Gov Tag

[jackelope]

I don't know about you guys but I kinda have a problem with our auction tags being sold out of state , I guess it just rubs me wrong 

It's not like I'm going to buy it 

Montana auctions their Governor's sheep tag at the FNAWS banquet I believe.

Heck, the WA WSF sells the moose auction tag. Where's the logic in that?
 

[shootem]

Quote from: coachcw on Today at 07:49:32 PM

I understand the logic behind it . maybe if they would show direct projects being funded by this money so there could be a tangible reward for selling out ? I wonder how much money is spent by the state in moving and marketing these tags how much administrative money is spent on these ? anyone?



The sale of these tags is handled by the org's that are selling them....not the state.

So does anyone know how much of the $204,100 spent this year actually went to the benefit of the wildlife of the state of Washington?

[Brute]

Looks like the SCI SW Washington Chapter has a lot of tags to sell this year. They also got the Oregon Governor's Combination Statewide Elk and Deer tag.

[jackelope]

Quote from: coachcw on Today at 07:49:32 PM

I understand the logic behind it . maybe if they would show direct projects being funded by this money so there could be a tangible reward for selling out ? I wonder how much money is spent by the state in moving and marketing these tags how much administrative money is spent on these ? anyone?



The sale of these tags is handled by the org's that are selling them....not the state.

So does anyone know how much of the $204,100 spent this year actually went to the benefit of the wildlife of the state of Washington?

http://www.rmef.org/NewsandMedia/PressRoom/NewsReleases/RMEFWAGrants.aspx

April 22, 2013
 
RMEF Announces Grants to Fund Conservation Projects in Washington

MISSOULA, Mont.—Prescribed burns, forest thinning, and spraying for noxious weeds are treatments involved with the 20 conservation projects designed to improve elk country and forage in Washington. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation announced grants totaling $191,726 that will enhance habitat in 11 different counties: Asotin, Columbia, Cowlitz, Ferry, Garfield, King, Kittitas, Lewis, Pend Oreille, Skamania and Yakima.
 

[Todd_ID]

Here's the link to the expenditures that have come from the raffle/auction funds for the different species.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/permits/raffles/expenditures/index.html

There is no set percentage or dollar amount that WDFW is guaranteed from the net proceeds of the auction.  It is a bid process.  The Director chooses the bidding organization which he thinks has the best chance of making the most money for the state based on the number and pocket-depth of people expected to be in attendance at the auction AND the proposed split of the net proceeds from the sale.  A rule-of-thumb is that organizations bid in the 50-80% range: meaning that 50-80% of the net revenue goes to the state, and the WAC's specify that money must be used for the management of only that species. 

A local chapter of the Mule Deer Foundation, for instance, could be awarded the mule deer auction tag to sell by bidding a higher percentage to be given to the state, but the Director would need to feel that the sale price would be sufficiently high enough to offset the increased sale price, but lower split percentage, that the tag will bring at the Salt Lake Auction during the national Mule Deer Foundation event. 

If a local RMEF chapter were to show the Director that they could get the 5 people who bid seriously on the tag to their event AND offer a higher percentage split than the national RMEF offers, then that chapter would likely be granted the right to advertise for, and sell at auction, the Eastside Elk auction tag.

[bearpaw]

Thanks for the great explanation of how this works Todd. 

[coachcw]

lets just say the game department ran a online auction that showed all the high bids that way anyone could jump on and bid , I'd bet those high payers would still bid and the tags that went in the 10-12 k mark might bump up a bit . then all the money minus a small percent could go strait to fund projects any thoughts on this ?

[Todd_ID]

lets just say the game department ran a online auction that showed all the high bids that way anyone could jump on and bid , I'd bet those high payers would still bid and the tags that went in the 10-12 k mark might bump up a bit . then all the money minus a small percent could go strait to fund projects any thoughts on this ?

It could work well: and is certainly possible for auctions.  Giving the tag to a group allows the WDFW to just collect the money and not have to administer it.  One thing to remember is that the part that goes to the group selling the tag is likely put to as good, or better, use than the part the state gets, so it all funds projects.  That's certainly a debatable point, however.  There is no guarantee the money raised for our tags will be spent in our state, but it it VERY likely that group would, at some point in the year, spend more than that amount in our state.

[jackmaster]

if WDFW is always so hard up for cash, why dont they just keep those tags and do the auction for them all by themselves, that way the money is atleast guranteed to stay in the state, maybe even use it to fund a couple of courts that deal with wildlife infractions only  i dont see how washington tags end up in the hands of other than anyones hands BUT the WDFW. i think the money raised is a good thing, but the moneys could be put to work in alot better fashion, piannoman would probably be a good person to head that up if the WDFW couldnt manage it   

[Maverick]

I'd like to see proof that th money from these tags are being used specifically on that kind of animal and not on other things such as wolves. I think the state would be better off doing the auction online as well.

[Caseyd]

if WDFW is always so hard up for cash, why dont they just keep those tags and do the auction for them all by themselves, that way the money is atleast guranteed to stay in the state, maybe even use it to fund a couple of courts that deal with wildlife infractions only  i dont see how washington tags end up in the hands of other than anyones hands BUT the WDFW. i think the money raised is a good thing, but the moneys could be put to work in alot better fashion, piannoman would probably be a good person to head that up if the WDFW couldnt manage it   

The cost to facilitate the auction could be greater then the amount paid by an organization.

[nwhunter]

The other important piece of the auction tag puzzle that I dont think has been mentioned here is the tag has to be sold by an organized non profit organization(RMEF, MDF, Wild Sheep etc) so that the purchasers can legally write off the tag on their taxes. That is a big reason why these tags bring the high dollars that they do because it is a donation to a nonprofit conservation group.That is also why these tags are sold at national events because the organizations usually have several tags from different states that are sold at the same event thus drawing a good crowd.  As far as where the money goes and if every dollar goes to the appropriate cause its hard to say. Like every organization I'm sure there is waste but it cant be nearly what it would be if the state governments got there hands on it. There are some good guys involved with these groups at the ground level I believe that try to do what is right. nwhunter

[ramslam]

Caseyd hit it right on the head; I don't believe by conducting their own auction that WDFW could make as much or net as much as they do now.  Standard (seems this is stated in the auction WAC rules and each state is different) for Washington is 90% back to WDFW and 10% back to the conservation group--not 30-50%.  In addition, WDFW withholds somewhere in the 15-18% range for "indirects" (i.e. overhead, secretaries, utilities, etc) so if you truly wanted to return more to on-the-ground projects, WDFW could leave 100% of the funds with the conservation group and save the overhead.  I know WA WSF's average annual overhead ranges between 2-4% which is damn good for a non-profit and I know there's a handful of other Washington based conservation groups that do a great job as well.  Even if they had the current company market the auction, I'm guessing that company charges somewhere in the 9-10% range per transaction (in addition to the local vendor fee).  I haven't seen the numbers for the new online vendor but seems the previous one was 9.5%.   I don't remember seeming any of these online vendors donating to any wildlife projects?? 

Personally, I support sending some of the tags out of state to be sold by the national organizations.  In the end, I think Washington wildlife benefits more from it.  The residence of the winning bidder is not relevant in my mind.  The national Wild Sheep Foundation last June committed $275,000 to WSU's wild sheep research program.  When you factor in what WSF makes from selling our state Cali sheep permit, this is a win-win for Washington's wild sheep.  The RMEF example posted earlier is another great example.  Also, WSF has worked on the forefront back in Washington D.C. to address some of the recent public land grazing of domestic sheep & goats.  National organizations have the network and connections in place to engage at that level that most of us local groups simply do not.

[coachcw]

thats a valid point

[REHJWA]

I don't have any problem with the Tags going to nonprofits but the state should do a better job publicizing the hunts, the state should have publicity rights to advertise and promote Washington State as a hunting destination instead of an outfitter. Besides then we could see the pictures and maybe the stories...