No UT Tag at RMEF Convention

[OriginalOscar]

As a Utah resident I'm embarrassed and angry that my state does not support the RMEF with a statewide Elk permit for their convention. I've been a member since 89 and know they do good work.

Counter this with the dozens of tags Utah donates to SFW and the Western Hunt Expo.

 

[havgunwilltravel]

Have you asked them why?

 

[noharleyyet]

...danged if you do and danged if you don't.

 

[jlmatthew]

Don Peay doesnt want to share eh?

 

[mtmiller]

Why should RMEF only get one permit. I say give them a 5 or 8.

 

[mtelkhntr78]

Didnt RMEF call out UT on the integrity of its Governor's tags? Maybe that had something to do with it?

 

[cowboy]

Didnt RMEF call out UT on the integrity of its Governor's tags? Maybe that had something to do with it?

YEP - good old politics.

All of the inmates are currently congregating at the asylum in Helena here in Montana for another cluster as we speak.

 

[Big Fin]

Didnt RMEF call out UT on the integrity of its Governor's tags? Maybe that had something to do with it?

That may have caused a little stir.

I think RMEF is not really too concerned about getting any auction tags. They are asked by the states to sell the statewide tags at Elk Camp, as that is where the states can get the most money. If these auction tags completely went away, it would not have any impact on RMEF.

RMEF makes very little, if any, money on these. Example being the AZ tag. 100% of the funds must be provided to the state, which is great. And, AZ has only two of these auction tags (if I recall correctly). RMEF ends up paying the 2-3% credit card merchant fee as part of this, but they know AZ has a very good program where the money is returned to AZ and used for some great projects. For RMEF to eat the merchant fee is a small part when considering the good work done with the tag proceeds.

RMEF is advocating that these programs should have complete transparency of where the money goes to. And, that they should be limited in number. They do not feel that public resources, such as tags, should be the funding mechanism for a non-profit organization.

When you take that position, you put yourself on the other side of the fence with groups who need these tags for their livelihood. Oh well, such is life.

Being on the RMEF policy committee and finance committee, I can tell you that there is a policy as to what tags are accepted and which are not. I can also tell you how much RMEF makes on these tags and it is not much. Not sure if it even covers the marketing, credit card fees, and other costs they incur.

My personal opinion is that if states would keep these to one or two auction tags and matched with the same number of tags for raffle; required 100% of the money be returned to them; and earmark the money for habitat projects, the controversy of these tags would be almost zero.

 

[mtelkhntr78]

That may have caused a little stir.

I think RMEF is not really too concerned about getting any auction tags. They are asked by the states to sell the statewide tags at Elk Camp, as that is where the states can get the most money. If these auction tags completely went away, it would not have any impact on RMEF.

RMEF makes very little, if any, money on these. Example being the AZ tag. 100% of the funds must be provided to the state, which is great. And, AZ has only two of these auction tags (if I recall correctly). RMEF ends up paying the 2-3% credit card merchant fee as part of this, but they know AZ has a very good program where the money is returned to AZ and used for some great projects. For RMEF to eat the merchant fee is a small part when considering the good work done with the tag proceeds.

RMEF is advocating that these programs should have complete transparency of where the money goes to. And, that they should be limited in number. They do not feel that public resources, such as tags, should be the funding mechanism for a non-profit organization.

When you take that position, you put yourself on the other side of the fence with groups who need these tags for their livelihood. Oh well, such is life.

Being on the RMEF policy committee and finance committee, I can tell you that there is a policy as to what tags are accepted and which are not. I can also tell you how much RMEF makes on these tags and it is not much. Not sure if it even covers the marketing, credit card fees, and other costs they incur.

My personal opinion is that if states would keep these to one or two auction tags and matched with the same number of tags for raffle; required 100% of the money be returned to them; and earmark the money for habitat projects, the controversy of these tags would be almost zero.

So as a comparision its like if I was selling a car. Then a good soul comes along and offers to do all the marketing, the adverstising, likely increase the profit made by a good margin, handle the money transaction as well as the registration fees and taxes. Then I get %100 percent of that profit from the sale...Does that about sum it up?

 

[Big Fin]

So as a comparision its like if I was selling a car. Then a good soul comes along and offers to do all the marketing, the adverstising, handle the money transaction as well as the registration fees and taxes. Then I get %100 percent of that profit from the sale...Does that about sum it up?

Yup. That's how it works with the AZ tag.

 

[mtelkhntr78]

Yup. That's how it works with the AZ tag.

Wow sounds like UT is really showing the RMEF who is boss! They will show that lousy RMEF now!!

*if not implied please add a heap of sarcasm to the previous statement:hump:

 

[OriginalOscar]

Didnt RMEF call out UT on the integrity of its Governor's tags? Maybe that had something to do with it?

Exactly the problem.

To me it's about respect for an organization that has decades of good work for elk and habitat. In particular their ability to build bridges with ranchers, locals, and business interests.

 

[cmc]

I can't speak for other states but in AZ we have three Commissioners elk tags. Of which groups must submit to the G&F an application for them and how they will attempt to get the most dollar for. Normally in the end 2 get auctioned off, one at the Az Elk Society annual banquet and one at the RMEF national convention, "Elk Camp". The third goes in the AZ Super Big Game Raffle. As Randy stated conversation groups that are awarded those tags must turn over every dollar of the purchase price of the tag to the AZ G&F. Headaches surround the buyers premiums but that's a whole different issue. The money then goes into a fund set up specifically for those tags. The money has specific restrictions to what it can be spent on and it's allocated out at the annual Habitat Partnership Committee (HPC) meeting. A little about HPC's - Throughout the year G&F personal and local sportsmen work on habitat proposals that are then submitted to the local HPC for that G&F region for review. Those project proposals are then brought to the state wide meeting and that's when the fun starts. Of course the need of dollars usually outweighs the money in the fund so they have to determine which ones will get funded. Once they are funded the local HPC groups get to work on the projects. Part of that process is that reporting on the expenditures and completion status of the project and turned back in to the G&F HPC. Thus there is the transparency to how the money from the sale of an elk tag at auction ends up becoming an on the ground habitat improvement. I have not seen this in the UT model and doubt we ever will with a private entity invovled with control of funds. In AZ the program is working tremendously and we have done some wonders projects over the years to benefit the states wildlife for decades to come.

As Randy mentioned the RMEF does not make money on the sale of the AZ elk tag but what it does do is create an atmosphere that one should see for themselves. Watching for the first time an elk tag bidding reach $90,000 at Elk Camp in Reno one year put goosebumps on my arm. Not because I was jealous or the hunter but because I knew what projects were in the HPC queue and the more money raised the more we could do for the elk back home in AZ. Again I knew where the money was going, not to some private company, not to a conservation group, but to the sportsmen of AZ to decide what to do with it. I'm looking forward to seeing this years elk tag go at Elk Camp but more excited to see what projects we can do with that money.