother with deer at all.

Elk, I'd be dumping my points as well. General tags and cow hunts would be the extent of my WY elk hunting if I even go at all.

For me personally, WY is my go-to opportunity state. When I plan a hunting trip out west, WY is always the first place I consider. I'm going back for my 5th year in a row this fall. I've never scoffed at the tag prices, and likely wouldn't if they raised them if they're needed. But limiting NR opportunity for the above 3 species would have me looking elsewhere when I plan hunts. I spend a lot of money in WY when I go...hotels, butchers, taxidermists, restaurants, bars, gas, grocery stores. When 4 of us flatlanders load up the truck and head to WY for 9 days, we bring a fair amount of economic stimulation with us.

 

[EODRay]

Yep, looks like the NR's are gonna be taking it in the Ol Balloon-knot real soon. Bummer

 

[spook12]

All's not lost Buzz. Those auction tags that SFW will inevitably be auctioning for Wyoming(to ''help'' with funding shortfalls caused by cutting G&F's largest income stream in half) will demand a higher price.

Pretty smart really.Reduce supply, drive up demand making it easy for ''Someone'' to ride in on a white horse and save the day.

 

[Jorgy]

Crap, I love hunting in Wyoming and NR tags for good units are already hard to come by. The double crap is that I have been buying pref points for moose for almost 10 years, and I "thought" I had around 6 more years before I had a slight chance to draw a tag. That puts me in no mans land, do you keep buying points, or do you cut your losses and put that money towards something else I might be able to hunt before I'm in a wheelchair.

 

[fowladdict]

I guess I can understand the 10% allocation for the once in a lifetime type hunts, but reducing the pronghorn, deer and elk would be a bad deal. Aren't residents already able to purchase 4 pronghorn, 3 elk and 3 deer tags? I think fewer non-resident hunters would potentially hurt the businesses that depend on the non-resident hunters during Sept-November.

 

[HighDesertSage]

The wilderness rule in WY is strike one for me. The fact that they even do points is strike two. Unfortunately this would be strike three. I am not going to wait 18- 20 years for a decent elk or deer hunt.

 

[Z Barebow]

I think these legislators need to figure out what they are trying to solve. (Seems to me like they think they increasing revenues and doing some political pandering at the same time)

Like was mentioned, does this proposal increase revenue? I am not seeing it. You decrease the numbers of NR's, there goes you main source of license revenues.

Are they trying to increase revenue for all RES/NR and then trying to sweeten the pot by throwing NR's under the bus to appease RES increase?

The proposal that was shot down in the house sub committee had the same fee structure increase (as I remember and I had no problem with that proposal) But this one screws with many more issues that don't need messing with.

As WB alluded to, many of the RES hunts go unfilled and are offered up to NR's to meet the NR license quota/tag allocation. (IE Not a tag shortage). NR's pay much more for these unpurchased tags. Are those financials incorporated into revenue calculations?

What about going forward? How will this affect NR application numbers? Look to Idaho and Montana for reference when reviewing application numbers, post license increase. (Effectively what this bill does by pushing NR's toward Special Draw)

I think these folks need plexiglass installed in their abdomen's so they can see where they are walking.

 

[sbhooper]

Wyoming businesses should be screaming about this. There is a lot of NR money spent in Wyoming during the long hunting seasons. Cut out the NR and there will be an impact.

 

[Steelhead]

I guess my question is...Is it gonna pass? If so I'll be looking to find a partner for the general hunt that'll cost me 6 points

 

[Blacktailbc]

I agree.....you would think Wyoming businesses would be screaming about this.