It’s true that each state in the US owns the wildlife and can do what they choose with hunting regulations, tag quotas, etc. Some nonresidents believe that it is wise to sit back and allow each state to figure out their own strategies for allotting tags, etc. It is evident in my posts scattered across different hunting websites that it’s my quest to bring the Wyoming Task Force and the 90/10 issue to the attention to as many nonresident hunters as possible. Wyo nonres have 0 members on this task force and virtually 0 voice in what is going on other than comments submitted to the task force.
Wyoming and Colorado are pretty much the last states standing in the entire Western US that offer great opportunity to nonres big game hunters. If 90/10 passes for deer, elk, and antelope in Wyo you can pretty much guarantee the same thing will happen in Colorado. Believe me, there is already talk about doing this in Colo. 90/10 in Wyo will be motivation for getting this process passed in Colo. If nonres opportunity is slashed in these 2 last states it will have long lasting effects on nonres hunting as we know it in the US for those nonres hunters and families that enjoy hunting OYO.
Some Wyo residents say that I’m doing this for my own selfish benefit of continuing to draw tags. I wouldn’t be putting my heart and sole into this unless I thought otherwise. With my age, I only have a few more tags that I’ll draw in my lifetime. I’m a resident of Colo and can guarantee I’m not going to switch faces and suddenly quit battling the nonres cause in my home state. Colo currently offers nonres the best hunting opportunity of any state in the entire Western US and I’m super proud to say that!
The impact from 90/10 in Wyoming for nonres across the entire US will be evident for generations to come. If 90/10 passes each nonres hunter will likely ask themselves whether it is worth investing time and $ for them and their families to continue applying if nonres limited tags are cut in ½ and draw odds spiral even higher than their current levels. For those nonres on a budget this is next to impossible. Nonres youth hunters will be the real losers in this battle.
This could potentially end hunting as we know it for the younger generation of nonres hunters since nonres tags have been cut so severely across the Western US with the added high expense of high pref pt fees. Nonres that currently apply themselves and family members for tags on a strict budget will fade with time. How many out of state hunters will be able to afford spending several hundred dollars/year on themselves plus their kids? Will nonres continue to apply if tags are cut in ½ and the expense associated with applying for these tags? This is exactly what I’m fighting for! I have a feeling that if nonres tag quotas are left as is that nonres will continue to support the WG&F revenue for years to come.
It’s easy to sit back and watch if you live in a Western state like Colorado or Montana where residents have great opportunity to hunt big game each year. How about those that live in the East and Midwest and the only species they hunt are whitetails? I really believe it goes way beyond Western states having the right to do what they desire with wildlife and tag allotments. I really believe the hunting heritage across the US is slowly but sure being lost. Should this be important to Wyo residents and the WG&F…I believe it should. I’m certain that every nonres that has been fortunate to hunt big game in Wyoming are truly grateful for that opportunity.
So is it wise to sit back as a nonres and allow due process to happen in Wyo? I guess that’s totally up to you. If you are an OYO hunter that enjoys hunting public land in the Western US with family and friends you may want to get involved in voicing your opinion to the task force before it’s too late! If you are a concerned nonres here is the website where you can submit your comments to the task force: https://sites.google.com/wyo.gov/wyomingwildlifetaskforce/home/public-input
Wyoming and Colorado are pretty much the last states standing in the entire Western US that offer great opportunity to nonres big game hunters. If 90/10 passes for deer, elk, and antelope in Wyo you can pretty much guarantee the same thing will happen in Colorado. Believe me, there is already talk about doing this in Colo. 90/10 in Wyo will be motivation for getting this process passed in Colo. If nonres opportunity is slashed in these 2 last states it will have long lasting effects on nonres hunting as we know it in the US for those nonres hunters and families that enjoy hunting OYO.
Some Wyo residents say that I’m doing this for my own selfish benefit of continuing to draw tags. I wouldn’t be putting my heart and sole into this unless I thought otherwise. With my age, I only have a few more tags that I’ll draw in my lifetime. I’m a resident of Colo and can guarantee I’m not going to switch faces and suddenly quit battling the nonres cause in my home state. Colo currently offers nonres the best hunting opportunity of any state in the entire Western US and I’m super proud to say that!
The impact from 90/10 in Wyoming for nonres across the entire US will be evident for generations to come. If 90/10 passes each nonres hunter will likely ask themselves whether it is worth investing time and $ for them and their families to continue applying if nonres limited tags are cut in ½ and draw odds spiral even higher than their current levels. For those nonres on a budget this is next to impossible. Nonres youth hunters will be the real losers in this battle.
This could potentially end hunting as we know it for the younger generation of nonres hunters since nonres tags have been cut so severely across the Western US with the added high expense of high pref pt fees. Nonres that currently apply themselves and family members for tags on a strict budget will fade with time. How many out of state hunters will be able to afford spending several hundred dollars/year on themselves plus their kids? Will nonres continue to apply if tags are cut in ½ and the expense associated with applying for these tags? This is exactly what I’m fighting for! I have a feeling that if nonres tag quotas are left as is that nonres will continue to support the WG&F revenue for years to come.
It’s easy to sit back and watch if you live in a Western state like Colorado or Montana where residents have great opportunity to hunt big game each year. How about those that live in the East and Midwest and the only species they hunt are whitetails? I really believe it goes way beyond Western states having the right to do what they desire with wildlife and tag allotments. I really believe the hunting heritage across the US is slowly but sure being lost. Should this be important to Wyo residents and the WG&F…I believe it should. I’m certain that every nonres that has been fortunate to hunt big game in Wyoming are truly grateful for that opportunity.
So is it wise to sit back as a nonres and allow due process to happen in Wyo? I guess that’s totally up to you. If you are an OYO hunter that enjoys hunting public land in the Western US with family and friends you may want to get involved in voicing your opinion to the task force before it’s too late! If you are a concerned nonres here is the website where you can submit your comments to the task force: https://sites.google.com/wyo.gov/wyomingwildlifetaskforce/home/public-input
