Non Res Tag $ going up?

[lvelk]

I heard a rumor that the MT FWP was toying with the idea of raising the NR combo tags from $643 to over a $1000. Anyone else here this?

 

[Shotgun59]

There is an initiative #161 proposed by a citizen, Not FWP, to do away with guaranteed outfitter sponsored tags. In order to make up the cost he is proposing raising big game combo fees to $897 and deer combo to $527 for non residents. RMEF is against it. outfitter sponsored tags fund the Block Managment Program , which provides access to private lands in montana for hunting.

I am for limiting out of state hunters, not gouging them. Most hunters that apply for the non outfitter sponsored tags are your average hunter and they will be the ones that suffer, not the outfitters which is who this targets.

 

[Edpre]

From a NR:
Didn't prices go up somewhat substantially several years back and were almost immediately reduced after under the 11,500 tags were sold?
I actually kinda like the price structure right now- If I'm booking with an outfitter, I'll drop the extra $300-$400 for the guaranteed, if I'm DIY, I'll gladly send $683 (?) and take the odds.
If we nonresidents were all in the same pool (without the G'Teed Tag), and I wanted to book a particuliar week with an outfitter, I'd buy that hunt elsewhere (probably in a lesser unit in NM or similiar with a landowner tag). If I do outfitted elk in 2010, I need to know in 2009 what, where and especially WHEN I'm going, and I think there's alot of folks like that. Mostly because If I wait on the draw I miss some possible purchase deadlines elsewhere.
For whatever reasons, MT tag prices and numbers seem to work pretty good as they are. There's not a whole lot of complaints about not drawing, occassionally wait a year with a BP, price is not crazy on either draw or GT Tag, etc.

I think it would just hurt, not help. That said, I'm not a resident so this can't even be my $0.02, maybe just my $0.01. I've gladly dropped the $683 for the past almost 10 years, but $900 might probably keep me from being an "every year NR".

 

[knthartter]

I'm a NR as well and I'm right there with EDPER. I think if MT raises the tag fees to $900- 1,000 it will hurt alot of businesses up their that count on the income from NR hunters. With the cost of living going up and up and my paycheck going down and down, without any raises and increased taxes, I would have to look for a cheaper state to hunt. MT residents need to look at it this way, a DYI hunter comes to MT to hunt they spend $638.00 for combo tag, expenses for say 10 days of hunting, gas, lodging, food, say some where around $1,600 to 1,800.00 that goes to MT businesses. Now take that and just say you have 10,000 hunters thats about 2.5 million spent by non residents in MT, and i'm sure my number is way low. In todays times if MT raises their NR tags that much I think you would see a drastic reduction in the number of NR hunters that would pay to hunt MT. MT is good but your game numbers are no where near where they were several years ago. IMO

 

[NeMont]

The issue is that there are a few resident hunters who still don't like outfitters and the outfitter guaranteed licenses so they are going direct to the voters with an intiative. I have not checked the numbers lately to see if they have gathered enough signatures yet to get on the ballot.

I don't like the intiative process very much because it often leads to bad laws and unintended consquences. However, given the average resident hunters view of NR hunters I doubt you guys threatening to no come really scares them. I think a more effective message would be that those same resident hunters would lose access because fewer NR hunters would come, both outfitted and average Joe none outfitted hunters.

I know the arguement is that there draw is always over subscribed and that guys at the margin will drop out if the prices raise for those tags but that there are enough willing to pay to play so that the Block Management Program would be funded anyway. Not my view of it but that is the view of many.

I think that Montana Resident hunters should begin to pay more for their own access so that we don't give the Outfitting industry so much clout, the Outfitters always say they fund Block Management, well they don't really, their clients do but it gives them power. Time for Montana resident hunters to cough up more money and pay for their own access.

Nemont

 

[Gator]

Knocking back the numbers of NR will hurt small towns more then it will anything. Those dollars are needed for some to make it.


"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".

 

[lostinOregon]

NE Mont has it right on what the residents think. I hunt around Broadus every time I can get a tag as I know some locals. The places they grew up being able to hunt is now outfitted land, they don't have access to it either. They don't necessarilly dislike NR's, it is the outfitters they don't like. So if this does make the ballot I would imagine it would pass. I would pay 1K a year if I could go every year. I have a place to hunt though. I wouldn't pay that much to hunt public every year. Should be interesting,

Rich

 

[txjp]

me and a buddy (NR's) hunt MT every year we get a tag which is about every other year or so. We have heard about the tags going up and have already made plans to start looking at other states. We are diy hunters and we nomally kill deer but for 1k i can hunt twice in other states or two states.

We never have figured what we spend (kind of scared to) but we hunt the Broadus area and we buy our groceries,gas,and even like to buy some pizza on the night of a kill. I use the taxidermist. We use the laundry mat they have showers by the laundry mat we use. If the price goes up i will take that money to another state.

The way i see it the only ones hurt will be residents! Hunters will find a state to hunt

 

[txjp]

i forgot this past year i even had to buy a new tire for my trailer that cost about 10 times more than it should have.