2nd Elk tag prices?????

[losdaddy7]

So I decided to hunt 3911 this year with my master hunter cert.  I called to buy my 2nd tag and was told the prices inreased on 9/1 from 25 dollars to $66.50!!!   Can you believe that much of an increase for a supposed damage type hunt?  This hunt doesn't seem to me to be much of a MH program perk for those who are spending the countless volunteer hours as I do.

[YoterHunter]

the states philosophy is if you want to play, you are going to pay.

[winshooter88]

Funny, I thought the theme for the Master Hunter program was "Giving Back", not "What do I Get?).

[Ridgeratt]

So I decided to hunt 3911 this year with my master hunter cert.  I called to buy my 2nd tag and was told the prices increased on 9/1 from 25 dollars to $66.50!!!   Can you believe that much of an increase for a supposed damage type hunt?  This hunt doesn't seem to me to be much of a MH program perk for those who are spending the countless volunteer hours as I do.

Well if you break that down to price per pound. Still seems reasonable. 
And before the wrath of folks telling me they are just trying to feed their families. The cost of going hunting compared to going and buying a side of beef. Just doesn't balance. 

[CAMPMEAT]

My elk took me 10 years to get. It probably cost me $10,000. Camping,gas, food, beer, tags etc. Still cheap eats if you get one.

[losdaddy7]

I've hunted Elk for the past 11 years, and been successful 3 of those years.  The cost of thoe 11 years, probably enough $$ to put my girl through her first year of college. 
My real concern is how the increase will reduce the effectiveness of this hunt.  If you're familiar with the 3911, it is very challenging just to get access.  The goal of the hunt is to push the elk off the farms where they are doing damage.  Usually, access to those private lands come with helping out a landowner with some fence repair, etc.   I just see this damage hunt losing it's effectiveness with the steeper price of the tag that is added to the already difficult nature of harvesting an elk from an area that is 99% private property. 

[winshooter88]

I believe that the 3911 hunt has done its job of changing the elks behavior somewhat, and the WDFW is talking about needing to back off on the number of elk taken in part of that area anyway.

[BOWHUNTER45]

All I have to say is if they want t charge us out the butt then they best start finding ways to get some of these gates open during hunting season and then we may not beach about it as much .. but as of right now we are paying more and getting less ... SOMETHING SOUNDS STUPID HERE !!

[BENCHLEG]

it is simple , if you dont buy it eventually they willget what they want. they dont care about managemant they care about money. i did not buy my multiseason elk tag this year because they are screwing us as sportsman in many ways. our system sucks.  

[rotty33]

3911 isn't worth the time or money unless you are a local. It is soo tough to get permission. Locals are able to scout, find elk and get permission. But if you want to donate the 60 plus dollars to wdfw, that should help the wildlife fund.

[FSTaxidermy]

Funny, I thought the theme for the Master Hunter program was "Giving Back", not "What do I Get?).

The theme is to give back and I believe we should keep that first and formost!

The state is running out of monies in general, so they are tagging the citizens from any angle they can and taxing any activity they can, for us its, tags, discover passes, licenses, park fees etc. we are paying for the many entitelment programs that are broke!

If they can pick us off one by one, they win! the strategy is the same pin us against each other one issue at a time.

[BOWHUNTER45]

you would think if they wanted more money they would start realizing how important it is to manage fish & wildlife ... Is it really that hard to figure this out ? Just like the elk , they should be planting more elk in this state ..especially up North where we have plenty of State lands and perfect habitat to create more opportunity... it really Sucs that the majority of our elk herds are locked up behind a gate which is owned by the timber industries....to bad this state manages money not wildlife... all the funds raised from hunting & fishing should only be for fish & wildlife period ... including paying wardens and other persons who are involved only in wildlife management ...and I wish the government would just step in and say this is enough ....let the state wildlife dept have full control of managing our wildlife resourses and then lets see what we can get done ...we need dramatic change right now ...I am ready to turn into an activist and start exercising my rights as a free American and that does include taking that discover pass and shovin it up someones BEEP BEEP BEEP !!! AND ONE MORE BEACH ....I DO NOT THINK OUR QUALITY TAGS SHOULD BE FOR OUT OF STATE HUNTERS ...This pi$$e$ me off too!! How do not give a rats butt how much money they get for them especially when its not being 100% used for wildlife restoration ... OR am I out of line on this ? and it is being used for WILDLIFE ONLY ?

[winshooter88]

As of this year all of the license and tag and permit money goes into the wildlife fund. This money is used only by the WDFW. What was lost in funding was from the general fund. So with the partial removal of general fund money, the WDFW has to use what was dedicated funds, for part of their general operating budget. Edited to add; the money WDFW gets from the Discover Pass is supposed to replace some of the money that was lost for land and facilities maintenance.

[FSTaxidermy]

As of this year all of the license and tag and permit money goes into the wildlife fund. This money is used only by the WDFW. What was lost in funding was from the general fund. So with the partial removal of general fund money, the WDFW has to use what was dedicated funds, for part of their general operating budget. Edited to add; the money WDFW gets from the Discover Pass is supposed to replace some of the money that was lost for land and facilities maintenance.

curious? where did you find this info? WDFW? if this is correct, I'm sure many hunters would be happy to pay in, but somehow It's hard to believe the grabbers aren't decieving us again.

[winshooter88]

I got this info from talking to WDFW wildlife managers and from informational booklets that they published. Most people won't believe that the WDFW isn't telling them lies so why try to change closed minds.

[FSTaxidermy]

Thanks for the info. winshooter88, appreciate it.

Hope the new budgeting process works! it does take a long time to earn someones trust back.

[jollyskwala]

IMO when u look at the price to draw an elk tag in WA, then actually scout, plan, hunt, etc. $66 seems like a fair price for a 2nd elk. Not to discredit what you do for everyone as a MH, but in the big pic $66 seems fair. Most of us spend that on frivolous items every month, if not every week. and I would rather spent $66 for the chance to do what I love.

[runningboard]

another thought is Idaho 2nd tags, they sell leftover non-resident tags at non-resident prices to any resident who will buy until quota met. this year $416.75

[Killercolin]

Well what is it worth to you? If the $66 is too much, dont get it. Up to what price would you pay for a second elk?

[USAFpj]

Problem is that once any fee is hiked, its there to stay.  It only goes up from there because the citizens say "no big deal, could be worse".  Give it a couple more seasons, it'll go up again.  And we'll say?  "no big deal, could be worse"...