WY HR Bill 0288 WY G&F Fee Increases

[Extractor]

So BuzzH, what was the driving force behind this bill, and why now?

 

[rcfireninja]

Does this start with points we are buying this year? Or 2018


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[Horsenhike]

Maybe I should take up capturing falcons. Didn't even know that was a thing.

 

[buckbull]

Well at least residents are being asked to pony up more too, albeit very marginal increases.

Most nonres with points will either have to stay in the game or loose all of them so I don't see this effecting existing nonres points holders but may limit the amount of folks with zero points. Unfortunate really, these high tag prices are going to do nothing to help hunter recruitment. Won't really effect the nonres guide hunters as much either since they're already throwing down $5500 for their once in a lifetime elk hunt.

 

[Doe Nob]

Looks like this is the last year I apply for cow bison. They already got me to drop out of Moose and BHS with point backlogs and declining populations.

I'm all for charging more for a better product but....when your product is worsening, you will lose market share.

 

[50bowhunter]

I see this making this years draw for deer/antelope a nightmare. Existing point holders are going to want out of the game and try to cash in their points for a lesser unit.


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[go_deep]

I see this making this years draw for deer/antelope a nightmare. Existing point holders are going to want out of the game and try to cash in their points for a lesser unit.


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That was the first thought I had too, a lot of people will want out.

Be interesting to see in a few years how many more leftover tags there are, POSSIBLE in the lower end units that is.
Cow elk tags, and doe tags are going to be a hot commodity for NR.

 

[CoHiCntry]

With the ever increasing prices to apply & hunt and the ever decreasing draw odds in western states, I wish I'd never gotten wrapped up in these points systems! Too much invested to drop out now though. I'm desperately trying to get out without "wasting" my investment. I feel sorry for guys that don't live in a western state but have the western hunting bug. I'm gonna get out and only hunt Colorado in the future and maybe antelope in Wyoming in a low points unit every other year or so as long as the prices don't get to crazy...

 

[Zim]

Played my WY cards right since 2010: Dumped my 8 sheep points to avoid paying the $100 nonrefundable fee which only was going up, now $150. For a tag I had no mathematical chance for on the preference side - Check; Cashed my moose points back then as soon as I could, scored a bull. Got out of that $75/yr nonrefundable game afterwards - Check; Burned my 7 elk & lope point for regular price tags in 2013, and applied on the "special" side since then while I had something to gain. But at $1,266? No thanks - Check; Been applying for bull bison the last ten years at around $1,200. But at $4,400? No way. I'm kinda glad they made that a very easy decision for me. One of my thoughts on making these moves was that I was, and still am, convinced WY will water down previously sold points by shifting the quota from 75/25 to 50/50 pref/random. But this price shakeup serves the same purpose.

"Preference points for elk, deer, pronghorn can now be up to $75/each"

This will be a game changer for me. It's the reason I exited their sheep & moose game. Just too much to save points so I will attempt to burn my max deer points this year and exit that game as well. Shift gears on lope to burn them every few years on low tier hunts. I'll burn my elk points next year in a mid-tier unit I want to try, then afterwards shift to general tags in the regular price draw pool. For me the price to marginally improve hunt quality just won't be a good ROI any longer. Long term point saving is out for me now. I'm just not going to pay money to not hunt. That is what these states all want to peddle now........the opportunity to NOT hunt.

 

[JimP]

I see this making this years draw for deer/antelope a nightmare. Existing point holders are going to want out of the game and try to cash in their points for a lesser unit.


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I would wager that 90% of those putting in for the Wyoming draws have no idea that this is happening and won't find out until the look at the fee schedule next year.

 

[Prerylyon]

I guess I'm confused trying to match the current tag and license fees against what's in the link above, for reference, here is a link to the current fees:

https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Apply-or-Buy/License-Fee-List

The current price is $577 for non resident elk basic tag (not the type 6), sans fees, and in the bill, it has a strike thru for $480 and a new price of $576? What WY non-res elk tag is currently $480? Or is that extra money for the higher odds special draw?

Deer is currently $312 for a non-res, that bill lists $288. Antelope is currently $272 for a nonres, the bill lists $288.

I may have it all wrong, but it looks to me like the elk tag is $1 cheaper, with deer $24 cheaper and antelope $16 more.

I guess the bigger deal are the pref points? ( I started buying pref pts for deer, elk, antelope, in 2015 for bull/buck hunts in the way, way distant future-with 6 kids, 5 in Catholic school, stay at home mom, its gonna be the cheapest cow and doe tags I can find for the next 10+ yrs! lol)

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[go_deep]

Played my WY cards right since 2010: Dumped my 8 sheep points to avoid paying the $100 nonrefundable fee which only was going up, now $150. For a tag I had no mathematical chance for on the preference side - Check; Cashed my moose points back then as soon as I could, scored a bull. Got out of that $75/yr nonrefundable game afterwards - Check; Burned my 7 elk & lope point for regular price tags in 2013, and applied on the "special" side since then while I had something to gain. But at $1,266? No thanks - Check; Been applying for bull bison the last ten years at around $1,200. But at $4,400? No way. I'm kinda glad they made that a very easy decision for me. One of my thoughts on making these moves was that I was, and still am, convinced WY will water down previously sold points by shifting the quota from 75/25 to 50/50 pref/random. But this price shakeup serves the same purpose.

"Preference points for elk, deer, pronghorn can now be up to $75/each"

This will be a game changer for me. It's the reason I exited their sheep & moose game. Just too much to save points so I will attempt to burn my max deer points this year and exit that game as well. Shift gears on lope to burn them every few years on low tier hunts. I'll burn my elk points next year in a mid-tier unit I want to try, then afterwards shift to general tags in the regular price draw pool. For me the price to marginally improve hunt quality just won't be a good ROI any longer. Long term point saving is out for me now. I'm just not going to pay money to not hunt. That is what these states all want to peddle now........the opportunity to NOT hunt.

Personally I'm not interested in a ranch hunt for Bison, but I wouldn't blame people for doing a hunt in the Dakota's on a ranch for less than the tag cost in Wyoming.

 

[Horsenhike]

There are two prices for each listing. Special and not special.

Read carefully and you will see. Took me a few times through to figure it out.

 

[Prerylyon]

There are two prices for each listing. Special and not special.

Read carefully and you will see. Took me a few times through to figure it out.

Ok. I think I see it now. 2017 nonres elk special draw = $577 + $480 = $1,057

Future nonres special draw = $577 + $576 = $1,153

That bites...

$96 more, there went some of your gas money!


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[Prerylyon]

Didn't Montana do this about 2 years ago?

Their tags seemed pricey to me, but you get a long season and I think their nonres general tag lets you take both a deer and an elk, so maybe not all that bad of a deal. All things considered, I just don't have the vacation time and the larger cash shell-out for the Montana tag at this point in the game. Their cow elk tag looked pretty reasonable. I was looking at it if I didn't draw in WY. I also read somewhere (news article in some online MT newspapers) that they have had a lot of those general big game nonres tags go unsold the last few years. Hmm...

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[HuskyMusky]

They should have non-resident only seasons... during the rut, 1st season in a unit.

 

[JimP]

They should have non-resident only seasons... during the rut, 1st season in a unit.

And run the full length of the rut.

 

[ore hunter]

this makes nr special elk now the most expensive of all western states,{previously Nevada held that title at $1200}wyomings "special " prices are out for me,,,will have to look into total cost comparisons now,,ive spent a lot of money in Wyoming in past years,,glad I drew my elk tag this year.will have to consider the best bang for the buck vs other states,,will I still apply in Wyoming?problably,but im less sold on Wyoming and more sold on Idaho now ,,even utahs $268 gen deer is looking pretty good.wyoming might not be at the top of my personal list anymore,,,could be closer to average for "bang for the buck".this even makes montanas combo look a bit better that ive got down around 8th on my list,,but by then im always out of my app fee budget.

 

[JM77]

Ok. I think I see it now. 2017 nonres elk special draw = $577 + $480 = $1,057

Future nonres special draw = $577 + $576 = $1,153

That bites...��




$96 more, there went some of your gas money! ��


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Looks to me like Special NR elk goes to $1266 when new fees kick in.

 

[QuazyQuinton]

Anybody have any insight into what will happen to non-res youth tag and point prices? Father of three asking....

QQ