idaho non resident tag decrease, fee increase

[cbond3318]

Certain units are going to see a huge difference and most units wont change a thing from my view. Certain units could use a resident cap as well and a few other management changes for both deer and elk. The fee increase has been a long time coming and I personally would gladly pay an increase in resident fees to offset any shortage.

As the population of R and NR hunters continues to grow, I am optimistic IDFG will continue to manage both wildlife and people accordingly.

[buglebrush]

This will never end...if somthing doesn't come easy it must be someone else's fault..  Idaho has been capped...not sure how overcrowding is just now a problem...it will go the same route as most of the other states and if a guy wants to hunt consistent he will need to have enough money to apply in every state..

This is why your grandkids wont be hunting

Actually the true culprit here is over-predation especially wolves.  There's just not enough elk to go around anymore.  As someone who shot his first elk in Idaho 24 years ago and hunted elk every year since, I'm deeply saddened at the desolation of Backcountry hunting.  The wilderness areas are pretty barren of game, and OTC hunting is heading for the edge of a couple.  But let's be honest, wolves are and were the main culprit. 

[kentrek]

This will never end...if somthing doesn't come easy it must be someone else's fault..  Idaho has been capped...not sure how overcrowding is just now a problem...it will go the same route as most of the other states and if a guy wants to hunt consistent he will need to have enough money to apply in every state..

This is why your grandkids wont be hunting

Actually the true culprit here is over-predation especially wolves.  There's just not enough elk to go around anymore.  As someone who shot his first elk in Idaho 24 years ago and hunted elk every year since, I'm deeply saddened at the desolation of Backcountry hunting.  The wilderness areas are pretty barren of game, and OTC hunting is heading for the edge of a couple.  But let's be honest, wolves are and were the main culprit. 

I dont know wolves could vote...fish and game still sets quotas...I'm sure they've considered the impact of wolves

There is plenty of elk...just not very many elk hunters...and that's a tough pill to swallow for some

[buglebrush]

This will never end...if somthing doesn't come easy it must be someone else's fault..  Idaho has been capped...not sure how overcrowding is just now a problem...it will go the same route as most of the other states and if a guy wants to hunt consistent he will need to have enough money to apply in every state..

This is why your grandkids wont be hunting

Actually the true culprit here is over-predation especially wolves.  There's just not enough elk to go around anymore.  As someone who shot his first elk in Idaho 24 years ago and hunted elk every year since, I'm deeply saddened at the desolation of Backcountry hunting.  The wilderness areas are pretty barren of game, and OTC hunting is heading for the edge of a couple.  But let's be honest, wolves are and were the main culprit. 

I dont know wolves could vote...fish and game still sets quotas...I'm sure they've considered the impact of wolves

There is plenty of elk...just not very many elk hunters...and that's a tough pill to swallow for some

"There is still plenty of elk"

This is not true, especially in the Backcountry away from fields and private land. 

[kentrek]

If it's not true then nobody would be killing elk and tags wouldnt be selling out

[Karl Blanchard]

I'm not seeing the same thing. Just this last season (2019) I hunted 4 different idaho GMU's and lack of elk WAS NOT my take away 

[kentrek]

I'm not seeing the same thing. Just this last season (2019) I hunted 4 different idaho GMU's and lack of elk WAS NOT my take away 

That's only cuz you were deer hunting...

[jstone]

Why does 39 not have a September archery elk hunt?

[Stein]

A guy could look up the historical harvests (number of elk killed per unit) and the success rates over time and get a pretty definitive picture.

Herd size is another metric, but some of those are only slightly better than just guessing.  I think it's hard to argue with harvest stats to paint a picture of long term trends.

[Karl Blanchard]

Why does 39 not have a September archery elk hunt?

it does. It's a limited entry permit along with muzzleloader. Sawtooths are bursting at the seams with elk. They need to make it a general tag for all those units

[jstone]

Thanks Karl. Didn’t think to look at permits.

[doubletall]

Idaho is no different from other big hunting states.  The residents vote and they tell their legislators they want fewer nonresident tags.  They reduce the tags but increase the price since residents also say don't raise my prices.  Until nonresidents vote, it will always be this way.

Non residents can vote by hunting elsewhere.

’” However, because nonresident hunters make up “about 50% of the budget” for IDFG, Kauffman says that “the department is proposing to raise out-of-fees by about 10%, varying by type of fee, ‘just to stay even.

If they lost 50% of their revenue next year they might have to rethink their stategy

[Machias]

Update on potential nonresident fee increase
On Feb. 4, the Idaho House voted in favor of House Bill 330 — legislation proposed by Idaho Fish and Game that would increase most most license, tag and permit fees for nonresidents.
House Bill 330 still needs approval from the Senate Resources and Environment Committee, passage in the full Senate, and the governor’s signature to become law.
What is House Bill 330?
The bill will implement a general 10 percent increase in the prices for nonresident items, with larger increases for big game tags and related items such as archery and muzzleloader permits. The bill adjusts reduced rate licenses for mentored juniors to a general 50 percent discount below the related adult item. The bill does not increase the cost of nonresident wolf and Disabled American Veteran tags. If passed, the new fees become effective with the start of the 2021 license sales on Dec. 1, 2020.
Why has Fish and Game proposed this fee increase?
In separate but parallel process in August, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission adopted a rule that would allow them the discretion to manage nonresident distribution/participation in general deer and elk hunts. The rule is currently pending approval of the legislature. If approved, it would go into effect at the end of the current legislative session.
This rule is an outcome of concerns about hunter crowding and congestion in some popular hunting areas. While the overall number of deer and elk tags available to nonresidents is not proposed to change, this rule would allow the Fish and Game Commission to limit the number of nonresident deer or elk tags available in a specific general hunt unit or elk zone.
Although the pending rule does not reduce the overall number of tags available to nonresidents, Fish and Game anticipates that it may cause some nonresident hunters to redistribute across the state, and others to choose not to hunt. The increased fees proposed in House Bill 330 are necessary to offset this anticipated reduction in nonresident participation, allowing the Idaho Fish and Game Commission to maintain a balanced budget that can support existing services.

[Stein]

Idaho is no different from other big hunting states.  The residents vote and they tell their legislators they want fewer nonresident tags.  They reduce the tags but increase the price since residents also say don't raise my prices.  Until nonresidents vote, it will always be this way.

Non residents can vote by hunting elsewhere.

’” However, because nonresident hunters make up “about 50% of the budget” for IDFG, Kauffman says that “the department is proposing to raise out-of-fees by about 10%, varying by type of fee, ‘just to stay even.

If they lost 50% of their revenue next year they might have to rethink their stategy

It hasn't happened yet.  Every time a western state jacks fees, the most that happens is a very temporary dip and then they are selling out again in a year or two.  They have all been to that rodeo many times.  It's not like there is a cheap state for NR deer and elk tags, drive through ID to get to MT and you'll still pay up and have more miles to drive as well as CWD to deal with. 

It's a simple choice of paying it or not hunting out of state.  They can raise NR prices with virtually no effect so they do.  I'm not thrilled, but I pay up because it's still a value.  A 6 day lift ticket to Big Sky is $759, I get more enjoyment from hunting with the chance of bringing an animal home.

[Jburke]

For those wanting to see the actual proposed changes. Here's the link to the house bill.  I know they say a general  10% increase with higher increases for big game tags but $235 increase on an elk tag I feel like is extreme...

https://legislature.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/sessioninfo/2020/legislation/H0330.pdf