Western tag $$$$ is crazy!!!

[Cooter]

Quote:

---

Move to Montana

---

The thought has crossed my mind, trust me!

[CAJ]

One thing about Montana, is that there is a lot of private land that can be hunted if you ask permisssion, without having to pay $100 a day to get off the road. A lot of people from Minnesota and other states say that is why they come here. The no pay to hunt per day makes up for the price of the permits. CAJ

[Born2Fish]

Being I just moved out west(Las Vegas), and the fact that i LOVE to hunt I found out first hand just how expensive it is to hunt if you are non resident. ANY animal that i want to hunt other than a mountain lion or mule deer is going to cost me an arm and a leg. Elk,Bighorn,Mountain Goat are all 1,200. But also considering that the populations of these animals here is pretty small I can agree that someone coming from out of state should have to pay more to hunt these animals. Now thats not sayin in a area out west where the population is good, where tags prices are still very high, that they should be so high. But as was stated, they do pay their taxes in these states and should be rewarded with the opportunity to hunt these animals at a price considerably lower than non residents. I also feel that the high prices of non resident licenses' will increase the money these places with the lower population of animals have to put back into wildlife preservation. Without these prices and people willing to come out west and actually pay the prices to hunt, they might not have the money needed to keep up with all the costs of maintaing a good hunting situation(I.E. Conservation officers, land management, animal habitat conservation, and numerous studies upon the animals for future generations). The prices will always be there, and the only way to avoid paying them is to move and become a resident of one of the previously mentioned western states. Personally i say keep the prices high, and keep the conservation efforts also moving forward. Because every day there is another group of people trying to take away these great opportunities we have as sportsmen to get outdoors and do something that we have loved for so many years.

[so haaad]

Elk and elk hunting is a valuable resource for western states. It's kind of like gasoline. It costs so much because they know that you will pay for it.

[iffwalleyes]

I got my app in the mail the other day for Mt Elk. $593 for non res elk. It is the same price as last year at least. All I know is it will be in the mail before March 15th.

[harvey lee]

It comes down to one thing, if you want to play, you have to pay. Supply and demand. We may not like it, but I want to hunt.

[Cooter]

Well I was looking at CO DOW cuz I'm gonna hunt there this fall. Looking back on some posts I've realized indeed it is supply and demand and the game departments trying to make money. The line of thinking that its OK for high non-resident fees because the money goes to research/habitat is bunk because a cow tag only costs $251 in CO vs a bull tag at $495. Does it cost more to manage bulls than cows?

[CAJ]

I sit here and look at the prices of hunting tags for Elk and Deer, and realize the price isn't cheep, but when I was a little younger and dank a little to much, I realize that the tags arn't to bad when you figure what one night at the bar costs. I could have had a lot more huntting trips, if I wouldn't have partied to much. CAJ

[nolte]

Cooter

I'm with you on this deal. I've got no problem paying a high tag fee. You want to hunt that game you've got to pay for the tags. It's the ridiculous application fee in some western states. Many of them make you buy a general type type license, just to submit your application. If you don't get drawn, you just paid $100 for nothing. That is an absolute rip-off to me. If I got drawn no problem, here is my $600 elk tag and $100 gen license, I wanted to do it so I have to pay. If you apply for many of the premium units it can take a lot of years to pull a tag(which is mostly on Fed Land), and put the price out of the reach of the majority of non-res. It's a bad system that is only going to get worse.

[GSPMark]

Consider Washington State, You can still get License and tag for under $400 and you can buy them over the counter. They have a lot of elk, both yellowstone and roosevelt and millions of acres of public land. Used to live there and had a lot of success in harvesting p&y class bulls. My son moved back last year and harvested a nice 5 point bull in his first season there last year. His first elk with a bow.

[Cooter]

Thanks GSP, I'll check into that!

[BendnSend]

1 nation under god? Sure doesnt seem that way to western states when it comes to non-residents does it! Its almost like were border jumpers and there Mr. Bush to me!

[papabear]

It is beyond supply and demand. It is based onhow much some one is willing to pay. Apparently A lot of people are willing to pay. Look at real estate prices that have sky rocketed the prices went up because people were willing to pay now when they are not so willing prices stabilize.

[Mr.Seaguar]

Who got tags? I got a WY tag.

[Scoot]

I drew a WY tag. I'll be going out there with five buddies on a bowhunt for elk. Yeeeeehhhaaaaa!!! This is my dream trip and for me... the trip of a lifetime!!! I can't wait.

One small hiccup- my wife is due with baby #2 on Sep. 6th. Lord help me!

[Nate McVey]

Cooter, I have bought over the counter cow and bull tags in CO the last 2 years. Only certain areas have extra, but we have had a successful camp each of the last 6 years. Cows are reasonable, bulls get a little steep for out of state, but then again you also have the memories and time with friends for a week. I don't know any other week long vacation that lets you have that much fun and have the chance at a trophy animal for that cheap.

[Cooter]

Shiner, I hear ya, been out there before and will be going this fall for either elk or mule deer. CO's system is fine, you pay $3 to apply and then reasonable prices for a tag. My main gripe was how much it cost in AZ just to APPLY each year. Here's a pic of my CO elk, public land and OTC tag.

[Nate McVey]

Nice bull Cooter. I have one 5 by under my belt and have missed cows the last 3 years (all running). We pull into Avon the day before the season, grab tags and a few neccesities and it's up to the woods for a week. I lived there for 5 years so I was spoiled being able to bowhunt mulies and rifle hunt with a drawn cow tag and an over the counter bull. There are a lot of elk there and it is worth it to me. I applied in MT once, now that is STEEP for out of state!

[Cooter]

Well I figured out another state I won't be applying for anymore - Utah. Stinks too because I have several elk points and points for mountain goat and moose. Used to be $10/yr for pref points now its $75 just for elk.

I'm down to Montana, Idaho, and Colorado although I haven't checked into Washington or Oregon.

Wyoming is on the bubble, $50 for an elk point isn't too bad and most units don't take that many to draw, but a non-res tag is over $1000.

[surewood]

What is frusterating is it prices the blue collar worker right out of a hunting trip. If you draw a tag and your son/daughter draws one that is alot of money, that many people can't afford. Be nice to atleast see a drop and a cap on federal lands. I read something about that in a state out west in a magazine but I can't remeber the magazine or the state. It's one thing to have the money to manage the land but prices seem so high that it just looks like greed to me. I'd rather see more people being able to apply due to lower prices and maybe only get drawn a couple times then the people with money get drawn many times. I'm not trying to make this a arguement between the rich and the poor, I'd just like to see more people with an equal oppurtunity.

[Powerstroke]

It is very disappointing that the average joe can't set himself up with the hunt of a lifetime. Tag prices alone are through the roof and if you don't have the time or means to DIY, then you might want to hire a guide and thats through the roof cause the guide doesn't want to charge you less than your tag.......

Its too bad. I would love to "try" this out, but for the price I can't afford to not get an animal. It would be a very expensive sight-seeing trip.

[Hollywood]

Been talking to several outfitters lately and they all seem to run in the 9-10,000 dollar range for a 5 day elk hunt! One guy quoted me $17,500 for a elk/mule deer combo! Outrageous! Four of us could easily go out there for 10 grand! Makes a guy disgusted with the lack of opportunity!

[harvey lee]

Seems the only way one can afford to go west hunting the trophies is a DIY hunt. The odds may go down but with alot of checking out the areas and talking to ranchers, it will save one some dollars and might make it more feasable.

[Tyler D]

The fact is tag fees are probably only going to go up so we might as well get used to it. This year I will spend $85 in Utah for an elk point and a desert big horn point. About $170 in nevada for desert, rocky mountain, and california bighorn point, $40 in montana for a bighorn point and a goat point, plus my colorado sheep and goat points and a mule deer point in colorado which is still fairly cheap. I dont really have the money to do it I just graduated college and am still in the process of looking for my first real job, but I'm still going to pony up for it. The reality is people are going to have to decide what is imprtant to them. If you are very selective about your unit choices you can do some pretty good do it yourself hunting ou there, plus its more fun that way.

[Tyler D]

By the way Cooter,

Oregon and washington are not worth it at least not worth it if you care about trophy hunting. I believe both of them you need to buy a hunting licsence to apply and there is not good trophies for any species. The only real thing worth applying for is sheep if your that is if your serious about sheep hunting.