Elk Hunters, are tags to cheap?

[Leonhogboy]

Here is what it cost me for 2022 non-resident Idaho tags to hunt elk this year. $1000

Combination hunting/fishing license $274
Archery Permit $82
Elk tag $652

Plus another $500 for bear/wolf/cougar tags.

[Blessed to hunt]

I agree with Texas grown , hunting should be fair for everyone not just for the rich , personally I like hunting public lands and prefer hiking in and out but try that in the Oregon mountains,I am old but was never that young,I like a public drawn lottery ,just don't think the poor should be left out , hunting should be for everyone I'm still trying to figure out why some a hole thinks you shouldn't be able to bow hunt on your own property if its less than ten acres , explain that to me

[Kevin]

Could you address why land owner permits are not an option. That is the pay to play route.

[MadHatter]

I concur… I think outfitters should be banned from those wilderness areas as well. Let’s make it an equal opportunity for everyone.

100%

[SmTx]

I'm still trying to figure out why some a hole thinks you shouldn't be able to bow hunt on your own property if its less than ten acres , explain that to me

Because those deer belong to your neighbor if they have more acreage and feed

[Wits_End]

Unless you've won the lottery I am not sure how you can afford a lease now but not 15 years ago.
Most have been priced out of standard private texas deer hunting, definitely not the other way around. 15 years ago we had a great family lease at $500/year, that price was not uncommon. Most spent more on beer those years.

The conversation has been on elk and I don't consider that a "young" hunter entry level type adventure. Yea, they can tag along and/or pull the trigger, but it's certainly not solely for them. Acting like it's going to impact youth introduction to the sport goes against reality of what it is and what it takes to elk hunt.

Families joining in on a hunt and camping in the elk woods is free. It only takes one tag for a family to get together on. The thought above is you can buy 4 tags for the family right now and have the opportunity to shoot one elk or you could double the price, buy 2 tags and have a much better opportunity of getting two elk.

Texas hunting is the perfect example of the market that elk hunting is colliding into. Way more hunters than leases which drive up lease costs. Go to public woods and it's overcrowded. As the supply remains constant and the demand increases, something has to restrict demand, that is always money.

As far as elk hunting goes I'd prefer that the tags were priced higher and quality of hunt increased. I'd enjoy the heck out of tagging along with friends for a few years in between my hunts and being in a quality hunt every year.

[Wits_End]

Could you address why land owner permits are not an option. That is the pay to play route.

From what I've seen, landowner tags are 3x what he is suggesting. Do you have a different experience?

[GWHunter]

It's a tough topic that I've had in my mind a long time. I generally lean that tags should be more expensive to reduce pressure, forming a higher quality hunt. Basically let the market fix.
I'm also not a fan of the youtubers killing more animals than they or their extended family could eat in several years.

All in all there should be a balance between a unrealistic draw and $10k landowner tag.

- Get rid of points everywhere, NM style
- Nonrefundable draws, yea it may cost you a bit but your odds are way better. Prevents applications going in to 10 different states.
- Higher tag costs
- Rest periods for the successful

With this train of thought $10k is about what it will cost to hunt elk, maybe more…Say you put in for 10-12 years before you get drawn. It seems like that’s what it takes in New Mexico with no preference points and their out of state tag allotments, this is just for a standard unit not quality/ high demand. During that time you received no refund for not drawing, that’s around $800 a year for a quality tag plus fees, even more if you raise the price of tags… that’s insanity. I believe there are ways to help the problem but trying to make elk hunting a rich man’s game isn’t one of them, in my opinion.

[Wits_End]

With this train of thought $10k is about what it will cost to hunt elk, maybe more…Say you put in for 10-12 years before you get drawn. It seems like that’s what it takes in New Mexico with no preference points and their out of state tag allotments, this is just for a standard unit not quality/ high demand. During that time you received no refund for not drawing, that’s around $800 a year for a quality tag plus fees, even more if you raise the price of tags… that’s insanity. I believe there are ways to help the problem but trying to make elk hunting a rich man’s game isn’t one of them, in my opinion.

Your math doesnt include the concept that odds would drastically increase and you'd likely draw every few years. You would severely reduce the huge swarms of hunters putting in for 5+ states, they would be forced to go all in on one. The rich are rich and would continue 5+ states anyway.

Just throwing out thoughts, not saying they are facts or from someone who has studied this for years.

[landman650]

Would you feel and propose the same if you lived in Texas?

The problem with the question is the general lack of public hunting opportunities here versus elsewhere.

The sales tax generated from non-resident hunters from travel and lodging make up for the higher cost of tags. The argument is negligible I think to say that higher tags for non-residents will overcome the revenue brought in by hunters.

I'm in oil and gas and as such, I understand natural resources and state's rights a bit better than most people. No matter what side of the fence you're on, it's up to the state to decide on these issues and those people being placed into positions of power I believe have less and less interest in doing what's right for hunters.

[landman650]

With this train of thought $10k is about what it will cost to hunt elk, maybe more…Say you put in for 10-12 years before you get drawn. It seems like that’s what it takes in New Mexico with no preference points and their out of state tag allotments, this is just for a standard unit not quality/ high demand. During that time you received no refund for not drawing, that’s around $800 a year for a quality tag plus fees, even more if you raise the price of tags… that’s insanity. I believe there are ways to help the problem but trying to make elk hunting a rich man’s game isn’t one of them, in my opinion.

I'm pretty sure NM is a bad example if we're talking about NR tags. From what I remember you couldn't draw a bull tag as a NR and maybe not even for cows (or there was at least incentive not to as a NR). Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[flywise]

Lol, more expensive……that’s just stupid. Maybe they can also charge an access fee so I can go drive around on my land

[diamond10x]

Dude is trying to have a proactive conversation about resource management and you subscribe to the “take your ball and go home” approach. That’s why these conversations never make any headway, people are just too worried about who is going to move their cheese.


[emoji1662]

I gave a reason as to the increased amount of hunters and specifically elk hunters. The OP agreed. Where I have a rub is the raising of prices to keep only those of a certain income able to hunt or acquire tags. Prices of tags have already increased enough since I started doing this a number of years ago.

[flywise]

Let's not make public land elk hunting an X games sport for everybody with a SxS .
In 28 yrs, I've pulled a 4 wheeler maybe 10 times, and only had it off the trailer twice.
The ridiculousness it has become is about to kill it for me.
If the few remaining locations I have, ever get opened up to anything other than walk in access, I'll be done with it.
It's being ruined by people who could really care less about killing a elk.
Turn it back into wilderness, shut down motorized access, and half of em would drop off the first yr.
IMO.

I have hunted Co and NM probably 25 times since 1989 and taken a 4 wheeler 1 time. I sure have logged a lot of miles on my feet. Loved every step

[wytex]

Why not just limit the number of hunters?