Idaho Commission Meeting

[MerriamMagician]

https://idfg.idaho.gov/sites/default/files/commission/agenda_item_3_gold_sheet._nonresident_fee_schedule.pdf

Seen this thread over on Monster Muleys forum. Looks like Idaho is once again considering a draw system for tags. But the biggest takeaway I see from this is some steep non-resident license and tag fee increases. I've hunted Idaho for 4 consecutive years and am going again this year, but if these increases get pushed through it is going to really make hunting there a lot more expensive.

[BULLBLASTER]

Lots of crazy increases in that proposal along with a couple reasonable increases. I also notice the preference/bonus point fee.   

Is there a place we can comment? Or is it all up to their legislature?

[TriggerMike]

Wow, that's a huge increase for elk tags. Even the required archery permit would go from $18.25 to $80.00. 

[idahohuntr]

I think there was a bill passed years ago that gave the Commission authority to implement a bonus point system - but because of public outrage and many of IDFG's senior officials unequivocally denouncing point systems as Ponzi schemes it was never implemented.  I think this is much ado about nothing on points...just an artifact of old legislation...not a hint at something to come. 

As for the fee increases...I believe those are intended to offset proposed new caps on NR tags.  Since many fewer elk tags will be available - need to up the price.  Of course, nothing is more popular in any state than raising NR prices...so you can probably take those proposed fee increases as a done deal. 

[mburrows]

The price increases were inevitable. They will still sell all their available tags at those prices.

[huntnnw]

$900 to hunt elk in the panhandle. No thanks . Be our last year as we are headed into lolo. I will not pay $900 to hunt mediocre to bad elk areas. Me and others won’t pay that type of money . I’ll gladly pay that in NM, AZ,NV and UT

[Karl Blanchard]

Reasonable price increases are pretty standard but some of these are complete BS! $80 extra dollars to archery or muzzleloade hunt!?!?! The worst I see is the youth and disabled veterans. Pricing out youth only eliminates future customers. My kids won't be hunting Idaho after this year. We supply 90%ish of IDFG money so slapping down NR with unreasonable increases isn't the smartest idea. Economy is booming and tags are easy to sell.....for now. But that wont always be the case

[go4steelhd]

I expected these increases to come soon. Especially since they have sold out the last few years. I thought that the increase would be a lot more. Maybe they learned that a large increase will stop people. Like it did 10 years ago.

[huntnnw]

It was just 4 years ago IDFG was sending out letters to buy tags , reducing 2nd tags , advertisements in WA on radio to sell tags they couldn’t sell. That will happen again in ID.

[go4steelhd]

I agree that less elk tags will sell. This will be a 56.6% increase on them. But the deer tags, I don't see to many people not going over for $50 on the tag and $30 on the license.

[coop2424]

Most of this is just stupid and I am a resident.  Especially the youth and veterans increase.  I don’t understand why it says $180 something for wolf and increasing it to $200.  They are $31 now not $180. We should give those tags away for free and reimburse license fee if you shoot one. 

[MerriamMagician]

Most of this is just stupid and I am a resident.  Especially the youth and veterans increase.  I don’t understand why it says $180 something for wolf and increasing it to $200.  They are $31 now not $180. We should give those tags away for free and reimburse license fee if you shoot one.

Agree, that must have been a error. But if it is increased to $200 thats a bit ridiculous. Lots of non-resident hunters will pick up a wolf tag every year just in case for only $31 and help contribute to the wolf problem, myself included. Doubt that will happen if wolf tags skyrocket to 200 bucks. 

[MerriamMagician]

I agree that less elk tags will sell. This will be a 56.6% increase on them. But the deer tags, I don't see to many people not going over for $50 on the tag and $30 on the license.

Yeah the deer tags are not quite a big as a hit, but the elk tag increases definitely price me out of hunting elk in Idaho. 

[meatwhack]

The prices are still pretty comparable to most western states and cheaper than some. They’ll still sell out at these prices until the economy crashes again.

[Sitka_Blacktail]

The prices are still pretty comparable to most western states and cheaper than some. They’ll still sell out at these prices until the economy crashes again.

Or will they? A lot of non res deer tags get sold as second deer tags to residents who have filled their first tag. (right now there are still about 6,000 non res deer tags available and they are being made available as second tags)  Make the prices too high and you not only price out the non res hunters, but the resident hunters too, who help sell out the non res tags.  Elk sell out sooner because of their more limited availability but if people feel they are being taken advantage of, sales will drop. And if that happens the difference will be made up by raises in the price of resident tags.

Also, high priced tags discourage youngsters from getting into hunting.  The overall high price of hunting has already started us down that road. One day it will lead to hunting being an activity for only the wealthy.