WY preference point increase

[Addicting]

Commission voted yesterday to approve NR preference point increase for Deer, Elk, and Antelope to $75 starting Jan 1, 2027.

 

[Lab]

WOW! Its so expensive to play the game now

 

[seeth07]

WOW! Its so expensive to play the game now

182% increase to collect points for those three each fall

 

[WapitiBob]

Still cheaper than OR, AZ, and UT for a NR that only wants to buy points.

 

[Treeshark]

And still cheaper than OR, AZ, and UT for a NR that only wants to buy points.

True story.

This is a smart move for the state. The negative impact (if any) of this is likely to be felt more by surrounding states than Wyoming itself imo.

 

[Matthew57]

Still cheaper than OR, AZ, and UT for a NR that only wants to buy points.

Even with buying a Utah license every other year?

I'm sure this is gonna surprise some habitual point buyers.

 

[WapitiBob]

Even with buying a Utah license every other year?

I'm sure this is gonna surprise some habitual point buyers.

$72 license ($144 spanning 2 years) and $21 app fee. Last year it was $60 and $10.

 

[cgasner1]

Good for them I’ll keep playing

 

[Big Fin]

Considering that they sell 180K-190K points to NRs for each of the elk, deer, and pronghorn draws, this is a smart business decision. The same inventory of tags sold results in $13-14million of annual non-resident revenue, per species, without a single extra critter being harvested and not a single extra set of non-resident boots competing with residents.

When you have a superior product like Wyoming has, this pricing model is very smart on their part, even if it costs NRs a chunk of change to keep their place in line. Some states could follow the WY model, but I'm not sure they have the same mix of quality/opportunity that WY has created, so the results in other states might not be the same.

At this point in my life, I'll pay the fee. They have finally priced me out of bison in Wyoming, so I guess I'll reallocate some of that bison credit card processing fee to keep my place in line for Wyoming elk/deer/pronghorn.

 

[witski65]

It's like telling an addict that the cost of heroin just went up!

 

[Maverick1]

What is the reasoning behind the increase?

 

[Mallardsx2]

What is the reasoning behind the increase?

Your not allowed to ask that without getting a public flogging by a bunch of narcissists.

 

[WyoCoalMiner]

What is the reasoning behind the increase?

G&F costs have increased

 

[idelkslayer]

Considering that they sell 180K-190K points to NRs for each of the elk, deer, and pronghorn draws, this is a smart business decision. The same inventory of tags sold results in $13-14million of annual non-resident revenue, per species, without a single extra critter being harvested and not a single extra set of non-resident boots competing with residents.

When you have a superior product like Wyoming has, this pricing model is very smart on their part, even if it costs NRs a chunk of change to keep their place in line. Some states could follow the WY model, but I'm not sure they have the same mix of quality/opportunity that WY has created, so the results in other states might not be the same.

At this point in my life, I'll pay the fee. They have finally priced me out of bison in Wyoming, so I guess I'll reallocate some of that bison credit card processing fee to keep my place in line for Wyoming elk/deer/pronghorn.

Should state agencies be operating like a business in that way though? What they're selling isn't a product, it's a public resource that they are stewarding. I tend to think that licenses and other fees should be set according to what it costs to manage the resource not what they can get out of it based on market values for a "product". I would much rather they came out and said that their costs as an agency have increased or they want to implement some new habitat work or research and the cost increase in NR points is directly tied to covering those costs. Instead, this feels like raising fees just because they can and they'll figure out how to spend it later. I don't know, maybe I'm thinking about it all wrong, but I just don't think a public resource should be managed like a commodity.

That said, I'm still going to stay in the game in Wyoming for D/E/A.

 

[Roebuck]

What is the reasoning behind the increase?

Because the $ for 2 resident pronghorn tags can’t fill a F&G truck with a tank of gas, but a spot in line for a non residents future hunt can?

 

[WyoCoalMiner]

I would much rather they came out and said that their costs as an agency have increased or they want to implement some new habitat work or research and the cost increase in NR points is directly tied to covering those costs.

They did.

Instead, this feels like raising fees just because they can and they'll figure out how to spend it later. I don't know, maybe I'm thinking about it all wrong, but I just don't think a public resource should be managed like a commodity.

You are.

Commissioners vote to increase non-resident preference point prices | Wyoming Game & Fish Department

CHEYENNE - The Wyoming Game and Fish Commissioners voted on Tuesday to increase non-resident preference points effective January 1, 2027, a motion that was passed unanimously after some discussion.

wgfd.wyo.gov

 

[rjthehunter]

What is the reasoning behind the increase?

Well, who else is gonna fund wildlife management in WY? Gotta stick it to the NR in every way possible.

Adding $100 to the cost of a resident tag would add $4.2 million to their bucket of money every year, and they would still have a cheap elk tag.

 

[Mallardsx2]

“We need to be prepared to do more for our Game and Fish employees,” Commissioner Bill Mai said. “Costs have increased across the board - we have to be ready to cover that.”

I would like them to prove it. Lets see the projects and wage increases with ACTUAL math instead of just treating a public resource like a commodity and milking the non-residents for more money. Should be simple to explain since they knew that they "need to be ready" to cover those expenses.

 

[Brittany Chukarman]

Wyoming used to appreciate and acknowledge the non res contribution. It only became a "what the market will bear" proposition after Rob Shaul started his attack on the non res and disgruntled Wyo residents piled on. Has nothing to do with WDFG. That's also what started the task force that advises the commission. It's been said that WDFG runs in the black. Would like to see a profit and loss statement.

 

[WyoCoalMiner]

Wyoming used to appreciate and acknowledge the non res contribution. It only became a "what the market will bear" proposition after Rob Shaul started his attack on the non res and disgruntled Wyo residents piled on. Has nothing to do with WDFG. That's also what started the task force that advises the commission. It's been said that WDFG runs in the black. Would like to see a profit and loss statement.

Some of what you are looking for can be found in the annual reports. New version does not have as much detail as the later year versions.

Commission | Wyoming Game & Fish Department

The Commission serves as the policy-making board of the Wyoming Game & Fish Department.

wgfd.wyo.gov