WY NR license increase
- Thread starter BuzzH
- Start date
RICMIC
Veteran member
OOF DA MAIA!!!! There are those who will pay no matter what the cost, but I expect that many who have applied for the special tag in the past will drop off the list. That will put even more NR applicants back to the "regular" priced tag. Even at that, it's not cheap. MY 2022 GEN elk lic., including 4 years of points cost me $927. The limited cow lic. was $303. And $75 for the archery lic. Add on the conservation lic., feed ground stamp, and voluntary donations to S&R, and my bill this year is over $1,360. Not a complaint, just an observation.....but this will likely be my last GEN elk tag.
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buckbull
Veteran member
- Jun 20, 2011
- 2,167
- 1,354
Yeah, I read the great news on your hunttalk thread. They certainly can raise the prices and still have more demand than supply. I don't think this price increase will put more clients into the outfitters pool like they outfitters think. The worse part of the changes is its just not good for hunting and is not good for public land.
mnhoundman
Veteran member
I thought all the outfitters are booked out for years anyways, most of them?? So why do they need more clients? Seems a lot of them don't have help to give a quality hunt anyways, based on alot of the stories a person's been hearing.
And boy that might make the regular draw all wanky that's for sure!
And boy that might make the regular draw all wanky that's for sure!
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
Hilltop
Veteran member
This actually makes business sense for the WG&F and non residents. The special license should be priced on the edge of ridiculous so the gap is widened between that and the regular. In recent years I have seen those two draw odds essentially the same for some tags. If this appeases the outfitters, but doesn't completely disqualify the public from their pool of tags, I consider it a win win.
I somewhat agree, but I've always been a bit uneasy about tiered license fees in Wyoming. It just creates a haves versus have not feel to it that really defies the North American Model of wildlife management.
I'm also uneasy about the management agencies just being run as a business. A business runs and makes every decision on maximizing profit. No care about anything else.
Public wildlife assets should not be managed as simply a profit driven endeavor. If that's the case, them every single tag should be sold to the highest bidder, simply maximize profit.
I believe the license fees should reflect the cost needed for proper management, not to realize a maximum profit.
Right now the wgf has a years worth of operating expenses in reserve. Meaning management needs are being met with the current fee structure, with money to save.
I'm not opposed to having money in reserve or being preemptive in securing funding for potential future shortfalls. I just don't believe this increase is needed right now, it's another outfitter driven ploy to assure them clients.
I'm also uneasy about the management agencies just being run as a business. A business runs and makes every decision on maximizing profit. No care about anything else.
Public wildlife assets should not be managed as simply a profit driven endeavor. If that's the case, them every single tag should be sold to the highest bidder, simply maximize profit.
I believe the license fees should reflect the cost needed for proper management, not to realize a maximum profit.
Right now the wgf has a years worth of operating expenses in reserve. Meaning management needs are being met with the current fee structure, with money to save.
I'm not opposed to having money in reserve or being preemptive in securing funding for potential future shortfalls. I just don't believe this increase is needed right now, it's another outfitter driven ploy to assure them clients.
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
Well said. I believe a well run business (including government) should have what we called a "management reserve" when I was working. Makes a lot of sense.
Colorado's P & W is managed as an enterprise (a business) and I personally think it has gone downhill since the legislature passed the bill creating it a few years ago. They also combined Parks with Wildlife which I also think was a mistake. Different missions and different operational approaches are just not that compatible.
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Hilltop
Veteran member
That makes sense to me and i agree. However I'm getting the feeling something needs to be done to appease the outfitters. If this accomplishes that without giving them aside tags, I would be ok with it.
I think it likely would price some people out but that is by the hunters choice imo. I am far from a rich guy but I love elk hunting enough I would work a little part time side work to be able to afford the higher price tags. I believe that is a choice almost everyone could make if it were important enough to them.
dan maule
Veteran member
ithunter
Member
Agree, give them this one. Historically depending on the unit the special tag was moot and you could have better success drawing in the std NR pool.
Hilltop
Veteran member
They are also pushing for a 50/50 split between regular and random. I do think draw odds get tougher for the regular tags with this change but at least the high dollar tags will be available for the diy guys who want to budget for them.
Bonecollector
Veteran member
Aged perfectly, the outfitters didn't get their set aside just like I predicted.
You're chasing your tail...and as per usual dont know what you're talking about.
Bonecollector
Veteran member
No tail chasing here. Just another way to skin the cat. They ARE getting something they want. Wasn’t their #1 goal but it’ll do for now. Period. Task force is assisting them.
I can’t wait to open another business and if I don’t like the rules or am not making enough money, I should rely on others to change and or improve my situation.
However you made some good comments in this thread and I actually agree with you on a few.
Don’t ruin it being an asshat no matter how entertaining it is for everyone here.
Now the question is- can you leave this here or will you need to respond like a guy shooting a spike with buck fever on opening day…
Sy and WOGA aren't getting much, there will be plenty of diy guys buying the special licenses. That's a far cry from a pool of set aside tags for outfitters clients only.
As far as your asshat comment, take your own advice. I made a comment months ago that the set asides were toast...and guess what?
No need to answer, everyone knows what happened with the set asides.
Your spike comment is hilarious though, considering that buck in your picture...again, take your own advice.
D_Dubya
Active Member
This really sums it up well, imo. Can Wyoming raise the price, increase revenue and increase the draw odds for well healed hunters? Absolutely. Should this be the direction public wildlife on public lands goes - to the highest bidder? Nope. I don’t think the move to $2k on a Wyoming elk tag prices all that many people out, but what about when it goes to $5k or $10k to keep the DIY riff raff out?
As American Sportsmen we are the beneficiaries of conservation leaders who took a long view on what was best for the resource and their posterity, not merely the best route for short term gain for the few. The equitable and available access to wildlife and wildlands would be a terrible thing to squander for the temporary convenience of a few. No, it would not all fall to pieces tomorrow, but it could be a hard path to exit once started.
There are a whole lot of people willing and able to pay big bucks for opportunities, but creating such a blatant divide between the “haves and have nots” will not do hunters, wildlife or wild places any favors in the long run, in my opinion. Time will tell.
I'm out have 4 points for antelope and I choose not to play at those prices, I don't play in several other states because of how they set up their systems. Good luck to those that continue to play but its sad to think where hunting will be for my grandkids over they next 10 to 20 years and if they will even have the desire or the means to hunt.
I dont believe the interest level is sustainable much into the future. New rules every year, more expensive, longer waits, less places to go. Been wrong before but it does not look sustainable.