Free: Contests & Raffles.
Things are most decidedly not getting better from what I see. The perception that it may be better is changing for three reasons: internet, state marketing, and hunter adaptation.The internet allows us to see how others around the world have done the minute they've done it. This is unprecedented in hunting's history. What's in front of us seems to be the "new" reality, so it seems that you're seeing more success. You're correct, you're "seeing" more success, but success rates are not better.The states are losing money from the lack of non-resident sales at such a rapid clip that they've been inventing new ways to sugar-coat the truth. Need an area to be attractive? Just lower the herd targets and tell the biologists to tell anyone who calls that Unit XYZ is so far ABOVE our target that it has the potential to be the best hunting ever: tag sold, state won, but the hunting experience for that individual was likely 10% what it would have been 10 years ago, so he won't be back unless he bought the 3 year license that was a gimmick to try to trap non-residents into longer time commitments.The third reason for the perception of the hunting getting better is that hunters have had to adapt to the new "normal" of hunting. There are simply no elk left in the backcountry, so they're down lower and closer to access points. This has congregated the hunters into certain areas with access. A concentration of hunters makes it seem like success rates MUST be better because of all the people hunting there. And an elk hanging in every third camp MUST be better, when, in fact, "better" would mean 3 elk hanging in every camp.There's plenty of other reasons for the perception that hunting is getting better, but the biggest is the fact that we now get to see what success has happened here on hunt-wa. Your friends' consistent success means they would have killed elk back when the hunting was actually good, too. The rule hasn't changed: 10% of the people will always kill 90% of the elk.
would have to agree with Todd. I know 1/2 doz back country outfitters who went out of business the past 5 years in ID and MT because of wolves and dwindling elk and deer numbers. These were all experienced and seasoned guides. I know spending time in n ID and NW MT there are a lot fewer animals in the back country.
Plus as mentioned easier winters the past decade or so. Be interesting to see what happens with a few back to back hard winters plus the increasing wolf population. My guess would be not very good for elk moose and deer
The doom and gloom naysayers have convinced clients that the game is extinct. That's not true based on the photos I'm seeing here and elsewhere. That's not a pro wolf statement it's an observation. Obviously wolves aren't going away, the fight to aggressively manage them must continue. But there can be "life after wolves" too.
And.. One of the ways wolves have contributed to outfitters going out of business is that paying clients have been led to believe there are no game animals left in wolf states so they take their money to Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, etc instead. I believe the outfitter/guide associations or state tourism boards need to work harder and collectively to inform the out of state guys with money to spend that there are still trophies to be taken in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. . The doom and gloom naysayers have convinced clients that the game is extinct. That's not true It's not like it was in the past but its still therebased on the photos I'm seeing here and elsewhere. That's not a pro wolf statement it's an observation.
The one guide i used in MT is no longer in business.If you realize that the cost of going on a guided hunt in any rockymountiain state is going to cost similar, I would pick Colorado or AZ before ID or MT. Does the economy have something to do with outfitters going out of business? you bet! I would bet tho it makes spending that hard earned $ more planned out than in the past. Spending pool shrinks and guess what people KNOW that AZ and Colorado have not had the problems with wolves yet so the likelyhood of seeing more animals is much higher.
