Here goes idaho

[Karl Blanchard]

guaranteed there is no license refund and why would they do that? the demand far exceeds the people who will not choose to buy a license and not hunt Idaho. I will always buy one and will always get a tag.

If you have to pay upfront I think they will continue to be a refund. Much like putting in for moose. I don’t think anybody would be putting up the 2500 bucks or whatever it is up to now if you didn’t get that back when you didn’t draw, I sure as hell wouldn’t be. A few years of not drawing your moose, deer, elk, etc  in Idaho with no refunds and you could have just paid for your guaranteed  Canada trip. However you see it definitely time to have more than one or two states on your radar if we plan on hunting every year now. Sure is depressing

the license portion will absolutely be non refundable. They likely won't collect for the tag portion up front. Most states don't.  Purchasing a qualifying license to apply isn't a new thing. States like UT, CO, NV, and AZ to name a few already do this. So everyone be ready to be out $185 for their big game license plus $15 app fee to apply in ID

   There are plenty of states, like Oregon, that you have to buy a license just to buy a point even if you don't apply.

Difference will likely be that ID won't (hopefully) have a points system so you'll be paying $200 just for the opportunity to apply.

[Sitka_Blacktail]

If Idaho goes to a draw for non res, I'll quit hunting there. As it is, I spend $1,500-$2000 a year to hunt there. That will all go bye bye if they try to collect more from me in the way of fees, just to maybe get drawn for a tag.  The only way to hurt them is to refuse to play their game and cost them money.

Meanwhile, while checking this bill out, I also saw another bill.......... Who wants to buy a hunting license to shed hunt?

"Bill Description: House Bill 586 would require nonresidents to procure a hunting license before collecting, possessing, or transporting antlers or horns from deer, elk, moose, or pronghorn. "

[fishngamereaper]

Your not going to hurt Idaho by refusing to buy a license.
Plenty of people will still carry on as usual....
And Idaho is just catching up to other Western States..Cool thing is if non residents protest and don't buy licenses and tags residents are ready and willing to pick up the slack..

[Karl Blanchard]

Your not going to hurt Idaho by refusing to buy a license.
Plenty of people will still carry on as usual....
And Idaho is just catching up to other Western States..Cool thing is if non residents protest and don't buy licenses and tags residents are ready and willing to pick up the slack..

They say that but in reality time and time again across the west residents get out the pitch forks any time there is a mention of price increases.

[Karl Blanchard]

If Idaho goes to a draw for non res, I'll quit hunting there. As it is, I spend $1,500-$2000 a year to hunt there. That will all go bye bye if they try to collect more from me in the way of fees, just to maybe get drawn for a tag.  The only way to hurt them is to refuse to play their game and cost them money.

Meanwhile, while checking this bill out, I also saw another bill.......... Who wants to buy a hunting license to shed hunt?

"Bill Description: House Bill 586 would require nonresidents to procure a hunting license before collecting, possessing, or transporting antlers or horns from deer, elk, moose, or pronghorn. "

what's alarming about that one is the wording is very vague. So will we now need a NR hunting license to bring antlers and horns through the state coming from other states? Everyone coming back from MT now needs an ID hunting license to bring back the rack from their buck or bull to WA? 

[Rob]

Which reminds me...  I need to sharpen my pitchfork tines...  they are getting a bit dull.

[vandeman17]

guaranteed there is no license refund and why would they do that? the demand far exceeds the people who will not choose to buy a license and not hunt Idaho. I will always buy one and will always get a tag.

If you have to pay upfront I think they will continue to be a refund. Much like putting in for moose. I don’t think anybody would be putting up the 2500 bucks or whatever it is up to now if you didn’t get that back when you didn’t draw, I sure as hell wouldn’t be. A few years of not drawing your moose, deer, elk, etc  in Idaho with no refunds and you could have just paid for your guaranteed  Canada trip. However you see it definitely time to have more than one or two states on your radar if we plan on hunting every year now. Sure is depressing

the license portion will absolutely be non refundable. They likely won't collect for the tag portion up front. Most states don't.  Purchasing a qualifying license to apply isn't a new thing. States like UT, CO, NV, and AZ to name a few already do this. So everyone be ready to be out $185 for their big game license plus $15 app fee to apply in ID

   There are plenty of states, like Oregon, that you have to buy a license just to buy a point even if you don't apply.

Difference will likely be that ID won't (hopefully) have a points system so you'll be paying $200 just for the opportunity to apply.

Correct but just stating that non-refundable license requirements are out there in plenty of states

[fishngamereaper]

Your not going to hurt Idaho by refusing to buy a license.
Plenty of people will still carry on as usual....
And Idaho is just catching up to other Western States..Cool thing is if non residents protest and don't buy licenses and tags residents are ready and willing to pick up the slack..

They say that but in reality time and time again across the west residents get out the pitch forks any time there is a mention of price increases.

Oh I agree
But residents would be happy as heck if non residents didn't buy up all the tags
Like years past residents don't hesitate to buy left over non resident tags
.

[baldopepper]

Old economic principle, Where's there's a demand, they'll be a supply.  Right now demand is greater than supply in Idaho, which from a business point of view means you can raise prices. Hunting is more and more looked at as a business rather than a sport by both states and many hunters. Look at how many flock to the  big hunting expo and watch big money being made on high end auctions and huge participation raffles. Until supply exceeds demand you're gonna see the price to.hunt keep going up.  What a dream  business model, get customers to pay a fee in advance to just get a chance to actually buy your product

 



 

[Sitka_Blacktail]

Your not going to hurt Idaho by refusing to buy a license.
Plenty of people will still carry on as usual....
And Idaho is just catching up to other Western States..Cool thing is if non residents protest and don't buy licenses and tags residents are ready and willing to pick up the slack..

Residents won't stay in the hotels I stay in or eat at the restaurants I stay in or make up the money I spend in stores. They are already spending all they will spend on hunting.  It's not just about tags, and licenses. And are those residents that may pick up a leftover non resident tag going to buy the non res license I would have bought? 

[dvolmer]

Guys, its all coming!  Did Wyoming and Montana get hurt when points were introduced?  No, And neither will Idaho. Demand is through the roof!  I hate to see it but be realistic, Idaho is watching and seeing the success in Wyoming and other western states.  Idaho's current system is broken. The nonsense that happens in December is crazy!  Guys driving to Idaho just to apply and get better chances than others just to have some guy in front of you in line pull out a sheet of paper to apply for his Wife, kids, uncles, aunts, brothers, cousins, and all of his hunting buddies that takes an hour and a half with everyone behind him in line getting screwed while waiting. Or the guys trying to get in the system with their computers, phones, wife phone, lap top, and I-pad all trying to get at least one device through to get a place in line. Then to watch the system crash. Totally nuts and crazy crap!  A few guys have found ways to beat the system and aren't happy that it is changing because they can get what they want every year currently.

You will see a draw system for non-residents for sure. No question. You will also see some kind of preference/bonus point system with some random draw options maybe. All of the tags will still get sold. Businesses will not be affected. The few that will ACTUALLY drop out will have no effect on Idaho's revenue stream due to all of the extra money they will make on their new draw and point system.

This is not what I want or advocate for.  Its just me being a realist and seeing things the way they are and not as I would want or wish them to be.  Us nonresidents really have no say in the matter or does Idaho really care what we think.  Their law making politicians only think and worry about what their resident voters think. Doesn't take much to have seen this coming for sure for a few years now. Im just amazed it has taken them this long.

[baldopepper]

Don't get to confident if you are a Idaho.resident
Look at your sister state Utah  They've gone to an all draw system for deer and while there are 250 000 resident license holders there will be only 65 ,000 draw only tags available
Of course if you want to.hunt you can purchase a cwmu permit, buy an auction tag or hope to draw one of their many le tags.For the 5th straight year they have cut back the number of regular draw tags available.
 
 

[pickardjw]

A no-point system, random draw where NR are required to purchase a hunting license up front (refundable if not drawn) and can apply as a group seems like a common sense change. Eliminates the in-person loophole, people on multiple devices, and people that buy tags just to turn them back in later. Of course this is just the framework and not the actual details of the draw system.

If it doesn't pass, I'll be in person next year buying for me and all my buddies. It's on a Sunday. I imagine the license sales locations will look like downtown Seattle with all the tents that whole weekend.

[vandeman17]

Guys, its all coming!  Did Wyoming and Montana get hurt when points were introduced?  No, And neither will Idaho. Demand is through the roof!  I hate to see it but be realistic, Idaho is watching and seeing the success in Wyoming and other western states.  Idaho's current system is broken. The nonsense that happens in December is crazy!  Guys driving to Idaho just to apply and get better chances than others just to have some guy in front of you in line pull out a sheet of paper to apply for his Wife, kids, uncles, aunts, brothers, cousins, and all of his hunting buddies that takes an hour and a half with everyone behind him in line getting screwed while waiting. Or the guys trying to get in the system with their computers, phones, wife phone, lap top, and I-pad all trying to get at least one device through to get a place in line. Then to watch the system crash. Totally nuts and crazy crap!  A few guys have found ways to beat the system and aren't happy that it is changing because they can get what they want every year currently.

You will see a draw system for non-residents for sure. No question. You will also see some kind of preference/bonus point system with some random draw options maybe. All of the tags will still get sold. Businesses will not be affected. The few that will ACTUALLY drop out will have no effect on Idaho's revenue stream due to all of the extra money they will make on their new draw and point system.

This is not what I want or advocate for.  Its just me being a realist and seeing things the way they are and not as I would want or wish them to be.  Us nonresidents really have no say in the matter or does Idaho really care what we think.  Their law making politicians only think and worry about what their resident voters think. Doesn't take much to have seen this coming for sure for a few years now. Im just amazed it has taken them this long.

I would agree with this. No state wants to be missing out on low hanging fruit as far as revenue is concerned.

[Bigshooter]

I say it all the time.  In my 28 years of hunting out of state there are 2 things you can count on as the years pass.  Prices will go up and tags get harder to get.  This is just par for the course guys.  Adapt or die.