200% Licence Increase for WY NR Hunters In the Works

[tellico4x4]

Committee OKs Up To 200% Hike For Nonresident Wyoming Hunting Tags - Cowboy State Daily

Calling Wyoming the “Saudi Arabia Of Antelope,” an outfitter and former Wildlife Task Force member said Wyoming should put a premium price tag on its premium – and often once-in-a-lifetime – hunting experience.

cowboystatedaily.com

 

[nwsg76]

This will increase point creep in the regular draw for sure. Looks like it getting real close for me to cash in my deer and antelope points soon. I just applied for my elk tag and should draw.

 

[AT Hiker]

Every time one proposal gets shot down someone has another to bring back up.
No doubt major changes are coming to western hunting, it's basic supply and demand.
Non resident hunting, as we know it, will likely be a thing of the past, in the not so distant future.

 

[PossumSlayer]

Under the bill, for those first-in-line 40% of nonresidents, fees would jump nearly 118% from $576 to $1,258 for elk tags. Prices would go from $288 to $826 for deer (a 187% jump) and from $288 to $874 for antelope, the largest hike at 203%.


Damn expensive meat!

 

[gtk]

Every time one proposal gets shot down someone has another to bring back up.
No doubt major changes are coming to western hunting, it's basic supply and demand.
Non resident hunting, as we know it, will likely be a thing of the past, in the not so distant future.

that is an understatement. CO will soon limit NR tags considerably, for elk as well as deer. The residents will get what they ask for, along with a huge jump in their license fee. For me, unless I get moved back out there, an elk/deer hunt will end up being an "every 3-4 year" trip instead of every year.

Under the bill, for those first-in-line 40% of nonresidents, fees would jump nearly 118% from $576 to $1,258 for elk tags. Prices would go from $288 to $826 for deer (a 187% jump) and from $288 to $874 for antelope, the largest hike at 203%.


Damn expensive meat!

Figures, just about the time i secure an awesome place to hunt, now I won't be able to afford it. I love antelope hunting in WY, but there is NO way i'm paying almost $900 for a hunt.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

This doesn't really surprise me. I've been researching draw odds for some hunts and have noticed that in a lot of units, the special draw may get you in a year early, but in many cases, it takes the same number of points to draw special as it does regular. Although, the special tag does get you much better odds in the random draw. With the new price increases, I'm sure the regular draw odds will shoot through the roof, but I'm waiting to see if the special odds get reduced.

 

[tellico4x4]

As you know, buying the tag just gets you started. DIY hunts are going to be as expensive as a guided hunt was a few years ago. With diesel at $5-6/gal I spent $2k this past fall just in travel expense on my SD hunt.

At 69 years old I'm in a real quandary as to what I'm going to do. Started buying WY points for antelope, deer & elk 14 years ago for myself & two grandsons. Plan was for us to go on 3 good hunts when they got out of school & settled into adult life. These were going to wind me up on western hunts. Antelope & deer population has been dismal at best the past few years, and had planned on using those hunts to also scout areas for elk. Can't hit the mountains like I use to, as the days of me hoisting a 70# backpack on and heading out for a week or two are long past. Don't know what to do.... Almost to point of throwing hands up and saying screw it, ain't gonna happen.

 

[gtk]

Can't hit the mountains like I use to, as the days of me hoisting a 70# backpack on and heading out for a week or two are long past. Don't know what to do.... Almost to point of throwing hands up and saying screw it, ain't gonna happen.

This is on my mind often. I'm 55, and want to enjoy as much "western" hunting/ fly fishing as I can while and while I am physically able to do so.

The 40's weren't bad at all, but the 50's seem to make me actually slow down some. While I can still cover 10miles a day, packing an elk out is 50x tougher than it used to be. I can't imagine what the 60's will be like

 

[Antler Daddy]

It doesnt really seem fair to hunt US federal public lands, but it is what it is.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

As you know, buying the tag just gets you started. DIY hunts are going to be as expensive as a guided hunt was a few years ago. With diesel at $5-6/gal I spent $2k this past fall just in travel expense on my SD hunt.

At 69 years old I'm in a real quandary as to what I'm going to do. Started buying WY points for antelope, deer & elk 14 years ago for myself & two grandsons. Plan was for us to go on 3 good hunts when they got out of school & settled into adult life. These were going to wind me up on western hunts. Antelope & deer population has been dismal at best the past few years, and had planned on using those hunts to also scout areas for elk. Can't hit the mountains like I use to, as the days of me hoisting a 70# backpack on and heading out for a week or two are long past. Don't know what to do.... Almost to point of throwing hands up and saying screw it, ain't gonna happen.

Like you, I'm a decade+ into elk and mule deer points and there just isn't a unit worth blowing that many deer points on. There hasn't been for quite a while. Every year, I keep thinking about sharing my points with someone and just hunting a mediocre unit and being done with deer in WY. I'm too invested into it to just walk away and it would give me an excuse to be done after the hunt.

 

[AT Hiker]

It doesnt really seem fair to hunt US federal public lands, but it is what it is.

Not sure what you mean here?

It does suck to have access to so much land but not be able to hunt it, however the animals are under state management and not federal.

Our only hope is for a solid decade of fantastic weather and no disease. Get numbers back up so they can increase tags.
We still have development to contend with but that's for another topic.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

I went on a CO elk bow hunt this past fall. Been going 9 out of the last 10 years. It's likely the last one for me. Prices everywhere out west have gotten way out of control. Like @AT Hiker said, supply and demand. No demand here

 

[AT Hiker]

Under the bill, for those first-in-line 40% of nonresidents, fees would jump nearly 118% from $576 to $1,258 for elk tags. Prices would go from $288 to $826 for deer (a 187% jump) and from $288 to $874 for antelope, the largest hike at 203%.


Damn expensive meat!

A decent WY outfitted antelope hunt is gonna run you close to $3k (lodging/access/guide) add on tip, fuel, taxidermy, tag, etc and your pushing an easy $5k if they increase antelope tags that much.

Mule deer, approx $5600 for an outfitted ranch style hunt plus tag, tips, fuel, etc.

I say that because even if antelope tags went to $1500 you could still have a DIY public land hunt cheaper than a outfitted hunt. Of course, these limited access low success rate units would never draw out.

Look at Wyoming NR Bison tag fees....$4400 for a tag, if your lucky enough to draw one. Sky is the limit on how high the tag fees can go.

 

[nwsg76]

I bailed out on all the bison, sheep, moose draws several years ago. Just no chance to draw. At least I was not invested 10 plus years.
But now I am invested 10 plus years on deer and antelope. The idea of sharing points keeps crossing my mind for deer and antelope. Finding someone to trust and enjoy a hunt is harder than you think.

 

[DeerCamp]

Under the bill, for those first-in-line 40% of nonresidents, fees would jump nearly 118% from $576 to $1,258 for elk tags. Prices would go from $288 to $826 for deer (a 187% jump) and from $288 to $874 for antelope, the largest hike at 203%.


Damn expensive meat!

Yep. There's not cost to meat justification for western hunting. You're paying for the experience.

 

[AT Hiker]

I suspect they could raise prices 10 fold and they would still sell out.

 

[LanceS4803]

I suspect they could raise prices 10 fold and they would still sell out.

Unfortunately, true.
I've only been building pronghorn points there, which is expensive enough.

 

[Antler Daddy]

Guess I will never get a pronghorn!

Non-hunters really don't have a clue how expensive hunting and especially travel hunts are for non-residents.

 

[tellico4x4]

I bailed out on all the bison, sheep, moose draws several years ago. Just no chance to draw. At least I was not invested 10 plus years.
But now I am invested 10 plus years on deer and antelope. The idea of sharing points keeps crossing my mind for deer and antelope. Finding someone to trust and enjoy a hunt is harder than you think.

Maybe it's time for a TnDeer WY hunt, pool the points & go

 

[tellico4x4]

This is on my mind often. I'm 55, and want to enjoy as much "western" hunting/ fly fishing as I can while and while I am physically able to do so.

The 40's weren't bad at all, but the 50's seem to make me actually slow down some. While I can still cover 10miles a day, packing an elk out is 50x tougher than it used to be. I can't imagine what the 60's will be like

So blessed to have started hunting out west (CO) in 1979. 20+ trips to various western states since then, so many memories. First few hunts were 7 day private land drop camps in Craig, Co for $300.00, combination deer, bear & elk over the counter license were $250.00.
Oh yeah, I was making $16k a year back then!