DonMartin
Very Active Member
- Messages
- 2,077
I was just sent the 2016 Boquillas Ranch hunt fee schedule and I thought I'd share it with you and see what you think!
This year they have a separate fee schedule for what they call "High Demand" tags.
Those are:
Hunt 2047, archery antelope, hunter permit is $500 while assistant permits are $80 each.
Hunt 2014, rifle antelope. Hunter permits are $500, and assistant permits are $80 each.
Hunt 3134, archery bull elk permittees. Hunters pay $500 with an $80 per assistant fee.
Hunt 3004, early rifle bull. You too pay $500 for a hunter permit plus an $80 per assistant fee.
But here is the good news.
They will only issue a limited number of permits for each hunt. That is designed to reduce hunting pressure for those that are willing to pay these fees!
For archery antelope, they will only issue 25 hunter permits out of the 70 permits that are being issued by AZGD.
For rifle antelope, they will issue just 30 permits out of the 100 tags that are issued by AZGFD.
For early archery bull elk. There will be just 50 permits issued out of the 125 that AZGFD authorized.
For early rifle bull permittees, they will issue just 25 out of the 50 that will be issued by AZGFD.
For the next block of hunts, which includes general rifle deer, early over the counter archery deer, late over the counter archery deer, CHAMP any elk, muzzleloader bull elk, late rifle bull elk, and bighorn sheep, you will pay a flat $80 fee plus an $80 per assistant fee.
For us cow hunters, we are getting a deal!
Fees for the early antlerless elk hunts, both the early and late hunts, and the archery antlerless elk hunts, are just $50 per hunter and $50 per assistant.
They are giving the juniors a break.
For hunt 3066, juniors antlerless elk, they pay $1 and there is no charge for assistants.
Same for junior deer hunts. I say kudos to the ranch for this.
Prairie dog hunters pay $20.
For us "rich" guides, well we've seen an increase too! We get one just about every year, so this comes as no surprise.
The fees to guide on the ranch is 2016 have gone from $300 a year (the same as an Arizona guide licenses have been for years) to $500 a year!
Well, there you have it.
I do have some questions about this.
Back several years ago when all this started I was told by a high ranking AZ G&F Dept. employee that the Commission was going to have the back's of Arizona sportsmen (didn't say nothing about guides--they never do--that's why NR guides pay the same as resident guides.
I was told "There is a line in the sand" when it comes to charging exorbitant fees to the state's sportsmen.
Hmm, wonder if the ranch has reached that threshold?
Anyway,I'm not very happy about these fees, either personally or professionally.
I am hoping that the Mohave Sportsman Club will consider boycotting the ranch for their annual "Antelope Eaters" predator hunt.
Also I am well aware that the ranch's "ace in the hole" is that they control ALL the access to the huge 750,000 acre ranch.
But what about the 250,000 acres of State Trust inside the borders of the ranch.
Would that not be the state's "Ace in the hole?"
Can't they regulate fees for those lands, which are owned by the state of Arizona, which means you and me?
I believe in fair play.
You got "costs" and wanna raise fees, sure, its mostly private property, so do what you want.
But the wildlife out there belongs to the state, not the ranch, and those state trust lands are just that, state owned, so don't we have a little "juice" too?
I'm curious to how you feel about all of this?
I've got a ton of antelope points and have been applying in Unit 10 for ever.
I'm a cow elk guy so this really won't adversely affect me.
And I'm thinking that any NR's aren't going to balk at paying those additional fees for the "High Demand" tags that they've waited years, and years for, but what about the average Arizona resident, is this going to affect the way he applies for tags this year.
And why did the ranch wait till now to put out this information? Was it timed to be when the hunt booklet came out?
Listen I do understand and appreciate the rights of private land owners. But it appears that at least some of these changes are designed to "stick it to" some of those who draw high demand tags.
And I could rant about the rise in guides fees that have occurred every year, but truthfully, most of you could care less about that issue.
So let's here what YOU got to say!
I bet some will say, "Hey that is cool,less pressure out there for my once in a lifetime experience."
And what about the potential extra pressure that will be put on adjoining properties on those High Demand tags. Will that have an affect on them?
So let er rip fellas!
Don Martin
This year they have a separate fee schedule for what they call "High Demand" tags.
Those are:
Hunt 2047, archery antelope, hunter permit is $500 while assistant permits are $80 each.
Hunt 2014, rifle antelope. Hunter permits are $500, and assistant permits are $80 each.
Hunt 3134, archery bull elk permittees. Hunters pay $500 with an $80 per assistant fee.
Hunt 3004, early rifle bull. You too pay $500 for a hunter permit plus an $80 per assistant fee.
But here is the good news.
They will only issue a limited number of permits for each hunt. That is designed to reduce hunting pressure for those that are willing to pay these fees!
For archery antelope, they will only issue 25 hunter permits out of the 70 permits that are being issued by AZGD.
For rifle antelope, they will issue just 30 permits out of the 100 tags that are issued by AZGFD.
For early archery bull elk. There will be just 50 permits issued out of the 125 that AZGFD authorized.
For early rifle bull permittees, they will issue just 25 out of the 50 that will be issued by AZGFD.
For the next block of hunts, which includes general rifle deer, early over the counter archery deer, late over the counter archery deer, CHAMP any elk, muzzleloader bull elk, late rifle bull elk, and bighorn sheep, you will pay a flat $80 fee plus an $80 per assistant fee.
For us cow hunters, we are getting a deal!
Fees for the early antlerless elk hunts, both the early and late hunts, and the archery antlerless elk hunts, are just $50 per hunter and $50 per assistant.
They are giving the juniors a break.
For hunt 3066, juniors antlerless elk, they pay $1 and there is no charge for assistants.
Same for junior deer hunts. I say kudos to the ranch for this.
Prairie dog hunters pay $20.
For us "rich" guides, well we've seen an increase too! We get one just about every year, so this comes as no surprise.
The fees to guide on the ranch is 2016 have gone from $300 a year (the same as an Arizona guide licenses have been for years) to $500 a year!
Well, there you have it.
I do have some questions about this.
Back several years ago when all this started I was told by a high ranking AZ G&F Dept. employee that the Commission was going to have the back's of Arizona sportsmen (didn't say nothing about guides--they never do--that's why NR guides pay the same as resident guides.
I was told "There is a line in the sand" when it comes to charging exorbitant fees to the state's sportsmen.
Hmm, wonder if the ranch has reached that threshold?
Anyway,I'm not very happy about these fees, either personally or professionally.
I am hoping that the Mohave Sportsman Club will consider boycotting the ranch for their annual "Antelope Eaters" predator hunt.
Also I am well aware that the ranch's "ace in the hole" is that they control ALL the access to the huge 750,000 acre ranch.
But what about the 250,000 acres of State Trust inside the borders of the ranch.
Would that not be the state's "Ace in the hole?"
Can't they regulate fees for those lands, which are owned by the state of Arizona, which means you and me?
I believe in fair play.
You got "costs" and wanna raise fees, sure, its mostly private property, so do what you want.
But the wildlife out there belongs to the state, not the ranch, and those state trust lands are just that, state owned, so don't we have a little "juice" too?
I'm curious to how you feel about all of this?
I've got a ton of antelope points and have been applying in Unit 10 for ever.
I'm a cow elk guy so this really won't adversely affect me.
And I'm thinking that any NR's aren't going to balk at paying those additional fees for the "High Demand" tags that they've waited years, and years for, but what about the average Arizona resident, is this going to affect the way he applies for tags this year.
And why did the ranch wait till now to put out this information? Was it timed to be when the hunt booklet came out?
Listen I do understand and appreciate the rights of private land owners. But it appears that at least some of these changes are designed to "stick it to" some of those who draw high demand tags.
And I could rant about the rise in guides fees that have occurred every year, but truthfully, most of you could care less about that issue.
So let's here what YOU got to say!
I bet some will say, "Hey that is cool,less pressure out there for my once in a lifetime experience."
And what about the potential extra pressure that will be put on adjoining properties on those High Demand tags. Will that have an affect on them?
So let er rip fellas!
Don Martin