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Non resident prices

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Non resident prices

Postby wawhitey » 01 28, 2023 •  [Post 1]

Lately it seems that western states are all taking turns jacking their non resident prices up. Seems to be getting pretty ridiculous. I just bought my idaho stuff for this year ( license, bear tag, lion tag, 3 wolf tags ) and it was over $750, without even getting a deer or elk tag. If i had added a deer and elk tag it would have been an additional thousand bucks. Seems a bit excessive to charge 231.75 for a bear tag, and 204.50 for a lion tag, on top of requiring a 185 dollar license. Have to wonder where peoples line in the sand will be on tag costs, especially seeing how expensive deer and elk tags are getting across the west. At some point will non resident tags go unsold? Or will it just be that the middle class is eventually priced out of going out of state to hunt elk and deer?
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Re: Non resident prices

Postby Jhg » 01 28, 2023 •  [Post 2]

Supply and demand.
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Re: Non resident prices

Postby saddlesore » 01 28, 2023 •  [Post 3]

Colorado now has automatic increase each year based on in inflation. In 2022 a NR bull elk tag was $700.98. If you participate in the first draw ,you must buy a Qualifying license. $86.50 and a Habitat Stamp $10.59. So that is just shy of $800. My guessitment for 2023 would be a 2-5%increase. Maybe $20. NR quotas for the first draw is 35 % of allocated tags except for units that take more than 6 points to draw.Then it is 20%.

Second draw there is no quota or NR , OTC neither. So it is wide open. 2nd draw gives preference to all youth that apply.

Starting in 2025 ,this will all change for the next 5 year big game structure
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Re: Non resident prices

Postby wawhitey » 01 29, 2023 •  [Post 4]

Jhg wrote:Supply and demand.


I understand that to a point as far as elk and deer go. A lot of people want to hunt them. The demand is greater than the supply. But $620 for a non resident (would be $44 for resident) just to go over with a bear tag and a lion tag? Seems a bit much to me. Wolf tags are very reasonably priced though, so theres that at least. Cheap enough that i buy three, just incase i get really lucky and get into a pack.
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Re: Non resident prices

Postby Jhg » 01 29, 2023 •  [Post 5]

Well sure. Seems to me They have realized somewhere along the way that they have parties willing to pay the increased cost for tags and are taking advantage of that. This is classic free market economy at work. If anywhere along the political road you have claimed that philosophy as part of your political make up, can there be any complaint?

I personally have a conflict going on in my mind: tags that an "everyman" can afford vs the fact that there are so many more hunters now maybe high cost will thin the ranks a little?

I am originally from Maine. Historically we gave everything of value Maine had to offer away for cheap to interests out of state. When they raised moose tags to reflect real value, hunters, (you guessed it) complained they now had to pay fair market for a tag. Oh well.


I think cheap tags have gone the way of cheap oil. What worries me about that is what it eventually represents for access.
Who gets to hunt? The wealthy. Just like in Europe. What use are public lands with game if we can't afford the cost of hunting? High cost for tags is the same as limiting access.
I feel that is the danger. Almost a "back door" way of making public lands private. With that in mind it is the number of tags that should limit hunters. NOT high cost for those tags.
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Re: Non resident prices

Postby Lefty » 01 29, 2023 •  [Post 6]

IO use to complain and question prices, yes they seem high.
But for most an elk tag is only 10-30% of the cost of a hunt loss in work opportunity costs.

My wife and Sister in law are talking it up,, an 8-day Hawaii trip, motel flight and some food, $2300,,, and they get to walk on a beach and work on their skin cancer :roll:

Maybe not a bargain. but Im willing to pony up for the opportunity to hunt elk in another state.
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Re: Non resident prices

Postby Jhg » 01 29, 2023 •  [Post 7]

Interesting comparison and worth noting. I had not thought of it that way. Makes a lot of sense. Heck, a week long cruise (my personal hell vacation) cost thousands.
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Re: Non resident prices

Postby Swede » 01 30, 2023 •  [Post 8]

I have no particular interest in hunting out of State, so it does not impact me like it does many wanting to hunt from other States. Still, I wonder what the State does for outsiders that they are not doing for their residents, and why the nonresident has to pay so much? A comparison between a Hawaii vacation and a self-guided elk hunt is about as good as comparing a flight to Acapulco with a stay in a fine hotel, with a ride in a coal car to the bottom on a mine. There is no comparison. I agree with Whitey. It is ridiculous.
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Re: Non resident prices

Postby saddlesore » 01 30, 2023 •  [Post 9]

Swede wrote:I have no particular interest in hunting out of state, so it does not impact me like it does many. Still, I wonder what the State does for outsiders that they are not doing for their residents, and why the nonresident has to pay so much? A comparison between a Hawaii vacation and a self-guided elk hunt is about as good as comparing a flight to Acapulco and a stay in a fine hotel, with a ride in a coal car to the bottom on a mine. There is no comparison. I agree with Whitey. It is ridiculous.


Colorado does it by permitting 35% of allocated tags to non residents and no limit of OTC tags No other western state does that and NR although they grumble about it, but buys all they can.
I have only hunted out of state three times in over 50 years.Once while living in NM in the 70's I hunted Colorado. Once for an elk hunt in Alberta in the early 80's, and once in Nebraska for whitetail courtesy of Luke Kessler a few year sago.
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Re: Non resident prices

Postby Lefty » 01 30, 2023 •  [Post 10]

Swede wrote: what the State does for outsiders that they are not doing for their residents, and why the nonresident has to pay so much? .

Since each individual state shoulders the lion's share of the cost associated with maintaining wildlife populations, hunters who don't live and pay taxes in those states are expected to pay more for the opportunity to take advantage of those resources.
For me, the obvious reason is< the other state is providing me with something my state doesn't or can't.



Swede wrote: There is no comparison. .
We all get to choose what we want, and how to spend our money and what we do for recreation or lifestyle. When I was young and single Friday night I was headed home by 11:00 SO I would be ready to hunt or be fishing in the morning.


ski tickets
year pass in Utah $999.00
SunVally $2765.00 for the season

Heck Im looking forward to paying $1100 for my Montana deer and elk next year.


MN. Non-Resident Licenses
Bear - license (nr) - Code 661 $230.00
Bear - youth $5.00
Deer - archery (nr) - Code 223$185.00
Deer - Disease Management - $1.50
Deer - Early Antlerless45.00
Deer - firearm (nr) - Code 222$185.00
Deer - muzzleloader license(nr) - Code 237$185.00
Deer - youth 10 - 12 (archery-246/firearm-247/muzzleloader-248)No
Deer - youth 13 to 17 (archery-230 / firearm-231 / muzzloader-236) (nr)$5.00
Trapping-nonresident/landowner only - Code 207$84.00
Turkey - spring archery (nr) - Code 608$96.00
Wild rice - daily (nr) - Code 333$30.00
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Re: Non resident prices

Postby Swede » 01 30, 2023 •  [Post 11]

Lefty wrote:We all get to choose what we want, and how to spend our money and what we do for recreation or lifestyle. When I was young and single Friday night I was headed home by 11:00 SO I would be ready to hunt or be fishing in the morning.


People pay that much because that is the going rate. That does not make it right.
So why can't the local gas station charge nonresidents $59.999 for a gallon of gas? They don't have a monopoly, and if they did the government would go after them. How do you understand the following?

"The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States." Article IV Section 2, Constitution of the United States.

I am no Philidelphia lawyer, but it is obvious to me that I am discriminated on when it comes to hunting in any State but my own home State. I don't care that much, but that is how it appears.
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Re: Non resident prices

Postby Tigger » 01 31, 2023 •  [Post 12]

My biggest concern is pricing the average Joe out of the market. Now be sure, our resident Joe (IS), will be just fine because he is above average. But when we lose the average, everyday hunter and make it rich man only sport, that is really concerning to me.
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Re: Non resident prices

Postby Jhg » 01 31, 2023 •  [Post 13]

Right. The problem is much, much bigger than high priced tags. Swede touches on that as does Tigger.

High tag prices are an end run on access. Public lands were never intended to be a cash cow for anyone. States included. Write your congressfolk. Write your state game officials. Get informed. Be concerned.

Do not be fooled that somehow, when those with deep wallets (who have more buying power and more influence due to the value states are placing on that money) will have our interests in mind whenever decisions are made as to how public lands and the game animals on them are managed.

I want to see fewer hunters. I want to see lower tag numbers, and I want the cost for out of state tags to be priced at a more equitable level that will not shut out a whole economic class.
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Re: Non resident prices

Postby Swede » 01 31, 2023 •  [Post 14]

Jhg wrote:I want to see fewer hunters. I want to see lower tag numbers, and I want the cost for out of state tags to be priced at a more equitable level that will not shut out a whole economic class.


Perfect. I think you and Tigger are right on. One concern I have is that residents will get all of the tags. They do not want out of State hunters invading their territory. It is so bad in Oregon that they want to exclude out of county hunters. It is greed on steroids. Never mind; many of the local hunters are lousy and lazy.
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Re: Non resident prices

Postby Billy Goat » 02 01, 2023 •  [Post 15]

inflation hits everything. much as it frustrates me to pay what I pay...... to Saddlesores point...... I'll pay it.

that said, I'm an engineer in the peak of my earning years, and my wife isnt a spender. we live well within our means. I can afford it. I'm sad for folks that cant, or wont be able to.

people are reproducing faster than elk herds (and other big game). with more demand and stagnant (at best) supply, prices will rise.

2023 will be the first year in many that I wont do a big game hunt in a western state. I'm between draws right now, still building PP's in CO, WY, MT for most species.

2024 will be a CO elk hunt, assuming I can draw (I expect more point creep, so thats not a lock). not sure about 2025 - maybe muley in WY

I'm thankful to have hopes of hunts. someday, I hope to hunt with my grandkids, Godwilling, but they haven't been conceived yet. :)
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Re: Non resident prices

Postby saddlesore » 02 01, 2023 •  [Post 16]

Swede wrote:
Jhg wrote:I want to see fewer hunters. I want to see lower tag numbers, and I want the cost for out of state tags to be priced at a more equitable level that will not shut out a whole economic class.


Perfect. I think you and Tigger are right on. One concern I have is that residents will get all of the tags. They do not want out of State hunters invading their territory. It is so bad in Oregon that they want to exclude out of county hunters. It is greed on steroids. Never mind; many of the local hunters are lousy and lazy.


As I posted, NR are still getting a third of all Colorado draw tags and all the OTC tags they want. If they put in for the 2nd draw,there is no quota. It could end up,that NR have more total tags than residents.
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