Landowner tags

[A-con]

Yea or nay ?


There are some pretty good (long) threads going on at other sites regarding “land owner vouchers or tags.” Some people think they are the savior of all western hunting, of course those are usually the same people who buy them up and then sell them for twice the price. Then some other people think they are the worst thing since mother Taulman gave birth to a baby boy.
I can see where they give large landowners incentive to attract and care for wildlife, but $15,000 for a Utah elk tag is kind of ridiculous. I think the selling price should be limited to no more than the state will charge for the actual tag. If the land owner wants/needs to make more money, he/she can lease their land to an outfitter. Something just isn’t right about allowing tag brokers or landowners to charge free market value for an animal that belongs to all the people of the state.
Apparently, Colorado is making some changes to the way landowner tags can be sold, and the tag brokers are howling mad. I guess I’d be pissed off too if I had a license to steal, and it got revoked.

By the way, I know this subject was beaten to death, but It’s been kind of slow around here lately, and I’m just stirring the pot. One of you people better post something or I’m going to ask about high fences.

 

[schmalts]

I say ban the use of third party brokers.... It is the downfall of our hunting, just as wealth auction tags are.

 

[AZ402]

just as wealth auction tags are.

Whaa..........

 

[schmalts]

I'm gay and like manly rich guys..........

I figured

 

[1_pointer]

I much prefer WY's landowner programs; Walk-in areas & Hunter Management Areas. It gives the landowner some (albeit small) benefit to allow hunters with state tags on their land as well as having quite a bit of say of how the hunts will be managed/conducted.

Utah's CWMU program is just a cash cow for those with large amounts of private land and critters. My biggest gripe with the program is the inclusion of public land within many of the CWMU boundaries.

 

[TheTone]

Idaho's landowner system is OK in my opinion; not great, but not terrible. The numbers available within a particular unit are never real high. A landowner has to have at least 640 acres within a unit and then they can apply for a landowner tag. There is no guarantee a landowner will have a tag. They are transferable and can be sold, but I think the limited numbers keep them from being a real big deal here. I do know a rich doctor in town and another guy who purchase them every year for a hard to draw elk unit which upsets quite a few people locally. I wouldn't have a problem with getting rid of the sale of them here. Idaho is also looking at some tweeks to the system in some southern units involving the Access Yes program.

 

[280rem]

For those of us who are members of the Huntin fool, it'll make it difficult to acquire landowner tags in Colorado with the new changes. I agree landowner tags can be over priced, Kansas comes to mind. I've been building Kansas PP's for a few years so i don't have to pay $500-$1000 for a tag. Hunting public land in Colorado is difficult unless you can draw a limited entry tag. Paying an outfitter several thousand dollars or purchasing a landowner tag is a tuff decision to make. It's unfortunate that hunting has become such a big business that we have to pay to hunt decent private land. Especially when you consider how many kids haven't been introduced to the tradition because their parents can't afford to take them hunting on private land.

Just my opinion!

 

[Oak]

280rem, could you elaborate about why hunting public land is difficult in CO? I don't think I'm getting your point. Colorado has got to be the easiest state to acquire a license and kill an animal on public land.

 

[280rem]

I'm referring to the number of hunters during rifle season. I realize trophys are taken every year on public land & i also realize you have to get away from the crowds or let other hunters push the elk towards you. I'm really speaking about public land in general is difficult & not just in Colorado. I believe i read somewhere it's around 20-25% success when you count the number of tags sold to the number of elk harvested. I believe that also includes the elk harvested using an outfitter, could be wrong.

 

[Oak]

If we're talking about trophy elk, then you're probably right about CO being tough. But when you look at the % success you have to remember that those numbers include all the yahoos with ATVs surgically attached to their asses, guys that never leave the cab of the truck, and non-residents (and residents) that don't have a clue how to hunt elk or are too out of shape to squat and poop without getting winded.

I'd say that anyone who knows what they're doing has a far better than average chance of killing an elk on public land in CO.

 

[280rem]

I agree with you, you probably know right where to go to find the elk & get away from the other hunters. Myself, i wouldn't have a clue & i would need to hunt an area a few times to get comfortable.

Did you here about the guys from New York that got caught with to many muledeer & not enough tags in the Northwest part of your state? Guys like that ruin it for the honest hunters & i have no respect for them.

 

[Oak]

Did you here about the guys from New York that got caught with to many muledeer & not enough tags in the Northwest part of your state? Guys like that ruin it for the honest hunters & i have no respect for them.

These guys?
http://www.hunttalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29023&highlight=poachers

I think everyone has about the same opinion of folks like that.

 

[280rem]

Yep! They need to take their hunting privileges away.

 

[TheGreatwhitehunter]

Colorado has just put a stop to the voucher abuse and its about time Landowners getting tags is fine I am all for that but they should be good for ONLY the landowners PRIVATE land that the tag issued for not unit wide and all states should inlcude access along withte tag not seperate fee's

 

[IDHunters]

So, if I have a ranch that provides winter range for deer and/or elk but doesn't sustain a huntable population during the season I should be limited to hunting my own ranch? And that is supposed to be "compensation" for providing winter range? Should I be able to hunt my ranch when the animals are there, even if that is Dec. or Jan?

I think if your ranch provides habitat for animals and there is not a "general" season in the area you should be eligible for a unit wide tag.

If that tag represents compensation for damage then you should be able to sell it for market value.

I don't really care about the tag brokers, and I think that you should have to allow access on the ranch for people who buy your tags.

 

[Bambistew]

I'd say that anyone who knows what they're doing has a far better than average chance of killing an elk on public land in CO.

I would agree with that 100%, I'm not sure you could find a better place to hunt elk than CO. I see more elk there in a week than I do in MT in a month. Also I'd bet that by far the majority of trophy mule deer shot in CO come off public land. What are the harvest stats in MT? Got to remember in CO you only get a week were as in MT you get 5 plus archery season if you want.

I don't have a problem with ranchers getting LO tags as long as they hunt their land with them. They support those animals many times year round. I think they deserve some kind of compensation for that. If they want to sell those tags to people that think the only good hunting is on thier ranch then so be it.

 

[beardown]

This year I will be going on my first landowner tag hunt. I in the past have always thought this was a chiken-chit way to hunt. There is plenty of public land to hunt especially around here.I guess what changed my mind on the debate was the reality of drawing public land hunts is like landing a chick in Libby that does'nt weigh more than the truck she road in on. It probably is not going to happen.I live in some prime hunting area but the trophy class bulls are next to nothing around here.I cant say much because I have'nt gone yet, we will see how I feel about it when I do it.