Wyoming 90/10 impacts

[Gr8bawana]

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

He must be related to mntnprst

 

[jabber]

 

[BWALKER77]

Glad to see nonres mentioning the same things I started here so I guess I didn’t need to start a new one

Another disgruntled NR with a sense of entitlement. The state has no obligation to let you hunt at all. Be happy they are only restricting access to LE tags.

 

[D_Walt]

Some complicated stuff involved in all these draws and odds dropping for the individual. I can promise you I’m part of the problem, as I apply in 6 states for 4 or 5 species every year, and now my kids and wife apply as well. I have no empirical evidence but I’d guess 20+ years ago there were much fewer people putting their families in for hunts all over the west like I do; I know a bunch of people who do the same thing. Mostly fat Texans.

Double edged sword, I would be happy if each of my kids could hunt mule deer and elk two or three times total while under my roof, but in order to do that I’ve got to put them in every draw I can so they have NM, CO, AZ and WY apps.

Unless someone figures out a way to boost Deer, Antelope, Moose & Sheep populations back up 30-40% tags are only going to get harder to get. So much $$ and effort has been thrown at population research with minimal success it’s obvious the answers aren’t easy or currently known but population increases are the real solution. I’m confident that our G&F departments will figure out a solution, wether or not the “political will” will be there to solve the issue is a wildcard.

It is going to take some “out of the box” (I hate that cliche) thinking to get NR’s to a point of tag distribution that keeps people hunting and engaged. That would be a good thread. Maybe title it “NR Tag Systems, the NAM, and Wyoming hates NR’s” ; That should be a civil conversation, 300 posts easy.

 

[Stretcher_Jockey]

Head meet wall, wall…..head!

 

[jimss]

On a brighter note, this has nothing to do with 90/10 impacts but has 100% to do with wildlife habitat improvement. There are several scattered counties across Wyo that are actually doing an incredible amount of work battling cheatgrass that has invaded critical wildlife habitat. There have been thousands of acres of cheatgrass sprayed in Sublette, Sheridan, and other counties that will benefit wildlife.

If you have cheatgrass in your area you may want to contact your local weed and pest supervisor. There are new options available for long term cheatgrass control that significantly increase browse, native grass, and decrease the frequency of devastating wildfires. We are doing the same work on critical wildlife habitat and winter ranges here in Colo the past 5 years and reaping the benefits!

Improving wildlife habitat will likely increase the number of big game tags in your area! Nonres and res alike will both benefit.