Idaho doubles down on hating nonres hunter

[CarbonHunter]

Looks like Idaho is going to give in to the outfitters and give up to 50% of nonresident tag quotas to outfitters. Now there will be even fewer tags for the nonresidents to fight for on December 1st.

https://idfg.idaho.gov/about/commission/september-1-2021-special-meeting-commission?utm_source=idfg-website&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=home-featured

[MADMAX]

Sounds like Montana

[CarbonHunter]

As long as the tags get sold and they get the revenue I don’t think they care who gets the tags.

[PolarBear]

Don’t blame them.

[trophyhunt]

So does the state get more revenue for the tags if sold through an outfitter? Are there that many hunters now that go guided? 

[MADMAX]

Money talks
You know the rest

[The scout]

They can’t even sell all the outfitter tags they get now

[Kurt_S]

Time to restrict the residents to zones as well

[grundy53]

Well, looks like it'll be even harder to get a tag in Idaho.

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[CarbonHunter]

It looks like the outfitters claimed there wasn’t enough tags available for the units they could guide in so the state is giving in.

The state gets more money buy selling a state outfitter license on top of the nonresident tag.

[Stein]

Well, looks like it'll be even harder to get a tag in Idaho.

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No, just more expensive.

Nonresidents don't vote so we will always get the short end of the stick.

That said, the pendulum always swings to and fro.  Guides win but others lose and they will get loud the next legislative session.  Idaho hates Washington plates except they like WA debit and credit cards and the cheap resident tags NR hunters make possible.  Same story with MT & WY.

They have the tags and opportunity and there are plenty of NR guys that will pay literally whatever they ask.

[greenhead_killer]

There were over 1k outfitter tags left over last year. What’s adding more tags to them going to do? Allow residents to get a second tag late?

[idahohuntr]

Where this hurts the diy guy is the better/more popular units and zones.  For example, 10a deer tags, those will be even harder to get...but other units will still be plenty easy come Aug 1...for now.

Like what went on in Montana, I don't support catering to outfitters over diy guys.  Public resource should be equally accessible to outfitted or diy NR's.  That said, I would support a very small fraction of outfitter set asides in both states...but not the numbers they are getting here (or in MT). 

[trophyhunt]

It's all a crap sandwich, I hate this.  Loved stopping in the local grocery store in Orofino on the way to the woods on Oct 8th to grab my 10A rifle elk tag, used to be one of the highlights of the trip.  All gone now, where are the good ole days.

[elkboy]

Barely any outfitters in the unit I hunt, anyway.  So I'll possibly be forced to contract an outfitter to hunt land I know better than any outfitter does (private land that I work and hunt on)?   No thanks, Idaho.  Enjoy presiding over the decline in NR tag sales.  I doubt you'll make up for it with resident revenue. 

[CarbonHunter]

I think over the next few years Idaho will start to see a decline as many people this year bought tags for areas they don’t know. Once they hunt those areas and are not successful the word will change from “Idaho being a great state to hunt” to the word being “that there is a few great tags in Idaho. “

But then again by the time the word changes there will be so many transplants from California and Washington that Idaho will simply be know as another liberal state that you can’t figure out the rules to hunt in. Or that all the animals are protected to ensure more wolves and grizzlies.

[idelkslayer]

Read the proposal.  Based on the comments it looks like nobody took the time.

It says it will be based on the previous 2 years total of clients that used outfitters in each area/zone.  Up to 50% of the total NR allocation.  If the previous 2 year client total is higher than 50% of the total allocation, the outfitters will only get 50% of the tags.

The proposal contains several tables showing what the proposed outfitter allocations will be.  Very few are 50%. Some are 30%.  Most are less than 15%. Here are some examples:

Panhandle Elk B-tag; Total NR allocation:1,073, Total Outfitter allocation: 92.
Dworshak Elk A tag; Total NR allocation: 149, Total Outfitter allocation: 36.

Historically the outfitter allocations do not sell out.  The leftovers eventually go on sale first come first serve.

[CarbonHunter]

Read the proposal.  Based on the comments it looks like nobody took the time.

It says it will be based on the previous 2 years total of clients that used outfitters in each area/zone.  Up to 50% of the total NR allocation.  If the previous 2 year client total is higher than 50% of the total allocation, the outfitters will only get 50% of the tags.

The proposal contains several tables showing what the proposed outfitter allocations will be.  Very few are 50%. Some are 30%.  Most are less than 15%. Here are some examples:

Panhandle Elk B-tag; Total NR allocation:1,073, Total Outfitter allocation: 92.
Dworshak Elk A tag; Total NR allocation: 149, Total Outfitter allocation: 36.

Historically the outfitter allocations do not sell out.  The leftovers eventually go on sale first come first serve.

I read the proposal and focused on the facts that they allowed the outfitters to adjust the numbers of their previous reports to show they guided more hunters in areas where they previously said they guided less. I also looked at deer units where this is resulting in about 40% less DIY tags in 2022 then they offered in 2021. While the unit neighboring these units have only 1 or 2 outfitters tags or in some cases no outfitter tags.

It looks to me like the outfitters rigged the numbers to align with the most sought after tags of 2021 regardless of the fact that they were guiding in the neighboring units in 2020 & 2019 because they could take their clients to more than 1 unit. Just like how Idaho gave into the residents complaints about the nonresident hunters crowding areas they now just did the opposite and are allowing the guides to crowd certain trophy units while abandoning other units.

[idahohuntr]

Read the proposal.  Based on the comments it looks like nobody took the time.

I read the proposals, in detail, and I'm sure most others here did as well.

What carbonhunter notes, as well as others, the outfitters are 'only' taking 40-50% of the NR tags in a few units...no coincidence these are among the most popular units.  But yes, there are also a number of less popular units they are only taking a small number of NR tags.

Some folks are fine with this, and even though it does not effect me at all I don't support the magnitude of allocations for outfitters...even if its just a handful of the most popular units.

In both Idaho and Montana outfitters were able to secure a lot of government welfare in the form of NR tags this year...but pendulums swing.

[huntnnw]

and what ID sells as a outfitter tag is questionable. There are units that there is absolutely no way in hell 300 people went on a outfitted elk hunt.

[greenhead_killer]

Have to ensure your buddies all get tags every year.

[jjhunter]

I saw a lot of unguided opportunities show up at towards the end of July.  Outfitters trying to make a $1k or so on a quota general tag.  To me, that should not be the intent of the program.  I know my outfitter buddy gave anything back that he was not selling as a fully outfitted hunt.

[GASoline71]

It's all a crap sandwich, I hate this.  Loved stopping in the local grocery store in Orofino on the way to the woods on Oct 8th to grab my 10A rifle elk tag, used to be one of the highlights of the trip.  All gone now, where are the good ole days.

You must be talking about the Orofino Marketplace.  Every time we stop there for snacks, fuel and/or licenses they are super friendly and the gal at the license counter always remembered us and yaks it up with my wife about "crafting".  Been too long for us to not be going through there.

Gary

[grundy53]

Use to be able to pick up our whitetail tags there Thanksgiving week. Now you can't even hunt there that week let alone get a tag.

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[Duckslayer89]

Use to be able to pick up our whitetail tags there Thanksgiving week. Now you can't even hunt there that week let alone get a tag.

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  Not long ago I remember my brother running back into town to buy a 2nd tag too thanksgiving week.

[predatorG]

But then again by the time the word changes there will be so many transplants from California and Washington that Idaho will simply be know as another liberal state that you can’t figure out the rules to hunt in. Or that all the animals are protected to ensure more wolves and grizzlies.

From what I've heard its mainly the conservatives trying to get out of Cali and Washington that move into Idaho and Montana. I was born in MT, transplanted to WA and live in AZ now. My relatives in Montana said that despite all the movers it was a landslide conservative year last year.

As far as tags go, I found it interesting what idelkslayer said about people generalizing how many tags we'll actually lose. Its like the east coast national media companies writing articles saying that Idaho is going to have hunters kill 90% of their wolves, when in reality they are potentially allowing some units to have a limit that is equal to up to 90% of the population.

After years on this site I've constantly seen people complain about WDFW Management strategies and tag allocations, and then also complain about every other states tag and license process as well. Anyone have any states they think manage and sell tags well?