If you google up IDFG Commission meetings you can find the meetings where this has all been discussed prior to its approval. The Commissioners are tasked with steering wildlife management and one of the big tasks is keeping the Dept fiscally solvent. If you watch the videos you will see there was real concern about alienating non-residents and whether or not there would be enough applicants for all the non-res tags. Non-res revenue is important to keeping IDFG in the black.
The real problem in Idaho is the quickly increasing population due to the influx from other states and I don't think I have to mention that a high percentage moving to Idaho are moving for hunting, fishing, or other outdoor opportunities. The real gorilla is the increasing resident population, but residents are the core customer and residents vote! When residents start complaining about hunter crowding they usually blame non-residents, but the fact is there are only 15% of deer and elk tags going to non-res hunters and the number of non-res tags was set by the legislature years ago, so it hasn't increased.
Meanwhile more non-residents keep becoming residents. There's going to be an overall reduction of non-res tags (probably next year) due to complaints by resident hunters. Even though F&G and most legislators recognize the real problem, there's no way they are going to take away resident opportunity until they can say non-residents have already been reduced or they will all face the wrath of voters.
The word is that the likely reduction will be from 15% down to 10% of deer and elk tags to non-res hunters. So be prepared for tougher draw odds in the near future and honestly I wouldn't be surprised if both residents and non-residents see some price increases in the near future, one way or another, the Commission will have to make up for the likely 1/3 reduction in non-res license and tag fees. I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news but I know meetings regarding non-res tag numbers are currently ongoing.
