Idaho Elk Tags SOLD OUT

You shut your dirty mouth!

Also, demand might not let up initially, but I have a hard time imagining that you wouldn't quickly start pricing new hunters out of the market and be hurting in the long run. I hear your point though about taking care of the residents. It hurts but I get it. It would probably push a guy like me to move.

From a personal stand point I wouldn't like it either, I hunt out of state several times a year, and my best hunting buddies live out of state so it likely would really hamstring getting to do stuff with them.

In terms of the resource, I think it could likely be a good move. I think if you actually priced tags at "market value" you could eliminate point systems all together, but make enough money to offset not having them, simpler system so less overhead. You would absolutely have to create reduced price tags for certain types of hunts in order to meet harvest objectives.

I guess what I'm thinking of, using co as an example... is where a elk tag in unit 18, costs a NR $450 and then a unit 2 NR elk tag cost something like $10K. Essentially using price to get rid of points... not egalitarian by any means...

I kinda run through this thought exercise and then kinda circle back to the idea that the current system is pretty damn good lol

I like seeing out of state plates on average joe rigs at trail heads and shooting the shit with other hunters from around the country, it's the CA crowd that just moved here, claiming they are locals, who are forcing me to pack in bear barrels, keep my dog on a lease in the woods, and close down entire forests to disperse camping that chap my ass.
 
From a personal stand point I wouldn't like it either, I hunt out of state several times a year, and my best hunting buddies live out of state so it likely would really hamstring getting to do stuff with them.

In terms of the resource, I think it could likely be a good move. I think if you actually priced tags at "market value" you could eliminate point systems all together, but make enough money to offset not having them, simpler system so less overhead. You would absolutely have to create reduced price tags for certain types of hunts in order to meet harvest objectives.

I guess what I'm thinking of, using co as an example... is where a elk tag in unit 18, costs a NR $450 and then a unit 2 NR elk tag cost something like $10K. Essentially using price to get rid of points... not egalitarian by any means...

I kinda run through this thought exercise and then kinda circle back to the idea that the current system is pretty damn good lol

I like seeing out of state plates on average joe rigs at trail heads and shooting the shit with other hunters from around the country, it's the CA crowd that just moved here, claiming they are locals, who are forcing me to pack in bear barrels, keep my dog on a lease in the woods, and close down entire forests to disperse camping that chap my ass.
I hear ya. I understand the why on the increase but I just ran the numbers on the proposed increases. I paid $601.75 for my license, tag and other permits for an Elk A tag. Next year, it will cost $903.75 for the same set up. I get it. I work and I will do what I have to in order to get to some state to hunt elk.

What I am struggling with is the youth fees. From an R3 standpoint, it will be interesting to see what this does.
 
I had caught wind that CO may be moving their elk system to a draw, is that true? I don't follow Colorado.

Their is talk about moving the OTC archery tags to a draw. Rifle would still be OTC. The way I've heard the proposal is that it would be more used to direct hunters to certain areas, as there is overcrowding in some spots. The number of tags given to NR wouldn't change and you would still be able to purchase them at like walmart after you drove out here... they would just be called "leftovers" not OTC tags.

I've posted this table else where, but basically I filed FOIA requests with several states and then aggregated all the data I could find. The numbers are total tags (elk), cow/calf, spike, bull, whatever all combined. There is so much variation between states it's really the only accurate way of making them all apples to apples.

1566322094171.png
 
naw . come to my state you pay to play.

don't like it , stay home. it's what I do.😁 ;)

Well relocating to Idaho may be in my cards, but I will still be hunting out of state. Nevada, California (lifetime hunting license), New Mexico, Wyoming etc. We shall see what happens. This year I am sadly staying home in good ol suckifornia. 1 deer tag in a rough and hot zone. We shall see.
 
Not that my opinion really matters, but there are a couple of things that upset me: 1) the 2.5% credit card fee and then the refusal to accept anything other than a credit card. 2) Increasing that $40 app fee for the big 3 app.

Idaho basically forces the nonresident sheep/moose/goat applicant to front roughly $3,000 and then sticks them with the cc fee. C’mon, Idaho. Accept a cashiers check. And why should a slap-in-the-face nonresident app fee be that high when they’re already buying a license for over $180? That’s stupid. So just to apply in Idaho, your new nonresident out-of-pocket cost for M/S/G will approach $300 for a single application. Ouch. It’s especially tough when you consider the recent moose tag cuts.
 
Last edited:
Not that my opinion really matters, but there are a couple of things that upset me: 1) the 2.5% credit card fee and then the refusal to accept anything other than a credit card. 2) Increasing that $40 app fee for the big 3 app.

Idaho basically forces the nonresident sheep/moose/goat applicant to front roughly $3,000 and then sticks them with the cc fee. C’mon, Idaho. Accept a cashiers check. And why should a slap-in-the-face nonresident app fee be that high when they’re already buying a license for over $180? That’s stupid. So just to apply in Idaho, your new nonresident out-of-pocket cost for M/S/G will approach $300 for a single application. Ouch. It’s especially tough when you consider the recent moose tag cuts.

Although to be fair, I don't even know where to get a cashier's check... and only vaguely know what is to being with...

Price hikes will probably make the odds better? Yeah, none of it's ideal. Seems like lots of states could handle the transaction piece of the puzzle much better.
 
Not that my opinion really matters, but there are a couple of things that upset me: 1) the 2.5% credit card fee and then the refusal to accept anything other than a credit card. 2) Increasing that $40 app fee for the big 3 app.

Idaho basically forces the nonresident sheep/moose/goat applicant to front roughly $3,000 and then sticks them with the cc fee. C’mon, Idaho. Accept a cashiers check. And why should a slap-in-the-face nonresident app fee be that high when they’re already buying a license for over $180? That’s stupid. So just to apply in Idaho, your new nonresident out-of-pocket cost for M/S/G will approach $300 for a single application. Ouch. It’s especially tough when you consider the recent moose tag cuts.

Make some of that known. Contact the department or a commissioner and plainly explain that. I’m a resident but don’t like some of what I’ve seen when it comes to financial things, maybe that’s what happens when business people get too much say over biology and wildlife resources. The archery and muzzleloader permit fee is unreal, it used to be $5 but lately seems to be an easy place to get a little more money out of people
 
Not that my opinion really matters, but there are a couple of things that upset me: 1) the 2.5% credit card fee and then the refusal to accept anything other than a credit card. 2) Increasing that $40 app fee for the big 3 app.

Idaho basically forces the nonresident sheep/moose/goat applicant to front roughly $3,000 and then sticks them with the cc fee. C’mon, Idaho. Accept a cashiers check. And why should a slap-in-the-face nonresident app fee be that high when they’re already buying a license for over $180? That’s stupid. So just to apply in Idaho, your new nonresident out-of-pocket cost for M/S/G will approach $300 for a single application. Ouch. It’s especially tough when you consider the recent moose tag cuts.

I agree, it's difficult to pay for something you don't physically see. With the "Convenience Fee" it's like, there's no one standing in front of me and I'm doing the work why charge me, shouldn't it be a discount? When it's a small purchase, it's not too bad, but really adds up for larger ones.
 
Make some of that known. Contact the department or a commissioner and plainly explain that. I’m a resident but don’t like some of what I’ve seen when it comes to financial things, maybe that’s what happens when business people get too much say over biology and wildlife resources. The archery and muzzleloader permit fee is unreal, it used to be $5 but lately seems to be an easy place to get a little more money out of people

It's the old bait and switch deal. The initial price of something is inexpensive until you add all the things required. This is to keep the masses happy and attract more people. For the add-ons, since they control them they can charge what they want and you have to have them. They are going to get the money one way or another. For instance, why is an unlimited tag a draw? If it's unlimited why does it matter? To get more money with the draw fees.

Disclaimer: I do understand they need money to operate on and to do their job. (y)
 
For instance, why is an unlimited tag a draw? If it's unlimited why does it matter? To get more money with the draw fees.

Actually that's not completely correct. The intent is if you draw an unlimited tag you cannot draw any other permits.
 
Actually that's not completely correct. The intent is if you draw an unlimited tag you cannot draw any other permits.

Could be the rational and you make a great point... Also helps to control the numbers as you have to choose one hunt and after the draw you are locked out. But, if you can still get extra tags and it is used as a 2nd choice catch all anyway, why does it matter. Still to my point, they do get more money.
 
But, if you can still get extra tags and it is used as a 2nd choice catch all anyway, why does it matter. Still to my point, they do get more money.

The unlimited draws I'm familiar with must be a first choice selection. And yes, they do get more money.
 
Although to be fair, I don't even know where to get a cashier's check... and only vaguely know what is to being with...
My local bank will cut one for a simple $5 fee. 😀
I dunno. A lot of people will consider this whining, but I do think about this stuff a lot and I think we’re in this weird place where each state is racing the other in pursuit of the NR hunters’ wallet. And I sort of cringe. Because everyone has a hunting budget even if it’s nothing more than “I better not spend anymore this year or my wife will kill me.” With application/tag costs increasing WAY faster than inflation, it naturally causes some behavioral adjustments. The days of applying all over the West for less than $1,000 are over. I think most will trim their strategy to an out-of-state destination or two. And I wonder, if it continues, do quality conservation orgs have trouble talking folks into things like lifetime membership? After all, how much can we spend on stuff like pref points and lifetime memberships if we actually still want to go out and hunt? It seems that each state is trying to find out. And I get it, they have complex management problems that aren’t cheap. It just makes me cringe a little. I wonder how far this goes.
 
Last edited:
The unlimited draws I'm familiar with must be a first choice selection. And yes, they do get more money.

Some or most might be first choice only, I really don't know. But I (and my son) do have an unlimited "Catch All" tag that was the second choice draw in my back pack right now because you can't draw the first choice to save your life. As most have experienced trying to get a good tag.
 
My local bank will cut one for a simple $5 fee. 😀
I dunno. A lot of people will consider this whining, but I do think about this stuff a lot and I think we’re in this weird place where each state is racing the other in pursuit of the NR hunters’ wallet. And I sort of cringe. Because everyone has a hunting budget even if it’s nothing more than “I better not spend anymore this year or my wife will kill me.” With application/tag costs increasing WAY faster than inflation, it naturally causes some behavioral adjustments. The days of applying all over the West for less than $1,000 are over. I think most will trim their strategy to an out-of-state destination or two. And I wonder, if it continues, do quality conservation orgs have trouble talking folks into things like lifetime membership? After all, how much can we spend if we actually still want to go out and hunt? It seems that each state is trying to find out. And I get it, they have complex management problems that aren’t cheap. It just makes me cringe a little, though.

I'm a millennial so the amount I will pay for the convenience of not having to go to a bank is very high...honestly the 2.5% is just what cc companies charge vendors and most places just bake it into the price, governments are just upfront about it. Kinda surprised I can't pay for my apps with Zelle, apple pay, paypal, etc.

Definitely here you on the cost front though, but what is the downside if everyone has to stop applying across the west and just focus on their home state and then just one other. I imagine part of our point creep issue is people applying in 10 states for every species.
 
Leupold BX-4 Rangefinding Binoculars

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
110,805
Messages
1,935,062
Members
34,883
Latest member
clamwc
Back
Top